The Art of Running Away by Sabrina Kleckner

 

I picked up The Art of Running Away after seeing it on a Good Reads list of middle grades releases. My students tend to be way more interested in contemporary fiction than anything else, so I'm always on the lookout for books that deal with realistic social issues. The plot summary for this one seemed to promise that very thing, so I decided to give it a try as part of my Middle Grades Mission Challenge.

The plot of the of the novel follows twelve-year-old Maisie, a budding artist that lives with her mom and dad. She works after school at her family's portrait shop, where she assists with sketching out first draft versions of people's pictures for her father to paint. She adores her job there and is looking forward to spending her approaching summer break honing her craft and hanging out with her best friend. Her parents spoil her plans however, when they announce that she will be spending the summer with her aunt in Ireland. Maisie is less than thrilled with this idea, but ends up grudgingly going.

After arriving overseas, something happens that she wasn't expecting. She is contacted by her brother Calum, whom she hasn't seen or spoken to since he mysteriously ran away from home six years ago. Although she was only six when he left, she is hurt by what she sees as his abandonment of her. At first, she is reluctant to reestablish a relationship with him, but eventually, she decides to try getting to know him. Her biggest question for him, of course, is why he ran away. When Calum eventually shares this reason, it opens Maisie's eyes to a lot of things she didn't think about before, and changes her perception of her mom and dad. As she grows closer to her brother, she must untangle some new and complicated feelings about her parents and learn about how to offer forgiveness when your family disappoints you. 

This was a quiet little novel, but a thoughtful and enjoyable one. This is definitely a character-driven story, and Kleckner did a good job developing Maisie's character. She definitely felt like a middle school kid to me as I was reading. She was dramatic and impulsive sometimes, but she was also kind and empathetic. She was confident in her skills as an artist, but insecure about her friendships. She was helpful at times and annoying at other times. In short, she was a mixed up ball of emotions trying to figure out who she really was - just like most kids her age. I like that she wasn't perfect here. She makes a lot of mistakes throughout the story, and watching her learn and grow from them was relatable and engaging to read about. The supporting cast was also characterized well, with Calum in particular being another standout. The pain and heartache he felt at leaving home came across as genuine, and I couldn't help but feel for him.

I thought it was interesting to explore a family relationship in which the parents have done something wrong, but not something illegal, abusive, or otherwise physically neglectful or dangerous. I can't go into much detail without spoiling the most important plot point, so I'll just say that it's something in which they were clearly in the wrong, but it's possible to explore where they were coming from and understand their point of view. I liked watching Maisie grapple with the realization that her parents did something hurtful and disappointing. She has to figure out how to move forward with their relationship in the aftermath. I think this is something a lot of kids have to deal with but I don't read a lot about. Parents make mistakes. Sometimes big ones. Sometimes they break things and can't fix them afterwards. I thought it was interesting to watch Maisie navigate that. 

So, there were a lot of aspects of this story that I really enjoyed. At the same time, there was nothing here that made this a true standout novel for me. While I thought it was interesting, relevant, and well-written, I never felt a deep connection to what was going on. I didn't have that "can't put this book down" feeling. It was still a solid read though, and I think kids who are drawn to contemporary, thoughtful fiction will like it. I'm happy to stick it in my classroom library and wait for that reader to come along.

  

Challenge Tally

Middle Grade Mission: 10/24

Total Books Read in 2022: 26