van Draanen, Wendelin. Runaway.van DRAANEN, Wendelin. Runaway. Random House, Knopf. 160p. c2006. 0-375-83522-9. $15.95. JS Think Homecoming Homecoming Odyssey concerning Odysseus’s difficulties in getting home after war. [Gk. Myth.: Odyssey] You Can’t Go Home Again revisiting his home town, a writer is disillusioned by what he sees. [Am. Lit. by Cynthia Voigt, only 12-year-old Holly has no family at all to take care of, just herself, and no place to run to except a mythical myth·i·cal also myth·ic adj. 1. Of or existing in myth: the mythical unicorn. 2. Imaginary; fictitious. 3. Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. . She's the veteran of five foster homes after the death of her heroin-addicted mother two years before. Marked as a troublemaker and a runaway, she's been emotionally and physically abused. Now she's in the foster home from hell and no one will believe how desperate her situation is. Her English teacher assigns the class journal keeping and preaches that writing can help people cope. Holly feels that Ms. Leone is dangerously naive but can't stop making journal entries as she runs away once again, making her way across the country, sleeping in homeless shelters Homeless shelters are temporary residences for homeless people. Usually located in urban neighborhoods, they are similar to emergency shelters. The primary difference is that homeless shelters are usually open to anyone, without regard to the reason for need. , begging for food, hopping on trains, and finally reaching L.A., which turns out to be less than she expected. Yet she persists until she finds the ocean and a home. Meanwhile, she talks to her journal and finds that writing can indeed help her deal with her problems and resolve some of the pain. The plot is suspenseful and the voice is engaging, although Holly resembles no real-world 12-year-old. The voice is much, much older, as when Holly remarks that taking a hot bath is like "massage therapy Massage Therapy Definition Massage therapy is the scientific manipulation of the soft tissues of the body for the purpose of normalizing those tissues and consists of manual techniques that include applying fixed or movable pressure, holding, and/or for the soul." Yet what English teacher could resist a book where the theme is that writing is good for you? In the end, though, in spite of the author's intention, it's not clear whether YAs would see Holly's homelessness and living by her wits as de-glamorized or glamorized. The question is worth a discussion. Myrna Marler, Assoc. Prof. of English, BYU BYU Brigham Young University BYU Bayou BYU Bob's Your Uncle BYU Bayreuth, Germany - Bindlacher Berg (Airport Code) BYU Beyond Your Understanding , Provo, UT J--Recommended for junior high school students. The contents are of particular interest to young adolescents and their teachers. S--Recommended for senior high school students. |
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