Written by bestselling author Holly Webb, The Runaways beautifully captures the spirit of Great Britain during the Second World War, weaving together themes of resilience, identity and what it means to call a place your home.

It’s London in the late 1930s, and the Second World War is imminent. When a young Londoner called Molly hears that the children in her neighbourhood are being evacuated, she feels relieved. The war scares her, and living in the city means living in the heart of danger.

However, Molly’s relief is short lived because her mum refuses to let her go, telling her that she has to stay and help with the war effort. And that’s not all – times are tough, and there’s not enough food or supplies for people, let alone pets. This means that Molly’s beloved dog Bertie is now considered “surplus to requirement”.

So Molly decides to escape.

Stowing away on a train, Molly makes it to the country, but once there the reality of her situation dawns on her: she doesn’t know where she is or who to trust. It’s not until Molly comes across two other runaways that she starts to feel safe again. Maybe, just maybe, with each other’s help, they have a chance of overcoming the trials put in front of them.

Product Details

Format

Paperback

ISBN

9781407191904

Publisher

Scholastic

Date published

October 3rd, 2019

Accelerated Reader

AR book level: 5.1; Middle years; 8.0 points

Other details

336 pages

Condition

New

Author/Illustrator

Holly Webb

Holly is the best-selling author of lots of brilliant books for children.

Holly read Classics at Cambridge and was working as a children’s book editor when she began writing for children. She is particularly well known for her animal stories, like Lost in the Snow and the Molly’s Magic and Animalmagic series. Look out too for Victorian crime caper Maisie Hitchins and fantasy adventure Emily Feather. For older readers, don’t miss the Rose and Lily books, about magical girls and their adventures.

She lives in Reading with her family and two very spoilt cats!