A deep story with many openings for rich discussions, The Art of Running Away features a girl forced to face what she has been told, and examine them for herself. It’s easy to pass judgment, but she has to evaluate situations... which side is she on? What will she do? How will she face ...?

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an arc in exchange for an honest review!
This book was really fun to read! I like Maisie as a main character, she felt like an authentic twelve year old, and the sibling relationship is pretty accurate. The parents behavior was a little inconsistent, but otherwise I felt like this was a good story about family and how kids have such pure ambition for the things they love. I didn’t feel like the story was going too slow or fast, so overall it was a good and easy read!

(Also posted on Goodreads!)

What a lovely read! Fairly light, but it was still a thoughtful exploration of a child's realization that her parents are flawed, and her worldview has been, too. Maisie discovers more about herself, her family and friendships and art!

The best part of the book for me was easily Calum and Maisie's relationship with each other. They stumble around each other, but they care and show it however they can, sometimes stumbling more over that than their anger or issues. I found the conversation about allyship clunky, but I really enjoyed the other ways the book approached Callum's issues with his parents; it held understanding for the parents' viewpoints (or at least where they were coming from), but the narrative itself gave Calum room to be hurt and angry, never demanding forgiveness from him.

I loved the art descriptions as well! Enough detail to conjure an image, but not too much description, so I could fill in the blanks myself.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC!

I really loved this book. The author manages to perfectly capture the tense relationship between a young teenager and her parents, the relationship strains and struggles in her friendships and the relationship with her brother. Its a wonderfully inclusive book that quietly addresses some of the hurdles the LGBTQIA community might experience and talks about allies.
It brought me to tears at times, and certainly got me thinking.
This is a coming of age story that is not to be missed and the character development of the protagonist is heartwarming to follow. 5 stars, highly recommend.

Maisie realizes that there is a lot more to her family than she had been told, and a summer away reveals truths about her parents and her absentee brother. The Art of Running Away is a a book aimed at middle school readers, but its themes of family and identity ring out loudly for older readers as well. Through the eyes of twelve year old Maisie, we experience myriad emotions as she reconnects with her brother, meets an aunt for the first time and uncovers a family secret, all against the backdrop of artwork. This book is all about finding yourself in the mess, and when you think about it, isn't that what middle school is all about? A five star read that I will be recommending to my students.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. The Art of Running Away is scheduled to be published on November 16, 2021. #TheArtofRunningAway #NetGalley

I LOVED THIS. So many genuinely laugh-out-loud moments. Normally, I balk at first person, but, wow, this was so artfully done. The sentences were varied (not just "I" + verb, though it did have a bit of that near the beginning) and it read so well. Kleckner absolutely NAILED the narration. Maisie's voice was so clear.

The voices of the characters in general were so distinct. Everyone felt like a living, breathing person, even if they didn't have much screen time. The pacing was near-perfect and information was revealed in stages. As a children's librarian, too, I'm accustomed to reading a lot of middle grade fiction. I've read so much. So, when I say I was IMMENSELY IMPRESSED by the depiction of allyship and trauma and family pain for a young audience.

Honestly, I'm glad that the parents didn't play a large on-screen role. This isn't about them. This is Calum's story. It's about Calum and Maisie and how their parents' actions impacted them. As Maisie so aptly says, and I'm going to butcher it because I read it through the glaze of tears: it doesn't matter what the intent was behind the action; hurt is hurt is hurt. I'm glad they were more peripheral.

This is good reading for queer people and allies alike. It's good for all ages, too. It has immense appeal across categories and I am 110% pre-ordering it for my children's department.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I'll be reading anything Kleckner writes, thank you. Wow. What great writing, pacing, self-discovery, characters, descriptions, plotting, learning to put the needs of others above yourself, complexity... I could go on. I'm rambling. This is one of my favorite books of all time, honestly. I'm amazed by how much I loved it. Wow. Thank you most of all to Kleckner for writing this. Books like this are why I'm a children's librarian.

The Art of Running Away is a MG novel that follows our 12-year-old narrator Maisie as she reunites with her adult brother after 6 years.

The book deals with heavy topics such as homophobia using more accessible language for children to understand and it also talks about being an ally and how one can support members of the LGBTQ community.

Honestly, this is such a comforting read and I finished it in under an hour. I don't know whether this applies to all children's books but I could feel the characters' emotions rolling off the page (I still remember bawling my eyes out to the Girl and the Ghost Machine). This book was so immersive and I absolutely loved it.

The Art of Running Away comes out on the 16th of November this year!!

Thank you, NetGalley and Sabrina Kleckner for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review <3

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Thank you netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for a review.

This is a very good story about family, about being a good ally and a good friend, about growing up.

It's a great book for kids and teens, but honestly adults can enjoy it too. I couldn't put it down!

I also relate a lot to Mrs and Mrs Matthews who order a painting of their cat

I received this book for free for an honest review from netgalley #netgalley

We need more lgbtq and middle grade and high school level this one didn't disappoint with this uniqueness. Between her and her brother and her family was so important.

This is the cutest book I've ever read. I could read one thousand pages of Maisie and Calum bickering and I wouldn't get tired of it.
The Art of Running Away is a MG book that follows Maisie, a 12-year-old that is sent to her aunt Lisa's house in another country because her parents want her to "broaden her horizons" since Maisie's whole world seems to be revolved around her best friend, Alycia, and her family's art shop "Glenna's Portraits". And when Glenna's is at risk of closing the doors, alll Maisie wishes is to be back home, doing something to prevent this from happening. Until a chance appears when her older brother, Calum — who ran away from home when she was six — appears at Lisa's doorstep asking Maisie to consider spending her summer with him in London. She, then, plans a way of saving the shop and (maybe) discover the reason why Calum left years ago.
I have no words to explain how this book enchanted me, but I'll try to.
I read only 10% of the book in two days and I really thought I wouldn't really like it, but then today I was decided to read at least 50%. So I started reading it and I just couldn't stop. The chapters' names? Iconic. Maisie's narration? Amazing, all her emotions were so well described and in some moments she was soooo funny. Calum and his roommates? Best people in the whole world. Lisa and Alycia? Sweethearts! The queer rep? *chef's kiss.* The only characters I had some problems with were Maisie's parents but nothing that actually made any changes in how I viewed the book.
The characters:
Maisie- I love her character's development, once in a while she was a bit annoying but which 12-year-old is NOT annoying? Specially in a whole other country? I love Maisie and I'll protect this girl with my whole life.
Calum- I think he might be my newest comfort character. Serious. HE WORKS SO FUCKING HARD?????? And he's so chaotic. I love that about him. If you look at him, you can't even imagine how a mess this man is. But he's such an amazing and loving character. (Also he loves his sister so much, I can't even-)
Benji- BEST BOY EVER???? Everytime Benji appeared, I knew I was up for a good time. He's so sweet and definitely the best influence Maisie could ever ask for.
Rose- Can I date her??? Really. She's so nice and she takes care of the people she loves so well and I could spend a whole day talking about how amazing this woman is.
That was the best book I've read in a good time. I laughed so hard and cried like a baby. (Not gonna lie, I also have like a thousand headcanons of the characters' futures.) Looking forward for reading anything new from the author in the future.
Thank you Netgalley and Jolly Fish Press for This ARC in exchange for an honest review.
5.0/5.0 ⭐+❤

***Special thanks to NetGalley and JollyFish Press for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review***

5/5

I absolutely LOVED this book. As someone who feels like they are starting to read more adult contemporary, I was not sure if I would enjoy this middle-grade novel, but I was completely BLOWN AWAY. The characters were so compelling and read like their age. The characters were able to make mistakes and grow from them, in addition, this book highlighted the importance of communication.

I was very impressed by how this book not only portrayed a strained family relationship but also shows a different type/more subtle sort of homophobia in addition to showing how characters can change.

While all of these aforementioned aspects led me to love this book, I loved that this book did not end with a *yay we solved all our family issues and are happy* sort of ending. There is a sense of growth, but also maturity that comes from the fact that not all of the family's issues are solved, rather they have been brought to light.

I would recommend this book to everyone.... literally though please read it!

Such a compelling story! "The Art of Running Away" is about finding yourself and your family. It was absolutely beautiful, colorful, and delightful. Maisie is a terrific voice for middle grade. Her travels reminded me of myself when I traveled to London around that same age and I personally adored that connection. The chapter titles were hilarious and on point, while the characters were enjoyable and touching. I loved reading the growth between Maisie and her older brother. For anyone looking for a family-oriented middle grade story with heart and art, this is the one for you!

Fave lines: "The world drips like wet paint, heavy and blurring at the edges. Everything I thought I knew about my family is peeling away, and I can't see what's left behind."

If you only read the chapter titles of Sabrina Kleckner's THE ART OF RUNNING AWAY, that would be enough to make you laugh and know what an amazing book this is. But then you'd miss the smart, brave, and funny Maisie. You'd miss so many funny and poignant and emotional moments. THE ART OF RUNNING AWAY is a wonder--full of family love and complications, sibling connections and disconnections, and BFFs being BFFs, with all its ups and downs. I loved this book. Like Maisie, it's so funny, smart, and full of love.

Oh wow, just wow, words aren't enough to describe this book!!!
This was such a beautiful book, it was heart wrenching the way Masie bonds with her long lost brother and how she made an emotionless person cry.
The emotion and the humor were in perfect proportion, the parrot incident was quite funny xD.
This book throws light on LGBTQIA community and the problems they face and is a perfect read in pride month! Glad that Glenna's was saved!! I really hope this book has a sequel and congratulations to the author for writing such a touching book!! This book is now one of my favorites!!

My rating 5 out 5 (really wanna give it more)

I absolutely loved this story. The voice and the humor, the heart and the art... all of it was so well-done. With lots of humor—check out the Shrek references, wink wink—and attitude, this story did an amazingly deft job of exploring themes of family and identity. I particularly enjoyed the relationship and banter, the tears and smiles, between Maisie and her brother Calum. The characters were rich and distinct and seeing Edinburgh and London through 12-year-old artist Maisie's eyes was a delight.

I can't wait to someday hold the physical copy in my hands!

It is a well-written book that touches on many topics like family friendship and trust. The born between Maisie and Calum is beautifully described.

The Art of Running Away is a quick, fun read. The plot was a little contrived but Maisie was a great character and her development was realistic.

A colourful story of art, family, and identity, The Art of Running Away by Sabrina Kleckner follows twelve-year-old Maisie all the way to the United Kingdom, where she sets out to make amends with her estranged brother and discover her own creative style.

So many miles away from her family's art shop, Glenna's Portraits, Maisie is supposed to be "broadening her horizons" and looking for hobbies that go beyond paint and pencils. But instead, Maisie has a mission. With Glenna's Portraits deep in financial trouble, it's up to her to find the funding to save it, a feat she hopes to accomplish with the help of her brother Calum, who ran away from home when Maisie was just six years old.

As Maisie begins to patch things up with Calum, she learns that art and family aren't always so simple. Uncovering betrayals and conflicts, Maisie starts to question her family and the future of Glenna's. As Maisie navigates life in a new city and the imperfections of her family dynamic, she has plenty of room for character development, growing to learn important lessons about forgiveness, identity, and creativity.

The Art of Running Away tackles themes of culture, family, friendship, homophobia, and coming of age. If you enjoyed Amy Bearce's Rome Reframed and Danette Vigilante's Tia Lugo Speaks No Evil, you might like The Art of Running Away!

Thank you to Jollyfish Press and NetGalley for providing me with this eARC.

This was a really sweet Middle Grade story about a young girl reconnecting with her older brother who ran away 6 years ago while also trying to save her family’s art shop. I enjoyed watching Maisie as she wrestled with her feelings towards her family as she learned more about her brother’s situation and the mistakes her parents made.

There were a lot of great conversations in the story about what it means to be an ally and who is able to accept an apology for something. While there is a lot of more serious, emotional content there are also some really funny scenes as well. I thought the story ended in a nice place. Without giving any spoilers, it’s a positive ending but everything isn’t automatically perfect.

I think this is a story that has appeal across age categories. I’d definitely recommend checking it out if you enjoy stories about family, LGBTQ+ characters, and art.

☆ 4/5 ☆

Honestly, this was such a sweet short read. I usually wouldn't request a middle grade ARC but who can pass off on a quick queer novel?

This novel follows a 12 yr old named Maisie. Her life revolves around her best friend, Alicia. Maisie's parents end up sending her to another country with her aunt Lisa. She ends up running away with her brother, Calum, who ran away years ago. Maisie has to find a way to save her family's art shop, Glenna's Portraits.

The sibling bond between Maisie and Calum is explored a lot and I really enjoyed it! The familial bonds in general actually. I absolutely loved the way art was talked about here. The humor was funnier then I thought it would be. There are many topics that we talk about in this novel and they're all done so well. The talk about allyship was incredibly written.

This book is definitely worth it and I would recommend it to all ages, despite it's middle grade label.

Thank you to Netgalley and Flux for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.