And Then We Ran

And Then We Ran

By Author / Illustrator

Katy Cannon

Genre

Adventure

Age range(s)

11+

Publisher

Little Tiger Press Group

ISBN

9781847157997

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

06-04-2017

Synopsis

A road-trip story about following your dreams and embracing the unexpected.
Megan knows what she wants out of life and she intends to get it, whatever her parents say.
Elliott has given up on all his plans for the future - but then Megan bursts into his life with a proposal that could change it forever.
Together they embark on a road trip to escape their hometown and chase their dreams. But life is a journey and not even Megan can control where theirs will lead...
Perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen, Rainbow Rowell and Non Pratt.

Reviews

Carol

Megan is 17, and still grieving for her older sister who died the previous year in a tragic boating accident. She is a feisty character, full of life, but also angry that her parents are trying to make her follow the planned career path of her more academic sister. Her ambition is to become a professional photographer. Her childhood friend Elliott is also suffering the fallout from the accident, as well as his father's imprisonment for financial misdeeds, and he has given up on plans for university, which now seem beyond his reach. The plot revolves around the crazy plan Megan comes up with, which, she believes, will enable them both to follow their dreams; however, it involves them eloping to get married at Gretna Green (there is a sort of logic to this!). I found the plot quite hard to believe in, especially when Elliott, who otherwise seems quite a sensible lad, agrees to the plan with hardly any reservations. Once you decide to run with it, the book becomes quite an enjoyable read, with a couple of teen romances going on, some funny moments, and a supportive best friend helping things along. The first person narrative style, alternating chapters between Megan and Elliott, works well, and it is good to have a strong positive female lead character, contrasting with the more cautious and introverted Elliott. However, I felt that the grief that the characters, particularly Megan and her parents, are experiencing, did not ring true. The author seemed to be telling us, rather than showing or making us actually feel it. The production of the book is appealing, with Megan's photographs featuring in the book as well as on the cover, a nice touch. As a readable, light teenage read, the book does fine, and I'm sure it will be a popular read. However, the issues it tackles (bereavement, family tensions, finding your own way in the world) do not quite fit the tone of the story. The characters are 17 plus, but the readership interested in it would, I think, be considerably younger. 352 pages / Ages 14+ / Reviewed by Carol Williams, school librarian.

Suggested Reading Age 11+

 

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