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Sarah Armstrong

Run

Run

$18.99 AUD
$18.99 AUD
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The unmissable new story in the No.1 Sunday Times bestselling Impossible Creatures series, for fans of Philip Pullman, Percy Jackson and Skandar.

"There was Tolkien, there is Pullman and now there is Katherine Rundell" Michael Morpurgo

SAM'S REVIEW
How long do you think you’d survive on your own in the bush? A day? A week? A month? This is the challenge facing twelve-year-old Cas when he runs away from home and gets lost deep in the outback.

Sarah Armstrong’s latest novel for 9 to12 year olds, Run, is a thrilling adventure full of wild animals, near death experiences, bravery and the ties of family, no matter how unconventional that family may be. The story centres on Cas, who moved in with his Aunt Mel after his mother disappeared, and whose father was unable to cope, leaving the boy digging for food in bins and facing the night all alone. When Cas discovers Mel’s plan to send him to his father for a weekend, he seizes an opportunity to escape, only to end up horribly lost in the bush.

After a sleepless first night in the bush, surrounded by a darkness that “feels alive, like a swarming thing trying to find its way under his skin,” Cas is discovered by two girls in whom he chooses to place his trust. He and the younger girl then set off for the main road, but a landslide, an injured arm and an impassable path quickly change their plans. The girls are then forced to reveal a secret, after which they take Cas to their family’s camp and even deeper into the bush.

From this point in the narrative, various thrills, literal cliffhangers and tense confrontations are used to explore themes of family, loyalty, sacrifice and bravery. We learn why the girls are living in the bush, why Cas’s dad failed him, and why people can deserve second chances. Run also shows us that a family isn’t necessarily Mum, Dad and two kids; that it can be any combination of people who take care of you, support you and love you.

Run is fast-paced, action-packed and heartfelt. It reminded me of Katherine Rundell’s The Explorer and Eva Ibbotson’s Journey to the River Sea: as big a compliment as I can give to Sarah Armstrong’s latest book for pre-teen readers.

PUBLISHER REVIEW
For fans of Tristan Bancks and Katherine Rundell comes this electrifying middle-grade novel about a twelve-year-old called Cas, who runs away to avoid a reunion with his estranged father. Cas soon finds himself lost in the wilderness, completely alone and without help. Or is he? Cas thought running away from home would solve all his problems. But he didn’t count on getting hopelessly lost in the tangled Australian bush. Alone and afraid, Cas has given up all hope of rescue when he stumbles upon a strange family hiding out in the wilderness. He won’t survive without their help. But when he discovers they’re also on the run – from something so big, they won’t even talk about it – he realises his problems are just beginning …Hatchet meets Stand By Me in this brilliantly suspenseful novel from the acclaimed author of Big Magic and Magic Awry. With a spiky, memorable cast, gripping twists and turns and thorny moral dilemmas, RUN is perfect for fans of Bren MacDibble and Nat Amoore – and it will keep readers glued to the page all night.
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