Unfortunately, I have not been able to read and review this book.

After losing and replacing my broken Kindle and getting a new phone I was unable to download the title again for review as it was no longer available on Netgalley.

I’m really sorry about this and hope that it won’t affect you allowing me to read and review your titles in the future.

Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity.
Natalie.

A great little book from Julia Donaldson that wasn't a picture book! Would love to see her writing for middle grade readers. This felt a little bit too short for someone with such great writing!

'Running on the Cracks' is the Acadamy award nominee, Julia Donaldson's first novel for teenagers.

When Leo's parents tragically die in a plane crash and things aren't going well at her new home with her auntie and uncle, Leo runs away to discover her long lost family in Glasgow. Through her discovery she is not only reunited with family members but makes very special friends who she soon considers her new family.

This is a perfect novel for teenagers as it covers such important subjects such as death, mental illness, sexual abuse, neglect, friendship, family and child safety.

The part that resonates most with me and I hope it does with teenagers too, is when Leo is encouraged to let her family know she is safe. Leo is so scared she will be made to go back to live with her aunt and uncle, where it is unsafe. There is an anonymous number she can call to explain her circumstances and to state she is safe which enables steps to be put in place to protect her and promote her care.

Julia Donaldson also mentions Aberlour Child Care Trust in her novel. They are Scotlands largest children's charity and the only charity providing a refuge for young runaways in Scotland. This is what I love about 'Running on the cracks', not only is it a thrilling, well executed and heart warming novel it has such important messages running throughout that are vital to our children's future and wellbeing.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free ARC in return for an honest review.

Poor Leo is in a hard place – half Chinese, she has no idea about her father’s family apart from a handful of stories he used to tell her, but when she decides that living with her aunt and uncle becomes impossible, she decides to run away. This could have been a dire tale of exploitation and abandonment, but from its rather grim beginnings, Donaldson manages to weave a warm, yet realistic tale featuring those people who have fallen through society’s cracks.

Leo isn’t the only young protagonist – Finlay, who is permanently at loggerheads with his parents as he goes through his Goth period, also features in this tale and provides a fair amount of the light relief. Although it deals with some fairly gnarly subjects like what happens to youngsters when their family circumstances become unbearable, mental illness and family feuds, there is also a lot of humour in this warm-hearted, thoughtful story.

For a start, there are some episodes that descend into almost farce – I kept thinking that it would make a marvellous TV programme as I read about the chase through the market, or Marina’s manic attempts to make tea. But there is also an undercurrent of danger as Leo is also being tracked by someone who doesn’t want to let her go…

Leo is a sympathetic protagonist who is struggling to cope with a terrible loss and not having very much support. I did wonder if she wouldn’t be going to a bereavement counsellor and she most definitely would have a social worker assigned to her case, but I can believe that she may well not see her often enough if it was decided that she was settling in just fine. I also loved Marina, whose kindness means that Leo isn’t left to fend for herself on the streets – but I’m aware that I am seeing her through adult eyes and I’d be curious to know what a child would make of her.

I found this adventure an engrossing read and while I felt that the pacing at the end became a little rushed and that the final resolution was just a bit too tidy, overall I think this is a highly readable book that raises some important questions about those who often become invisible in our society.

While I obtained the arc of Running on the Cracks from the publisher via NetGalley, this has in no way influenced my unbiased review.
8/10

15-year-old Leonora (Leo to her friends) has run away. Her parents have died in an accident and she is living with her aunt, her bitchy cousins and her slightly creepy uncle. She runs to Glasgow in the hope of finding her chinese father’s family but ends up sleeping on a bench until she is taken in by an odd but kind woman named Mary. She makes friends with would-be Goth Finlay and sets about searching for her family, avoiding her uncle (who gets even creepier) and working out how best to help Mary, who is obviously struggling with her mental health. I would say this is a book firmly aimed at the younger teen – it is generally restrained in its language (hovering at the ‘bloody’ level of swearing), the slightly predatory uncle is creepy but never gets as far as being overtly sexual and there is no romance angle to the relationship between the youngsters. There are serious issues covered, the plight of runaway children, the problems inherent in mental health care, immigrant communities and the difficulties youngsters have in feeling like they ‘fit in’. I liked the main characters, particularly Finlay and Mary, and thought the plot was good. This isn’t a new book, it came out in 2009, but I hope that Donaldson makes some time to write more for older children.

A nice easy to read book (not that the topics ie 'Talking to the birds' are easy) which touches on many subjects that a Young adult might experience in their lives.
A good way to open up discussions on some tough personal issues, that they may be having.
I love the references to classic titles, some may study, and hopefully will push their interest in hunting down these classics to read.
Love the relationships Finlay has with the older people in his life. Enjoy watching the friendship grow between Leo and Finlay. Leo’s relationship with Mary maybe a little fortunate.

Look forward to reading the Play's Script and maybe seeing how they interpret different parts of the book.