Cover Image: The Runaway Girls

The Runaway Girls

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Member Reviews

I've been a longtime fan of Jacqueline Wilson so even as an adult I'm excited to read her latest children's book! Lucy is a posh Victorian girl who lives with her distant father and cold stepmother. After a misunderstanding, she runs away with a local street girl called Kitty and the two start busking to try and earn a crust. I whizzed through this in an afternoon (though obviously its designed for a younger age group) and I loved it. I'm positive other fans of JW will feel the same!

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As a child and teenager I adored Jaqueline Wilson books and devoured them all so when I saw this come available on Netgalley I thought it would see if I still enjoyed them.
The book really was fantastic. It was set in Victorian times, and the characters were both very likeable and relatable. The adventures they go on present a mild threat which keeps things interesting.
The book is suitable for older children and for adults. I found it very compelling and read it within a day.

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Such a beautiful book and inadvertently educational. Think Oliver reimagined and you’re pretty close to this lovely story. I can’t wait to share this with my 10yr old niece she is a huge fan of the author and will love this.

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Jacqueline Wilson does it again, I think her historical works might be my favourite of all particularly those that are set during the Victoria Era. JW just writes it so well and really sucks you into this world.

This was an enjoyable and fast-paced read. 4 stars.

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Another wonderfully written, engaging book by a true storytelling genius. Jaqueline Wilson is able to write characters which step off the page and then makes the reader feel as if they are on the journey with them. The book is a fast paced, intriguing adventure story but in her own indomitable style the author is able to really show some of the realities of life in the 1850's and the enormous divide between rich and poor. As a history and drama specialist I feel that this book would make a perfect start to any project based on this period of history. I do hope that we meet these characters again. Soon!

With huge thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the chance to read this amazing book early.

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An easy read from a well known and talented author. You can never go wrong with any book by Jacqueline Wilson. A lovely, well-rounded story, the usual type of story from Jacqueline. The cover is very colourful, eyecatching, and appealing and will draw attention to readers in a bookshop.

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I absolutely adored this book and the ever-expanding Wilson World. I did expect more of a connection into the Hetty Feather stories, but was nice to see another Victorian perspective. Always love Wilson's historical works.

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The Runaway Girls is another book where Jacqueline Wilson - yet again - proves she is the undisputed queen of character creation.

The story follows the escapades of runaway Lucy, and her friend Kitty, in Victorian London. Wilson has again used her distinctive magic to bring the girls to life. The characters are so intricately created that they seem to step out of the pages and become living and breathing friends for the reader. They are not without fault, but they are the kinds of characters you root for, who you desperately want to succeed. Their struggles become your struggles and you very much become part of their world. Even with the historical setting, the characters feel free, vibrant and relevant.

The harsh realities of life in 1851, and the stark contrasts between the rich and the poor at this time, are captured perfectly between these pages. The themes of friendship and loyalty form the backbone of this story. It is a well-paced and unpredictable read and a nice addition to the world of Hetty Feather.

I will gladly add a copy of this book to my classroom bookshelf, when it is released. It is a great piece of historical fiction that I know Year 5 will enjoy. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.

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A must read for fans of Jacqueline Wilson!! It's great to have a historical story aimed at you her ones which doesn't gloss over the harsh realities of life then, but doesn't get too depressing with it either, it reached a good balance point of informative yet entertaining and I would highly recommend buying it for any of your little ones

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