Running on the Cracks

September 28, 2009
This engaging, bittersweet story follows biracial British teenager Leonora (“Leo”) Watts-Chan, who was orphaned when her parents were killed in a plane crash, and has fled the home of her maternal aunt and perverted uncle. Interspersed with Leo’s first-person narration are third-person accounts of Finlay, a teenage goth wannabe who first encounters Leo when she steals a bag of doughnuts; the musings of Leo’s uncle, hot on her trail; and newspaper articles and letters. Rescued from homelessness by Mary, a former psychiatric patient, Leo is determined to find the paternal grandparents she has never met. With the help of unlikely friends and a string of coincidences, Leo finds her father’s family and learns the value of friendship (“I kind of think of the friends as my family too, as they’ve all been so good to me”). The characters in Donaldson’s (The Gruffalo
; Room on the Broom
) YA debut are well drawn and their imperfections are authentic, particularly Mary’s battle with mental illness. Despite heavy themes, the story is neither bleak nor gritty. The fast pace and short chapters should appeal to readers, who will celebrate the hopeful ending. Ages 12–up.

December 1, 2009
Gr 6-9-Still reeling from the recent death of her parents in a plane crash, Leo, a 15-year-old girl of mixed Chinese and English descent, runs away from an unpleasant living situation and boards a train to Glasgow. Remaining incognito in the city proves to be difficult, but she eventually finds refuge with a kindhearted, mentally ill woman. After seeing Leo's picture in the paper, Finlay, a 13-year-old Goth paperboy, figures out who she is. They become friends as he learns of her circumstances and volunteers to help her locate the Chinese grandparents she's never known. Finding them is imperative, as Leo doesn't want to be forced back to her aunt's home, a dangerous environment with a leering Uncle John. Donaldson's novel, told from the shifting perspectives of Leo, Finlay, and Uncle John, is slow to start, but picks up as Leo's predator uncle appears on the scene to track her down. American readers will find bits of the dialect hard to understand, but the slowly building suspense, strong characterizations, and a narrative that includes information about the Chinese immigrant experience in Scotland and insight into the lives of the mentally ill make the book a worthwhile read."Shawna Sherman, Hayward Public Library, CA"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2009
Grades 6-9 When Leonora (Leo for short) loses both parents in an airplane crash, the 15-year-old is sent to live with her aunt and uncle. But when the latter begins demonstrating an unhealthy sexual interest in her, Leo runs away to Glasgow in search of her fathers Chinese family (shes of mixed heritage). Now homeless, she at first finds only more trouble but gradually makes some surprisingand surprisingly helpfulfriends. But wouldnt you know it, soon enough her creepy uncle comes back into her life. British picture-book author Donaldsons first YA novel is distinguished by its large cast of eccentric secondary characters and its sensitive treatment of mental illness. Some readers might be baffled by the heavy use of British slang, but Leos plight is universal and sure to attract the attention and empathy of many American teens.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)