Chapter Books for Young Readers — Review

Running Scared

by Brenda Chapman
Napoleon Publishing, 2004
ISBN 1-894917-14-6
$8.95, 128 pp, ages 9 – 12
www.napoleonpublishing.com

The fast pace of the first person narrative, mystery, and humour throughout Running Scared make it a page turner. Jennifer, the thirteen-year-old story teller, is the main character and ultimate heroine of the tale. She relates the events of the past week that began with a textbook carelessly left at school, and involved a hit and run accident, the return of her father after a two year absence, and the friendship she shares with her best friend. Jennifer is a contemporary character, living with her mother and sister and missing her philandering father even though she knows he has hurt her mother. She has responsibility for her younger sister when her mother works night shift and knows her marks could be better if she worked a little harder on her homework. She’s an avid volleyball and basketball player and is just beginning to take an interest in the male population at school. Lots is already going on in her life when she witnesses an accident which sets in motion a whole series of events.

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