فراری

by Keith Gray, شقایق قندهاری (translator)

Jason has had enough of his parents’ arguments, so he’s running away. On the train to Liverpool he meets a “runner” called Jam who lives on the trains and at stations. His carefree life sounds so exciting that Jason thinks he might join him. Then Jason discovers Jam’s secret.

56 pages, Paperback

First published January 6, 2005

About the author

Keith Gray grew up in and around Grimsby and Cleethorpes on the east coast of England and decided he'd better take his writing ambition seriously after achieving 0% in his accountancy exams. His debut, 'Creepers', was published when he was only 24 and was shortlisted for the Guardian Fiction Prize. Since then his books have either won or been shortlisted for awards all over the world including the Sankei Cultural Publishing Prize of Japan, the American Library Association Best Books (YA) and the Booktrust Teenage Prize. In the UK his bestselling novel 'Ostrich Boys' was shortlisted for the prestigious CILIP Carnegie Medal, the Costa Children's Book Award and won the Scottish Children's Book Awards, and has been adapted for the stage. Keith has been a reviewer for both the Guardian and Scotsman newspapers. In 2017 he moved to live in Vienna, Austria, with his partner, their daughter and a parrot called Bellamy. Keith is a co-founder of Sunday Writers’ Club.

Reviews

[Liliann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! I picked it up for the illustrations, stayed for the wonderful story.

[Mathumitha]

gtfghgghhb

[Christopher Trend · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short book about a boy who runs away on a train. It’s a good descriptive work with a nice twist to it.

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short story tells the tale of Jason, an 11 year old tired of his parents arguments, who has decided to run away to Liverpool to stay with his brother. On the train there he meets Jam, the 'Runner', another young boy who fills Jason's head with stories of life on the run, abandoned as a child, and a runaway from care homes and foster families. He tells Jason that it's not good to rely on anyone, as people just let you down. Just as Jason is considering a life alone and on the run, there's a surprising twist to the tale and and Jam's story ends there, he's not quite who he's made himself out to be. Jason's brother meets him at the station, and he reassures him that he understands why he ran away, and that his parents are going to come and get him and they'll all talk about what's happening.

This book is simply written and nicely illustrated. It would be a great discussion starter for upper KS2 students, for PSHE, or English. You could talk lots about Jason's feelings and his situation at home, something that can be easily related to.

[David Slattery · Rating 3 out of 5]

An odd little tale.

Jason escapes his arguing parents, skipping school, in order to seek the safe haven of his student brother in Liverpool. To travel from London by train is an adventure and challenge for an 11-year old boy who throughout the journey is scared of being discovered, but also experiences the thrill of being out of school. On the train he meets an enigmatic boy, Jam, who reveals his life as a homeless boy who travels across Britain by train, avoiding ticket inspectors. This life doesn't appear particularly appealing to Jason but he is fascinated by Jam nonetheless.

The denouement, that Jam is a fantasist, and has been making all his stories up, is arresting, but left me a little cold. The author has been playing with us...but I will remember Jam's character, so we can say perhaps Keith Gray has done well here to create such a memorable character.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't think I would enjoy this but is an fun caper of two young boys that points out of one of the problems children have with their parents. Gray is a excellent writing and I really liked the illustrations it felt like a good story cross a comic strip.

[Mikanchin · Rating 5 out of 5]

たまに逃げ出したい、と思うのは当たり前。

[Yuzuki · Rating 5 out of 5]

家出は、だれかに会いにいく。オススメ。

[Bettie · Rating 2 out of 5]