The Runaway's Diary

by James Patterson, Emily Raymond, Valeria Wicker (Illustrator)

A page-turning graphic novel of sisters, secrets, and second chances. I’m running away. Not to a place—to a person. 
 
Eleanor is happiest when she's left alone to dream up elaborate stories. Sam is polished, fun, and popular. Still, the sisters have always been there for each other—until everything changed.  
 
Now Sam is somewhere in Seattle, and Eleanor runs after her. Nothing is easy in the big, unforgiving city. As Eleanor faces new setbacks, she also makes new friends and tells new stories. Eleanor can rewrite her life in so many ways . . . but can she make a happy ending her reality?

Genres: Graphic Novels, Young Adult, Contemporary, Fiction, Comics, Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction

280 pages, Paperback

First published June 7, 2022

About the author

Official US Site
Official UK Site

James Patterson is the most popular storyteller of our time and the creator of such unforgettable characters and series as Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Jane Smith, and Maximum Ride. He has coauthored #1 bestselling novels with Bill Clinton, Dolly Parton, Michael Crichton, and Viola Davis, as well as collaborated on #1 bestselling nonfiction, including The Idaho Four, Walk in My Combat Boots, and Filthy Rich. Patterson has told the story of his own life in the #1 bestselling autobiography James Patterson by James Patterson. He is the recipient of an Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal.

Reviews

[Sesana · Rating 2 out of 5]

What a weird book. Main character Eleanor runs away from home and has the most jarringly unrealistic experience as a runaway I have ever read. She immediately finds a stranger who opens her home to her, she runs around aimlessly without ever really getting into trouble, she busks by telling stories? None of this really makes sense, just like it doesn't really make sense that she talks out loud to herself constantly (a trait that makes her seem much, much younger than fifteen). She's also apparently a pathological liar, because she's almost constantly lying about herself, and her "mission" to find her sister, even when telling the truth would be more likely to get her actual help. There are hints that other runaways have less charmed experiences than she does, but they're only hints and it contributes to the bizarre unreality of it all. There's a "twist" ending, literally on the last page, that I guess is meant to explain why nothing in this story makes sense, but there's no foreshadowing and it's tossed in so quickly that I think a lot of readers will miss the implication.

[Lacy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have so many questions. 😮‍💨

[Josh Olds · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emily Raymond is a longtime James Patterson collaborator, particularly on books meant for middle or high schoolers. The Runaway’s Diary is no different, except for it being a graphic novel. Conceptually, I loved this book. Why is it that Patterson writes a deeper, more philosophical and nuanced story in a graphic novel aimed at young teen girls than, say, an Alex Cross novel? No idea. My one concern is that, if you miss the twist, you miss the whole foundation of the story and could be left with some questions. Currently looking at the advance reviews on Goodreads and about half of them criticize elements of the book that make sense if only you read and understand the very final panel of the book.

Eleanor is a fifteen-year-old girl who runs away from home to find her sister in Seattle. All she has to go on is a couple of postcards that are months old, a phone number that rings but is never answered, and just enough money to take the bus to Seattle. Very quickly after stepping off the bus, Eleanor learns that finding her sister isn’t going to be the grand adventure she thought it would be.

Lost and alone, she takes refuge with a grumpy woman who gives her a place to stay in exchange for cleaning the house. She walks the streets of Seattle looking for a job and trying to make money while searching for her sister. Patterson and Raymond portray a very sanitized view of homelessness and poverty. Other than a creepy guy whose advances are easily thwarted, Eleanor never really encounters any real danger.

She meets a group of homeless teens and befriends them as they teach her to survive on the streets. Multiple leads on her sister end up in failure, leaving Eleanor to contemplate life as a homeless teen in Seattle. But then, right at the end, there’s a big break and—spoilers!—her sister is found, happy and healthy, and Eleanor goes back to live with her parents.

This easy ending has left some people with a lot of questions. Eleanor has a phone. Do her parents never call her? Is nobody looking for her? Her sister has a phone. Could she not have called Eleanor, even if she had a new number (which is why the old number never worked)? Isn’t the portrayal of homelessness rather simplistic? How does Eleanor’s busking by telling stories make any sense? There’s a very real concern that The Runaway’s Diary might glamorize running away as it wraps everything up quite neatly in the end with no real harm done.

But read the title and read the last panel. The Runaway’s Diary. And the last page portrays Eleanor going home, using her real name for the first time “My name is Jane Lucia Mitchell. I live on a farm in Payette County, Idaho. I am an artist and a storyteller. And I am going home. Or maybe I never left.” Miss what that means and you miss the entire premise of the book. Why do some of the story’s decisions seem like plot holes written by a child? Because Eleanor—Jane—is the one writing the story. The story is told as if a fifteen-year-old is the one writing it. So of course the portrayal of homelessness is sanitized. Of course there’s a Cinderella ending that doesn’t make a lot of sense. The Runaway’s Diary is about a young girl processing her trauma through story.

Or is it only a story? Is Jane fantasizing about finding her runaway sister? Did she actually run away and she’s telling this story as a happy ending, making it up like she makes up stories while busking on the streets? What is truth? What is fiction? Why is the story being told? Patterson and Raymond leave all those questions unanswered. If you’re paying attention, it’s a clever turn that the duo hint at throughout the book. All the signs are there, if you’re paying attention.

Imaginative, thought-provoking, and fun—and filled with excellent artwork by Valeria Wicker—The Runaway’s Diary is a surprisingly nuanced story about the power of storytelling.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Admittedly, I took a risk in reading this novel because I am NOT a James Patterson fan. I figured that I would give this book a try because he is partnered with a different writer. I also love reading novels about sisters.

The Runaway's Diary is a story about Eleanor trying to find her sister that ran away to Seattle. Fortunately for Eleanor, her parents never have the brilliant idea of tracking her phone that she brings with her, so she spends a LONG time in Seattle. Yet, things in Seattle aren't going as Eleanor planned: her sister isn't answering her phone calls, she barely has any money, and she struggles to find a place to stay. Along the way she meets a homeless boy Jesse who takes pity on her, showing how to live off the streets (we will get to him later, cause I have things to say).

I will start off with the things that I did like about this book. I loved how the author portrayed homelessness. Although things could have been a lot worse, the novel never glorifies this side of the story. As a reader, we fully understand that Eleanor is making horrible choices that puts her in danger. She is not a hero. She is fifteen. She. Should. Go. Home.

Now for the not so good things. Did Eleanor really learn any lessons? Did she really learn not to lie? Did she learn that her actions placed her in severe danger? Did she learn that it is okay to ask for help from an adult? Although there are some horrible adults in this book, not all of them were bad. She kind of ends with the things might be okay and tells us something she has been lying to the reader about, but it felt hollow. It felt like Eleanor didn't take anything away from this experience and I'm still worried about her.

The sister plot disappointed me. The novel kind of sold itself on it being a book about sisterly love, yet we got virtually none of this. I felt like I hardly knew Sam, Eleanor's sister. All we really know about Sam from the book was that she partied a lot and was supposedly close with Eleanor. We hardly had any flashbacks that told a memory, just tidbits on what kind of person Sam was. I hardly cared about Sam or knew why Eleanor and her were so close. Did Sam look after her in school? Did she eat lunch with her? Did they play music together or dance around to the Beatles? Did Sam push Eleanor's bully down the staircase? Did Sam allow Eleanor to hang out with her friends? Because these kinds of things would make Eleanor idolize Sam. Just having small surface level conversations in their bedroom is not enough for sisters to become best friends.

Throughout the diary we know that Eleanor is hiding something she had done to her sister. She also believes the wrong she had committed sent Sam packing, which never made sense because she still sent a postcard to Eleanor (kind of showcasing that she's not mad at her). The secret felt very lame and anti-climatic. Calling the cops on her sister probably wasn't the best course of action to help her sister. However, I still wanted more conflict. Sure, Sam was upset when she found out about Eleanor, but it would have been more exciting if Eleanor had truly done something vicious and had a huge falling out with her sister. It would have made their reunion more climatic on trying to figure out if Sam would still be mad. I also wanted to plug in the "resolution" between the two sisters never felt like it had a complete ending. They never truly talk about the events that transpired before Sam left. All Sam says about it was that she didn't leave because of that. Sam did look visibly upset about Eleanor's confession, but she didn't dive into the feelings clearly expressed on her face. I really felt like I needed more of a conversations between both sisters

All of this brings me to Jesse, who learns Eleanor's true reason for running after Sam. To be fair to Jesse, he has shown her a lot of kindness. He gives her a place to stay, gives tips for finding food, and acknowledges that even in their hard circumstances they shouldn't give up hope. I love those qualities in him, however, I am not blinded by the fact that he is imperfect. The only problem is the writer doesn't seem to see his imperfections as imperfections. He is portrayed as a hero throughout the entire book and the one person Eleanor thanks on her journey. He is never casted in a gray light or seen apologizing for his actions when in fact he does things that he should apologize for. First, Jesse bails on Eleanor two times. He takes her to a drug house then goes to his room without an explanation. It left Eleanor feeling scared in a group of strangers, who clearly did not care for her well being. Eleanor eventually leaves feeling like Jesse bailed on her. Which he did! Why take her to a place full of strangers and then go to your room without explanation? At least TELL her where you are going! But the worst part of it is he never apologizes for this. He just defends himself saying that she needed to calm down he was just in his room. MY DUDE! You brought her to a crack house introduced her to people who said some not so good comments (which you were in the room to hear) then left without telling her you'll be upstairs. This is crappy behavior. Secondly and lastly, he never empathizes with Eleanor's secret for why she is trying to find Sam. Mind you, she empathized with his reason for homelessness! But after she tells him that she called the police on her sister, Jesse tells her "so what? I have seen people who died." Jesse, this isn't a contest. She's really struggling with this and she's worried. She's also fifteen and these are worries an average fifteen-year-old would think and care about. My point is just because Jesse is "hardened" by the streets does not mean that people who have never experienced homelessness have illegitimate problems. But the topping on the cake was that Eleanor went to HIM to apologize. She had nothing to apologize for and Jesse never follows it up with his own apology. At the end I really began to hate Jesse. At first I was a fan, but I am not a fan of the way he cannot live up to his own problems. .

Needless to say this was a very disappointing read for me.

[Miriam Rose · Rating 1 out of 5]

Confusing to say the least. Eleanor (or whatever she says her name is) runs away from home to go and find her sister, who also ran away, based off of nothing but a postcard. Here I'm going to go on a rant...aren't postcards from vacation spots, not places people plan to stay? Why, after allegedly having a daughter who previously ran away and was addicted to substances, wouldn't her parents strive to find her? Missing persons? Can't they track her phone or whatever? It was also odd that every stranger she encountered was a martyr. The woman who let her, a stranger, live in her apartment mostly rent-free, was unrealistic to say the least. Also, both teens that she encountered seemed to be friendly and help her out despite the narrative of "you can't trust anyone" said by Jesse. Plus, the homeless teens, one kicked out for being gay, seemed happy with their homelessness situation almost. Lots of laughs starving on the street. I do not think James has had experience with crippling poverty or homelessness before, I guess. I knew Eleanor was a pathological liar but why the hell did the book have to end with us not being able to trust her? Was Sam ever really missing? Why didn't Sam tell her sister she was pregnant and safe, living with her baby? Eleanor's parents never told her? The Beatles having a song called "Eleanor Rigby" came to mind and at least I could tell that name was fake but is she really just writing a story about Sam? On the last page, her room looks a little barren, so maybe she's in a mental facility or jail or something and just writing in her journal? So confused. Unsatisfying read.

[Aimee Watkins · Rating 2 out of 5]

James Patterson has his fingers in too many pies 😐

[Elina Mäkitalo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kiva ja erilainen kuin useimmat sarjakuvat. Ei räiskintää, tappeluja tai taisteluja mikä on hyvä juttu. Kerronta oli hyvää ja tykkäsin tarinasta paljon. Kuvitus ja yleisesti ottaen ulkoasu oli houkutteleva ja värikuvat hyvä juttu. Ehkä olisi voinut vähän tasapainottaa tarinankerrontaa. Kesti hieman pitkään ennen kuin päästiin asiaan ja loppu oli aika nopeasti ohi. Alkua olisi voinut lyhentää tai päästä aikaisemmin asiaan ja loppua taas vähän hidastaa mutta ei tämä kovin paljon haitannut lopulta. Lukemisen arvoinen.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

great book check it on amazon https://amzn.to/3C2kj7y

[Sandy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Picked up this book because of the pretty cover, which reflects my overall views on this book.

The artwork was beautiful and the scenes were well portrayed. There was a good balance of text and art, without one overwhelming the other. I also liked Eleanor's long hair.

However, everything else about the book was either unbelievable or cringeworthy. At the age of 15, Eleanor boards buses and even couchsurfs at a stranger's house without anyone questioning where her parents are.

Eleanor also has a habit of talking to herself in public, a habit which clearly disturbs the people that she meets throughout the story. After exhausting all other means of making money, she decides to tell stories on the street. Now, I'm not from Seattle, so I cannot say for certain, but surely one of the passerby's would have called the police or child services to check to see if she is okay?

While we se glimpses of Eleanor's relationship with her older sister, Sam, it is unclear as to why she has chosen to run away from home in search of Sam. Is Sam missing? Is Sam in danger? Or, based on Eleanor's behavior, does Sam actually exist at all?

Other than the plot twist that takes place at the very end of the book, the plot itself was strange and a tad boring.

[Kaye · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eleanor runs away from home to Seattle looking for her 18 year old sister Sam who is also a ran away. Her only leads are a couple of months old postcards of Seattle locations. She relies on the kindness of others to help her stay safe on the streets and her own instincts. Told as a graphic novel this book is nicely illustrated and Eleanor is cleaver in how she gets money by using her talent to tell stories. But beyond that the book didn't make a lot of sense to me. She has a phone but seemingly her parents never try and call her on it and she doesn't have a realistic plan to find her sister. She does managed to visit some iconic places in Seattle. Written for 9 and up it is an okay story but not one I would purchase for my elementary school library. I think it is more appropriate for middle schoolers. Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Books for a temporary eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Carrie G · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book concerns me. It makes running away seem not nearly as dangerous or difficult as it really is. Sure, Eleanor has some challenges, but a kind stranger gives her a place to stay; she always has food; she makes a good helpful friend; she experiences no violence, harassment, arrest, etc.; it’s more like a camping trip in an unfamiliar city. I’m not sure this is the message about running away from home that we need to be sending to young people.

[Maria · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was ok. It was kind of fun to read, probably because it was a graphic novel and quick, but honestly it kinda dragged on and the ending was way to fast. I thought the main character was kinda annoying and unrealistic.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kind of a weird read. The storyline caught my attention and my curiosity kept me reading. There were some things I liked, but mostly things I didn't. A girl like Eleanor, 15, wouldn't survive a day in Seattle being homeless. Her reality would be a lot scarier than what is portrayed here.

[charlotte · Rating 2 out of 5]

[ 2 stars ]

this book was just…not good. the plot was scattered and didn’t make sense, the characters didn’t feel real, and the ending didn’t do it justice. i’m sad because i really wanted to enjoy this, as i love graphic novels.

[Maiya · Rating 5 out of 5]

wow… the bond between the sisters was amazing, the plot twist at the end was also nice

[Pierce Samuel ✞︎ (My Girlfriend's Ver.) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Coming back from a year after I read this, because what? I legit dislike this book so much. It made no sense, I don't see the point, and it was excessive. I remember reading this in class and turning to my friend with the biggest puzzled expression etched onto my face. This book give more questions than answers and is not something I'd recommend at all

[Brittny's Book Talk · Rating 4 out of 5]

I neded to read something quick, so I gave this a try. It kept my entertained the whole time. But let me tell you how disappointed I was about Jesse! WHAT THE HECK?! He was so cute & so sweet! He would have been the perfect boyfriend, but NOOOOOO!!!!!

[D.T. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wasn't perfect and had some plot holes, but it kept my interest. It didn't completely Disney-fy homelessness; it did show some balance.

But the ending was rushed; it would have made more sense for the parents to constantly contact Eleanor and she ignore their calls.

[Gv · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well that was bad. The characters suck/are shallow and dislikable, the story is sloooow and unbelievable and the ending is the most stupid thing I have read in quite some time. Save yourself, skip that book.

[Hunter · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is such a heartwarming and beautiful tale. I've been getting a headache, but I fought it off because I needed to finish the book.

[X 91 X · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute illustration! Twisty and nice plot. Cute and quick read

[Jarron Frenzel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing story. Only thing that was annoying was the ramblings of the main character. Also Jesse looks like Howl for Howls moving castle.

[gwen_is_ reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I heard about this one, but I loved the premise. The artwork that I could find for it online also intrigued me, so I ended up ordering mine off Amazon. I actually feel like it had a well developed and cohesive storyline for as little text as we got. The art pieced it together nicely and you could feel Eleanor’s fear and trepidation, but also her worry and determination. Her sister was her whole world, and she had to find her again. That would make even the smartest person do some foolish stuff. Also, you can see that she wasn’t well prepared for real life, let alone for surviving alone- which at 15 you shouldn’t have to be. Her odd quirks and running conversation with herself definitely added a bit of levity and helped to create the scene. There were some great side characters. Personally I loved Jesse, but Leo was a great character too. I think I just had fun experiencing everything through Eleanor’s eyes.



The story has a great flow, the characters are amazing and I feel like Eleanor had a lot of character growth, which is always something I like to see in stories. There is a bit of a twist, but we won’t go into that. Just know that I liked it. I would have to say, I thought this was a five star book. It left me wanting more- maybe a full novel, or a show or movie based on this idea.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
It is listed as being for ages nine through eighteen, which I was sceptical about. The back was fairly vague as to content, which you want to be to intrigue the reader. I would say this is spot on, though. There’s some language, some substance abuse, but it’s not over the top. I would have given this to my niece at nine without thinking twice.

[Gretchen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eleanor runs away from home to find her older sister who also ran away from home. Through her, we learn how difficult life can be for a teenage runaway: relying on the kindness of strangers, begging (or in Eleanor's case telling stories) for money, finding a safe place to sleep. Eleanor won't give up on finding her sister, but it looks like her sister doesn't want to be found. Will she go home or go all in? #TheRunawaysDiary #NetGalley

[Mara K. · Rating 2 out of 5]

two and a half stars
not horrible, kind of a weird mix of more dark, and more light than i expected.
so she lives on the streets, but nothing bad happens and its fine. huh?
and the parents dont even try to call or message her, until some guy calls her parents to get her, but didnt for the sister?
i felt like the middle part went on to long, with the living on the streets. and the sister part just went so fast. so... shes all nice now and totally fine and has a kid?
and i found it kind of strange that her whole business is telling lies. people pay her to make up stories about herself? i could understand it if it were just stories, but there lies.
the author hints at main charector having trouble asking for help, but thats never resolved either.
not horrible overall, just not great.

[Aiza Idris (biblio_mom) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story is basically about the main character searching for her lost older sister who actually ran away from home. Along the way, Eleanor, whose a minor, faced many challenges to stay safe, clean and full. As an introvert, the journey has been rough and making friends are the hardest. Eleanor discovered so much about herself and what she’s capable of while having the most adventurous time in her life.

The illustrations played a huge part in making the story line. So, kudos to the illustrator, Valeria Wicker, it was a wonderful piece.

Slow pace, but readable. I failed to enjoyed the story most the time, but gladly, it offers a happy ending because I was having a mental breakdown when I decided to delve into the book.

[Emmalee · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel so bad leaving poor reviews. I'm so sorry!!! It's just such a weird and random book. A 15 year old has run away from home to go after her missing sister. She runs away with absolutely no plan in mind and finds a random lady who will let her live in her apartment for an indeterminate amount of time. The story is weird and jumbled and it turns out, she never really was missing? Just got a new phone and had a kid. It ends super fast and that's it. Maybe I'm just not a mystery fan or maybe it's just hard to do mystery via graphic novel.

[Alyssa DeLeon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, I really don’t know what to say about this book. My first James Patterson. It was good and it was bad. It was very entertaining and a page turner, but so much of it just didn’t make sense. Plus Eleanor was just REALLY dumb. She wasted so much money. A lot of really unrealistic parts like Leo taking her in, making money telling stories, the parents not looking for Sam?!?! And I do not know what to think of the twist on the last page. Not sure if the implication was even intentional, but it was odd to think about.

[A.A. Rubin]

My daughter took this book out from the library because she liked the blurb and read it one night. She loved it. I am not sure she understood the more mature themes (she’s 9 and this book is aimed more at 14 or so), so I read it too. I thought there was too much deux ex machina, too many unlikely, convenient coincidences, especially in the third act, but my daughter absolutely loved it, and she’s closer to the target audience than I am.

[Naomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a nice feel-good, coming of age graphic novel. And I’m obsessed with the art style.