Running Out of Time
by Margaret Peterson Haddix


This debut novel by the author of Just Ella is scary, thought-provoking, and exciting. The ultimate fish-out-of-water story, you could look at it as a fantasy novel from the point of view of a child of the 1840’s suddenly thrust into the world of the 1990’s—a tale of survival in a completely alien world. But more likely, you will experience it as a story that seems, at first, to have a historic setting, but that quickly twists itself into a brooding tale of conspiracy, escape, betrayal, and mystery. You might feel a little paranoid by the end, or just a little sad. But I’ll tell you up front, the story’s heroine won’t let you down.

Her name is Jessie, and she lives in the isolated village of Clifton, deep in the Indiana forest. She believes that Martin Van Buren is the President of the United States. (Hint, for the historically-challenged: he was the first President to be photographed.) She believes that words like “okay” and “shut up” are so severely punished because there is something bad about them. She believes that life, everywhere, is about like life in Clifton, where her father is a blacksmith and her mother a midwife.

But when disease threatens the children of Clifton, Jessie’s mother lets her in on a secret. Actually it’s not 1840, but 1996 and they are living in a historic preserve. All their movements are photogaphed by hidden video cameras, and tourists hidden in tunnels beneath the village pay to watch them living authentic historic lives. Only the charade has gone too far. The people in charge won’t even let the children have life-saving medicine that wouldn’t have been available in 1840, though no one worries about dying from diphtheria in the 1990’s. The only thing for it is to send Jessie, in her mother’s old “modern” clothes, over the fence into the modern world to get help. Medical help, and if necessary, legal help.

But this isnÂ’t easy for Jessie. She has never been away from her family before. She has never seen a car, a telephone, or a toilet before. And while she is trying to figure out how to get help in a strange and frightening city, bad people are closing in on her, hoping to silence her before she ruins their hideous experiment.

What is a girl to do, in JessieÂ’s position? Well, I donÂ’t know what most girls would do, but what Jessie does is worth finding out!

Robbie Fischer
USA

Recommended Age: 12+

If you would like to contact Robbie, you may do so here.


 
Which MuggleNet specialty site is your favorite?

 

MNI
MNFF
CoS Forums
MuggleSpace

 

November 2001 - The first film is released, opening on a record 3,762 screens in the U.S. alone. On opening weekend, it grosses $90 million in America and £16 million in the U.K., setting records in both countries.
 
 

Question : What charm does Ron say he can use while driving a car instead of using the vehicle's mirrors?
 
Supersensory Charm
Substanstive Charm
Revealing Charm
 

You're going to regret this... you and your bloody chicken.

Draco Malfoy
Prisoner of Azkaban Movie
Harry’s birthday is July 31, 1980. Rowling’s birthday is also July 31—but in 1966.
 
 
Int'l Harry Potter Day - 15th Anniversary of Battle of Hogwarts
May 2nd, 2013


Victoire Weasley B-day
May 2nd, 2013


MISTI-Con Convention
May 9-13, 2013


Pomona Sprout B-day
May 15th, 2013


Username :
Password :
 Sign Up
 Forgot Password ?
 
 
V-Day2013 Option II   VDay2013   holidays2012   MuggleNet OWL Exams  
April Fool's Day 2012   GilderoyVDay   Happy Holidays 2011   Pottermore: Slytherin  
Pottermore: Hufflepuff   Pottermore: Ravenclaw   Pottermore: Gryffindor   Quidditch World Cup  
Halloween 2011   DHnagini   DHelderwand   DH2cast  
DH1Trio   DH Voldemort   DH_Trio   Deathly Hallows - Hermione  
Burning Hogwarts   Wizarding World   Draco   Half-Blood Prince Trio  
Harry   Hermione   LEGO Harry Potter  
 
 
  Twitter   Facebook   RSS   Tumblr