Run by Kody Keplinger review by Rua

This book truly is a ride. A legally blind girl, who is known to be the perfect daughter, with good grades, goes to church every Sunday, and doesn’t talk back to her parents, meets another girl who doesn't go by the rules, and isn’t good by any standards. She takes an interest in her because this girl doesn’t treat her differently, or with pity but instead just the same as any one. This book focuses on the friendship and growth of the two main characters, and how close they become as they run away from their hometown. I loved the way it was written and the language used.

 This book hinted at teens questioning their sexual orientation. Although it is not directly told, or obviously implied, there are some scenes where you question where their love for each other is more than a friendship. If not focused on that, this book is very cute because it shows how strong a friendship could become if given the right amount of needs to grow. This book also stresses on the disability one of the characters have: being legally blind. When it is in her view the reader is walked through the hardships of barely seeing, and how it feels like to have this condition. It gives the reader an insight on what problems may arise, or how the character personally feels when dealing with this condition or with others around her treating her. In the book, we are shown how she feels like a burden to many because they have to walk her everywhere or look at her closely. She even says that she doesn’t usually go to parties because her close friend doesn’t want to watch her the whole time. When this new girl comes in and treats her normally, showing her she isn’t a burden, she starts to experience life in a fun way and starts to understand the meaning of just enjoying every day for itself.

This would be a good selection to share with a GSWA club and for a gay friendly book display. It could be a possible book choice for a book club. It is also a good free read book choice. There are no direct classroom curriculum connections, besides a genre study (realistic fiction). It is a good choice, especially if you are looking to diversify your book collection.