Running Out of Time Review

Manufacturer: Listening Library
Author(s): Margaret Peterson Haddix

ISBN: 0807280313 EAN: 9780807280317
Binding: Audio Cassette

Average Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

User Submitted Running Out of Time Reviews

August 20, 2008
Little House On the Prairie Meets the Truman Show
Running Out of Time
By Margaret Peterson Haddix

Thirteen-year-old Jessie Keyser is growing up in 1844, or so she believed, until an epidemic of diphtheria broke out in her community. Jessie's mother makes a confession that their village set in the 1800's is, in reality, an experiment, set up in a modern world. The villagers were asked to live in Clifton Village. They were told they could leave at any time. They were also told that their families would always be provided with modern medicine. Now, things have changed, and Clifton has become a prison; without medication people will die of diphtheria.

Jessie is needed, to help her village, and save the lives of her sister and many other children. Jessie's mother gives her a set of clothing, including jeans and a tee shirt and helps her escape into the night.

After spending the night in a brightly lit bathroom, she joins a school group, who are actually watching her village, perform their usual duties. She sees her father working in his blacksmith shop, and watches her classmates recite. It is all Jessie can do to keep the shock out of her voice, as she asks, "Why are there so many empty seats in the classroom?"

Jessie faces a scary world, of automobiles, traffic lights, telephones, radios and televisions, as she escapes into the unknown world, of 1996. Her mission is to find a payphone and call a man who can help the village. Her mother told her that this man will call a press conference and contact the health department.

Will Jessie get caught, escaping from what has become her family's prison? Can she survive in an unknown world? Can she get help for her village? Will anyone believe her story?

At first, I thought this story was like so many other stories, but I was wrong. Running Out of Time is a fast paced story with mystery and danger at every turn.

Jill Ammon Vanderwood
author:Through the Rug
Through The Rug: Follow That Dog (Through the Rug)

July 23, 2008
Could have been really good
I was really intrigued when a friend told me the plot for this book and I was excited to read it. However, it was very early in the book that I realized that I would not be happy with either the plot, the character development, or writing.
The writing is probably the most frustrating. There are so many random statements made throughout the book that aren't clarified. Or, the main character will jump from thought to thought, again without explanation or well written transitions.
The Plot and character development are much like the random statements made throughout the book, poorly done.

July 10, 2008
Awesome for Everyone!
I remember reading this book when I was in third grade- I had bought it from the school-book-fair. I was and still am a huge fan of mystery novels. I was a little unsure of the book at first but once I opened the book to read it, I couldn't stop. I stayed up late reading it until I had finished it. I remember when I was heading into middle school my mom helped me pack up all my old books, and I pulled this one out to read it again. I have read this book many times, and it still amazes me to this day.

It is one of those books that, while you are reading it, you feel as though you are right there running with her. It has good details and an amazing plot, and it really makes you feel like it is a movie you watched when you are done reading it. Even though it is for the younger age group, don't feel ashamed for picking it up to read if you are older. Like I said, I first read it when I was 8 years old and I am 20 now, and have no problem picking it up. It is a book that just grabs you; surprisingly within the first page it makes you want to read more.

I definitely recommend this book to people of ALL ages and I think that once you read it once, you will have to read it again!

April 9, 2008
AMAZING READ!
Wow this was a GREAT book. You don't expect the ending, it's a very great mystery. The plot is odd but believealbe. You feel like your in Jessie's eyes the whole time, great read! Recommend it!

March 21, 2008
Read it more than once!
I know I really like a book if I can read it more than once. This book falls into that category. I think the plot was fantastic, if maybe a tad unbelievable. There was plenty of action and suspence, and I loved seeing the modern world through Jessie's old-school eyes. I like reading alternate reality fiction a lot, and this kind of had the same feel because the world was new to Jessie. Overall, a nice, quick read.

December 2, 2007
A Gripping Suspense and a Fantastic Setting!
Running out of Time, by Margaret Peterson Haddix, makes this book Fantastic, because it has incredible suspense and has a fabulous setting. This book is historical fiction. The story is set in 1840 in Clifton, and in 1996. Jessie is the main character. Jessie is a thirteen year old girl and lives in Clifton Village in 1840 (so she thinks). She lives in a small town and goes to a school where all the kids go. She has been punished for doing normal things, for example, she was climbing a tree and saw a shining box up on a branch. Her dad punished her for being up there. Jessie's town has a sickness going around. People are going to die if some one didn't do any thing. One day Jessie's mom told her to go into the woods and meet her there. Jessie did it and saw her mother with some clothes. She didn't recognize the clothes ever before. The pants were blue, and the shirt had a smiley face on it. It was like nothing she has ever seen before in her life. The next thing she new, she was on an adventure to save the town she loved. That is all I should tell you about the story because I don't want to ruin it for you.

This book has a gripping suspense because you never know what's going to happen next. For example, you don't know if she is going to get caught or not. You always want to read the next chapter. For example, Jessie says, "terrible problems at Clifton Village." She then says, "and an evil man who's planning a murder." That is the ending of chapter twenty. The book dragged me in so much I read it in a week. Even though Jessie comes close to getting caught often, some how she gets around it.

This has an interesting setting because first it takes place in 1840, but then in 1996. For example, Jessie thinks she's been living in the 1800's for 13 years. Later on in the book, though, she finds out that she is actually living in 1996. She has to save her town from a sickness, because there are no modern day medicines at her town.

If you like mysteries and historical fiction then this is the book for you.

September 26, 2007
Running Out of Time Will Have You Racing to the Last Page
I loved this exciting young adult book about 14-year-old Jessie Keyser, whose life is changed irrevocably when she learns her frontier village is actually part of a living history museum. While she and her family wore homemade clothing, emptied chamber pots and rode in horse-drawn wagons, the world around them was watching tv, using electric lights and typing on computers. Jessie was never supposed to learn the truth, but her mother has to tell her when a diptheria epidemic hits the town. The museum's directors refuse to help the sick children, so Jessie must escape and find help in the terrifying world of 1996. What ensues is a thrilling adventure that will have you turning pages as fast as you can.

I gave it a 4 rating, because I thought there were some plot holes, but still, it was a great read.

March 22, 2007
Run to get this book
Running out of Time is one of the bests books I've read so far. It is the about a 13 year-old girl named Jessie who lives in the Clifton Village which makes all the kids believe it is the 1840 when it is really the 1940's. Her mom tells her it is 1940 and she needs to escape to find a cure for all the kids are at the edge of death. She goes through a lot twist and turns like all of the other books Margret Peterson Haddix writes.

March 13, 2007
running out of time
I thought it was a good book. At first you will probably think there actually in the 1840s, but its really 1996. The people in Cliton have to pretend that they are in the 1840s but only the adults know that it is 1996 because the kids dont get to know the secret until there old enough, but one kid finds out and she is sent on a mission to find modern medicen for dyptheria.

March 12, 2007
Time...
I rated this book 3 star becuase ididnt really understand the concept of this book, i dont really know why this book is called Running Out of "Time "? But other than that i liked this book quit well theres lots of excitmentint in this book amnd you never know whats going to happen next.

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