Status
Available
Series
Genres
Publication
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (1997), Edition: Reprint, Paperback, 192 pages
Description
When a diphtheria epidemic hits her 1840 village, thirteen-year-old Jessie discovers it is actually a 1996 tourist site under unseen observation by heartless scientists, and it's up to Jessie to escape the village and save the lives of the dying children.
User reviews
LibraryThing member mustreaditall
Know who else read this book? M Night Shyamalan. Because if this ain't the uncredited first draft of the movie "The Village", I'm an illiterate 19th century peasant. But no one ever accused Shyamalan of an overabundance of creativity, so there you go.
Anyway, this is one of several young adult level
The book itself? Not bad. The action flows just a little too obviously, but shit - kid's book. It's apt to be simplistic. Haddix does well not simply taking the easy way out - people do die, after all - though of course our spunky heroine wins out in the end. I'd have liked to know more about the father and his attempts to rejoin society after going whole hog with the "old days" lifestyle, but you can't always get what you want.
final thought: Young adult fiction is perfect for a brain that's mushy after 24 hours on a Greyhound bus.
Anyway, this is one of several young adult level
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books on my list. It wasn't bad - an entertaining idea, set out fairly well - but it's no Swiftly Tilting Planet. I like giving dystopian fiction to children and teens. I say, teach 'em young that what authority tells you may be a big, fat lie, that it's important to find out for yourself, and that bucking the system's not necessarily a bad thing. Anyone who takes on a healthy helping of dystopia along with their Blume and Rowling is forearmed against just accepting bullshit like secret US prisons on foreign soil being none of our business and good for our society.The book itself? Not bad. The action flows just a little too obviously, but shit - kid's book. It's apt to be simplistic. Haddix does well not simply taking the easy way out - people do die, after all - though of course our spunky heroine wins out in the end. I'd have liked to know more about the father and his attempts to rejoin society after going whole hog with the "old days" lifestyle, but you can't always get what you want.
final thought: Young adult fiction is perfect for a brain that's mushy after 24 hours on a Greyhound bus.
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LibraryThing member bethdalton
Jessie lives with her family in the frontier village of Clifton, Indiana. When diptheria strikes and the children of Clifton start dying, Jessie's mother sends Jessie to bring back help. Jessie is not aware that Clifton is a tourist attraction and a scientific experiment. As she seeks help from the
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modern world, she must convince them that the experiement has gone awry. This will appeal to a reader who would like a book that blends adventure, historical fiction, and science fiction. Show Less
LibraryThing member jrakeandlola
I did not like this book because I do not like the type of book it is
LibraryThing member avcr
It is November 1840 and something strange is happening in the village of Clifton. Children are missing from school, and Jesse’s Ma has been called out four nights this week. Ma is the midwife and most folks call her rather than Dr. Fister. On this night Ma lets Jesse accompany her, only to
If You Liked This, Try: Turnabout by Margaret Peterson Haddix, Shadow Children by Margaret Peterson Haddix, Escape from Memory by Margaret Peterson Haddix, Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix, Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey by Margaret Peterson Haddix.
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discover that the illness requires a quarantine sign. Jesse is sent on a mission by her Ma into a world of situations that she can scarcely believe, but for the sake of the sick children back home, she must succeed. Young reader will not be able to put this down until they know if everyone will be okay! If You Liked This, Try: Turnabout by Margaret Peterson Haddix, Shadow Children by Margaret Peterson Haddix, Escape from Memory by Margaret Peterson Haddix, Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix, Don’t You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey by Margaret Peterson Haddix.
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LibraryThing member olymel20
you never know what will happen next. The whole time you reading you are thinking "I would have done....if i was her"
LibraryThing member crp4books
Great idea that carries this first time author. I loved the possibilities. The beginning is especially interesting. What if a community really was living in the past, where some of the citizens know they are just an exhibit for the modern present's viewing, while others don't know they are part of
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a world within a world. More could have been done with this story as it goes, but a fun, quick read. Show Less
LibraryThing member jlhorn
Even if you're not a kid, this is a great read. Jessie, who has grown up thinking it's 1840, is concerned about all the sick children in her village. Then she finds out from her mother that it's really 1996, they're on display in an elaborate historical park, and for some reason, the owners are
I have used this story with a fifth-grade literature discussion group, and it's great to use for topics of how authors build suspense and how to create a POV of someone who has never been exposed to TV, phones or cars--as well as themes of courage, quests, and especially the moral question of using people as guinea pigs to experiment "for the good of humanity."
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withholding the medicine desperately needed for an outbreak of diphtheria. It's up to Jessie to sneak out and get help, but when she does, she is almost undone by the bewildering changes she sees all around her, not to mention her fear that she may be followed and captured.I have used this story with a fifth-grade literature discussion group, and it's great to use for topics of how authors build suspense and how to create a POV of someone who has never been exposed to TV, phones or cars--as well as themes of courage, quests, and especially the moral question of using people as guinea pigs to experiment "for the good of humanity."
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LibraryThing member JRlibrary
Thirteen-year-old Jessie Keyser lives with her family in the small town of Clifton, Indiana in 1840. Her father is the village blacksmith, and her mother, a midwife, sneaks out at night to help sick families. Jessie has noticed a few odd things about Clifton, like the way her teacher always makes
Jessie's world turns on its axis when her mother reveals to her that it isn't really 1840 at all, but rather 1996. Jessie's parents moved to Clifton, a "historical preserve" 12 years earlier, agreeing to raise their children as though they were really living in the 1800's. Clifton is actually a tourist attraction, the citizens watched through 2-way mirrors and video cameras. Things have turned dark in Clifton, however, and now Jessie must make a dangerous quest to the outside world, to seek medicine.
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them say what year it is in class, the odd box that was attached to one of the trees in the village square, and the way the adults react angrily when the children use the word "okay". Most alarmingly, however, she's noticed recently that the town doctor has stopped giving out medicines, and that the village children are getting sick. Extremely sick. Including Jessie's precious youngest sister.Jessie's world turns on its axis when her mother reveals to her that it isn't really 1840 at all, but rather 1996. Jessie's parents moved to Clifton, a "historical preserve" 12 years earlier, agreeing to raise their children as though they were really living in the 1800's. Clifton is actually a tourist attraction, the citizens watched through 2-way mirrors and video cameras. Things have turned dark in Clifton, however, and now Jessie must make a dangerous quest to the outside world, to seek medicine.
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LibraryThing member Runa
Running Out of Time
written by Margaret Peterson Haddix
The last time I read this book was in the 4th grade upon entering the Gateway program. I loved it then, although I found some of the terminology hard to get through. Reading it when I'm older, it's still as good as ever plotwise, and gave me the
Rating: 4.5/5
written by Margaret Peterson Haddix
The last time I read this book was in the 4th grade upon entering the Gateway program. I loved it then, although I found some of the terminology hard to get through. Reading it when I'm older, it's still as good as ever plotwise, and gave me the
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additional depth of knowing exactly what I was reading, as well as picking up some things I missed the first time around. Reading the second time around, I also noticed lots and lots of hints that I missed the first time (ex: her teacher constantly asking the class what the current year is). The book, despite the fact that I knew exactly what was going to happen, still read as a really heart-thumping, suspenseful adventure, albeit with some laggy places (still as interesting, just not really adding to the plot). Jessie's story and well-created character is really an inspiration to kids, letting them know they can do wacky things they'd never even dream of doing, like holding a press conference! I think it would have been really nice to see a 5 years later, whether in the form of a sequel or just a quick epilogue, letting us know how they've adjusted to society, what they're still missing, what becomes of everything.Rating: 4.5/5
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LibraryThing member yachty
Running Out of Time is a Wonderful book . It gives you the prospective of what it would be like to travel to the future, and the things you would think would call miracles and can't figure out, but everyone else a round you takes for granted.
LibraryThing member sara_k
Running Out of Time the story of a young girl who finds out that she is part of an historic re-creation of life in colonial times. A mysterious person in control has changed the rules under which the families entered the experiment and children are dying. Jessie must venture out into the current
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world (1996) and deal with the technology and life of another century. Show Less
LibraryThing member hoganedix
Excellent book for middle school book club - lots to discuss.
LibraryThing member austinwood
An epidemic hits an 1840's village which is actually 1996.
LibraryThing member stephxsu
When a diphtheria epidemic breaks out in Jessie’s 1840 village, Jessie’s mother reveals the shocking truth—they’re actually living in a historical tourist site, and the year is actually 1996. Normally the people who run Clifton Village would not let the children die, but for some reason
Haddix’s first novel, and still one of my favorites of hers. Everything is just perfect in this book. The pitch-perfect narrator, on the fence between naïve childhood security and scary adolescence. The suspense that will keep you reading breathlessly until you find out what happens at the end. The world-building that makes you wonder if this couldn’t be happening right next door. RUNNING OUT OF TIME is a beautiful blend of the speculative and the probable, and earns its title as one of the best speculative juvenile fiction novels out there today.
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luxuries like modern medicine have been withheld. Jessie must escape Clifton Village, brave the terrifying modern world, and get help for the village children before it’s too late.Haddix’s first novel, and still one of my favorites of hers. Everything is just perfect in this book. The pitch-perfect narrator, on the fence between naïve childhood security and scary adolescence. The suspense that will keep you reading breathlessly until you find out what happens at the end. The world-building that makes you wonder if this couldn’t be happening right next door. RUNNING OUT OF TIME is a beautiful blend of the speculative and the probable, and earns its title as one of the best speculative juvenile fiction novels out there today.
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LibraryThing member ashleylange
A girl discovers that she is in a make up life. she thought she was in the 1800s but she really is in the 1900s. She finds herself running for her life and many others.
LibraryThing member sweetiegherkin
Thirteen-year-old Jessie lives an idyllic life in a small town in Indiana. That is, until an epidemic of diphtheria affects the village’s children, and Jessie’s mother confesses the truth to Jessie – they are living in a tourist site designed to be an authentic 1840s town but in the outside
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world, it is really 1996. Before Jessie even has time to digest this information, her mother sends her on a dangerous trip into the outside world to save the sick children. The book is hard to classify, bridging gaps between historical fiction, science fiction, and mystery. It begins a bit slowly, sounding like a Little House on the Prairie or some equivalent book of homespun stories. However, it then quickly picks up and reads like a thriller, with each chapter ending with a cliffhanger, pushing the reader forward. This isn’t great literature by any stretch, but it’s a quick, entertaining read that can appeal to older children and teens. Show Less
LibraryThing member skier123
Jessi has to save the people of Clifton before they all die of diptheria.
LibraryThing member ladybug74
Though this book was obviously written for much younger readers, I enjoyed it. It made me think of the movie The Village, though it was quite a bit different. I think my daughter (age 10) would also enjoy this book.
LibraryThing member SheilaDeeth
In 1996, one of the top vacation and “school-trip” attractions in the US is Clifton Village, hidden away in forests outside Indianapolis. A well-made road carries yellow school busses to the entrance station, and barbed wire fences keep the “wild animals” of an authentic 1840s environment
Running out of Time, by Margaret Peterson Haddix, tells the story of a young teenager with a very big quest. When Jessie learns that her parents have lived a lie, and forced her to live one too, for most of her life, she struggles to decide who to trust. But she knows who she loves and cares for and bravely sets forth on their behalf. The mysteries of 1996 America are viewed delightfully through Jessie’s 1840s eyes. Braving the phone to call for help, Jessie wonders why a stranger’s voice asks for money but refuses to wait for an answer. Radios make sounds out of thin air. Cars move like magic carriages propelled without horses.
A naturally brave and adventurous girl, Jessie conquers numerous obstacles in her quest to both save her friends and find the truth about her home. The result is a fast-paced story, with convincing characters, fascinating ethical dilemmas, and realistic excitement, making a really good read for middle-grade students and adults.
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safely separate from local farmers. They also make it hard for young Jessie, wild human rather than wild animal, to escape on her quest to find help and medicine for her family and friends.Running out of Time, by Margaret Peterson Haddix, tells the story of a young teenager with a very big quest. When Jessie learns that her parents have lived a lie, and forced her to live one too, for most of her life, she struggles to decide who to trust. But she knows who she loves and cares for and bravely sets forth on their behalf. The mysteries of 1996 America are viewed delightfully through Jessie’s 1840s eyes. Braving the phone to call for help, Jessie wonders why a stranger’s voice asks for money but refuses to wait for an answer. Radios make sounds out of thin air. Cars move like magic carriages propelled without horses.
A naturally brave and adventurous girl, Jessie conquers numerous obstacles in her quest to both save her friends and find the truth about her home. The result is a fast-paced story, with convincing characters, fascinating ethical dilemmas, and realistic excitement, making a really good read for middle-grade students and adults.
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LibraryThing member prkcs
Jessie, 13, thinks she lives in the 1800s and now the children of her village are dying. Her mother, desperate to help, tells Jessie the truth--it is 1996 and the family has been partaking in an experiment at a historical re-enactment site. However, the disease is real and no one from the village
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will help. Will Jessie make it through 1996 life in time to save the village? Show Less
LibraryThing member hippieJ
This book was really good but really odd. Jessie is going on a big adventure. She's time traveling from the 1840's to the 1990's! well...sorta. read it to see what im talking about
LibraryThing member callmecayce
Haddix's dystopian novel about Jesse, a young girl who thinks she's living in the 1800s, but really is in 1996, is an engrossing read. I enjoyed it and it wasn't hard to follow. Jesse's fear seemed genuine and the plot was relatively interesting. I wasn't quite content with the ending, but I'm not
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sure I could have done any better. Show Less
LibraryThing member goodnightmoon
"Best book for young adults" is a bit of misnomer. The language and, especially, dialogue is simplistic, suitable more for 3rd graders than for 6th graders. The premise is interesting and the plot moves at a quick clip, however, making this a short and decent read-aloud or "fun read" for 5th
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graders and up. Show Less
LibraryThing member slcooley
I've loved this book ever since I was a child. It was so interesting and fascinating to see the world I live in through the eyes of someone who's never experienced it before. It was fun to experience normal, everyday things as though I've never experienced them before. This book would be great to
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use in a fourth or fifth grade classroom to teach ethics and Show Less
LibraryThing member Nialle
Looking for a strong female protagonist, a mystery that will thrill a young reader and snag both historical fiction lovers and sci-fi kids, a story that underscores why education and problem-solving are necessary for young people in general and girls in particular?
Many comments have been made about
Bonus: The story contains one line about Nazi medical experiments that is worth assigning the book all by itself. The book provides a way for young Americans to approach the ethical issues raised by 'eugenics' without confusing those issues with the thousands of other philosophical and historical problems presented by Nazi Germany. Particularly now, when 'medical ethics' as defined by the insurance industry and as defined by valiant medical practitioners like Dr. Abraham Verghese have diverged so frighteningly, this book's approach is importantly relevant.
Many comments have been made about
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the book's resemblance to a later film, but the resemblance is only in the setting. Adults with priorities out of synch, kids with unexpected strength, and one girl's clever, compassionate, honest heroism make this story much richer, and the author's skill with addressing the YA audience will resonate also with adult readers who know how easily following an ideal can collapse into falling into a trap.Bonus: The story contains one line about Nazi medical experiments that is worth assigning the book all by itself. The book provides a way for young Americans to approach the ethical issues raised by 'eugenics' without confusing those issues with the thousands of other philosophical and historical problems presented by Nazi Germany. Particularly now, when 'medical ethics' as defined by the insurance industry and as defined by valiant medical practitioners like Dr. Abraham Verghese have diverged so frighteningly, this book's approach is importantly relevant.
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Awards
Nebraska Golden Sower Award (Nominee — 1999)
Wyoming Indian Paintbrush Award (Nominee — 2000)
Young Hoosier Book Award (Nominee — Middle Grade — 1998)
Massachusetts Children's Book Award (Honor — 2000)
Edgar Award (Nominee — Juvenile — 1996)
Independent Publisher Book Awards (Finalist — 1999)
Sequoyah Book Award (Nominee — Young Adult — 1998)
Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award (Nominee — 1998)
Utah Beehive Book Award (Nominee — Children's Fiction — 1998)
Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award (Nominee — 2000)
Pacific Northwest Library Association Young Reader's Choice Award (Nominee — Youth — 1998)
William Allen White Children's Book Award (Nominee — 1997-1998)
Nutmeg Book Award (Nominee — Intermediate — 1999)
Sunshine State Young Reader's Award (Nominee — 1998)
Grand Canyon Reader Award (Nominee — Intermediate — 1998)
California Young Reader Medal (Nominee — 1998)
Black-Eyed Susan Book Award (Nominee — Grades 6-9 — 1998)
Maud Hart Lovelace Award (Nominee — 1998)
Best Fiction for Young Adults (Selection — 1997)
Read Aloud Indiana Book Award (Intermediate — 1996)
Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers (Selection — 1996)
Language
Original publication date
1995
Physical description
192 p.; 7.68 inches
ISBN
0689812361 / 9780689812361
Other editions
Running Out of Time by Margaret Peterson Haddix (Paperback)