Hold My Hand and Run

Hold My Hand & Run, Margaret McAllister, 5 stars. I gave this book, Hold My Hand & Run, 5 stars because it had everything. That is all you can say about it. It had(s) everything. The story is of two desperate children who are beaten by their tyrannical Aunt. The oldest, Kazia, decides that she is fed up with her aunt constantly scaring her 6 year old sister and in the early setting of the sun, run away. During their journey, they encounter trials, tribulations, and hardships, as Kazy-her sister's nickname for her- goes from a young girl to a young woman. She is forced to let go of her childish behaviors and adopt adult-like ones in order to let her sister and her survive. This book deserves nothing less than 5 stars because it makes, as Shakespeare once said, " the reader laugh, the reader cry, and the reader love." This book "Hit's it Home" with the way it makes you feel for these children struggling for their God-given right to survive. It will definitely make you appreciate everything that you have been blessed with. If you enjoy this book I'd also recommend The Goddess of Yesterday, White Dove, Lily's Crossing, The Pictures of Hollis Wood, and Sirena. All of these are survival stories that any female would love. I do not know if a male would enjoy this book because I am a female. This book is definitely on my list of "tops" because it has a wonderful "happy" ending and made me cry. It made me want to just reach out and give these kids a BIG HUG!!!! I am 13 years old, and I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of Hold My Hand & Run. I would recommend this book to THE WORLD!!

Kazy decides to run away from home with her little sister when Aunt Latimer's beatings become too much; their lives become a long journey in escape of their aunt in this story of 1600s girls who try to survive in England away from home. The protagonists are involving and the plot has several surprising twists and turns.

In 1628 England, thirteen-year-old Kazy Clare lives in theshadow of her mother, who died giving birth to her. Because of herstrong resemblance to her mother, it grieves her father to look at her; he will not even call her by her true name, Kezia, because it was her mother's name as well. And since the death of Kazy's stepmother, Eliza, a loving and cheerful woman who was the only mother Kazy ever knew, Kazy's father is filled with sorrow at the sight of his other daughter, six-year-old Beth, who resembles Eliza. He has handed the care of his daughters over to his strict and cruel sister while he immerses himself in his duties as a canon at the village cathedral. Aunt Lattimer beats the girls and denies them any simple joys and pleasures. When Beth becomes a pale, frightened shadow of her former self, Kazy decides she's had enough. She takes Beth and runs away into the countryside, hoping to reach their relatives. They must escape persuit and survive in a harsh world. But Kazy is determined for little Beth's sake. This was excellant as a historical novel, but the story of Kazy and her determination to protect her little sister could take place anywhere in any time period.