The Running Man

Very thought provoking! This book makes you think about people before passing judgment. Don't judge a book by its cover, etc. It is about a boy named Joseph, he and his mom have lived in their neighborhood since Joseph was a little boy. His dad takes jobs far away from home which is why some think Joseph is quiet and shy. In any neighborhood, you have a gossipy neighbor and Joseph's neighborhood is no exception. Mrs. Mossop has the dirt on everyone and she likes to share.. She basically invites herself over to neighbors homes to talk about others. The premise is that Joseph is a talented artist and his final project is to do a portrait of someone he doesn't know. Their next door neighbor, Caroline lives with her brother Tom. No one ever sees Tom, he doesn't leave his house. It seems once Caroline was engaged and happy, than her parents died and her brother came back from Vietnam. Now she never got married, lives with her brother and doesn't say a lot to Mrs. Mossop. But she talks to Joseph and when she hears about his project, asks him if her brother might be a good subject. Now before accepting this job, Mrs. Mossop passes on a load of gossip to Joseph and mum. How Tom isn't right, got kicked out of the school he worked at. No one sees him, scarey man, etc. But Joseph convinces his mom that he will be all right and Caroline said she would always be there when he came by. And you know Mrs. Mossop just gossips about everyone. Yet in his heart, he decides just to go there once and tell him he won't work out as a subject. But the magic of the book is that Joseph goes back and not just to finish the portrait. He learns from Tom, that people have many layers like the silkworms that Tom raises. And that some actions you take come from very deep places in your soul. Not everything is black and white. And in learning about Tom, he in turn helps Joseph learn about himself. It is a slow process of getting to know Tom and I thought the author did a fine job of giving dignity to Tom's character. To really know a person, you have to know all those little bits that make up a person, the good, the bad and the scarey. Even Mrs. Mossop has many layers that make her the way she is

Joseph Davidson is a shy and artistic boy. So naturally, when he's given a school assignment to make a portrait, he is unsure of whom he wants his subject to be. So, he never expects to pick him mysterious neighbor, Tom Leyton. At first, he tells Caroline, the sister or Tom Leyton who first suggested Tom as the subject, that he will think about it. But when another neighbor thinks that Joseph would be too afraid, he takes up the challenge. Gradually, Joseph spends more and more time with Tom and gets to know him. Tom at first is very cold and reclusive and doesn't respond much to Tom. But soon, he opens up, and Joseph and Tom's meetings are spent taking care of Tom's silk worms more than working on the portrait. But Tom's eyes are still stony and cold; Joseph feels that he cannot capture Tom's true self until he can see what's really behind Tom's eyes. The Running Man is set up a little like The Luxe by Anna Godbersen in that it begins with a funeral and then flashes back to the events before it. However, the two stories are extremely different, as one could expect. The Running Man goes much deeper and is not filled with gossip about high society; rather, rumors circulate about Joseph's mysterious neighbor Tom. In some ways, this reminded me of Boo Radley from To Kill A Mockingbird, because Tom and Boo are so similar in many ways. The Running Man was a beautiful and touching story. It's about the tentative friendship between two people who need each other. It's also one of those deep books filled with metaphors that can seem confusing at first but are explained. It's about the miracles that friends provide for each other and conquering the demons in your past. It's about reaching out to others who need you and making peace with your life. I recommend this novel to readers who are up to a thought-provoking read. While The Running Man is not full of excitement or suspense and is more of an emotional novel, readers will not be disappointed.

The mystery of Joseph Davidson's street has always been about his elusive neighbor, Tom Leyton. Joseph has always liked Tom's amiable sister, Caroline, but Tom was just weird. He rarely came out of his house. Not much was known about Tom Leyton. That all changed when Joseph got a portrait assignment in his art class at school. Joseph suddenly found himself in the Leyton household drawing none other than Tom. The two bonded over Tom's silkworms and became friends. The mysteries of Tom Leyton were revealed once and for all to Joseph during these drawing sessions. Joseph found the answers to other mysteries as well, such as The Running Man who had been haunting Joseph's life for years. This book is all about learning to accept other people, even if they are different. Everyone has their own story, and some stories don't have happy endings. Joseph discovers this and more through his friendship with Tom. This book is an excellent read. The reader is hooked from page one. Many mysteries are presented to capture the reader until the very end. Bauer has a knack for getting the reader to feel things right along with the main character, Joseph. This good read is recommended for anyone willing to learn a life lesson - never judge a book by its cover! Reviewed by: Steph