Old Favorite Review: Running Out of Time by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Title: Running Out of Time
Author: Margaret Peterson Haddix
Series: None
Publisher: Scholastic
Release Date: 1995, republished in 2004

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Goodreads Summary:

Jessie lives with her family in the frontier village of Clifton, Indiana. When diphtheria strikes the village and the children of Clifton start dying, Jessie's mother sends her on a dangerous mission to bring back help. But beyond the walls of Clifton, Jessie discovers a world even more alien and threatening than she could have imagined, and soon she finds her own life in jeopardy. Can she get help before the children of Clifton, and Jessie herself, run out of time?

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My Review:

In elementary/middle school, my favorite author was Margaret Peterson Haddix. All of her books were so different. They were almost always sci-fi/dystopian/thrillers, and I devoured all of the strange new world concepts she presented. Haddix gave the first introduction to what has now become my favorite genre.

I debated which one of Haddix's books to feature for an Old Favorite Review, and decided on one of my favorites, Running Out of Time. Look for some of her other books as Old Favorite Reviews in the future.

When I read this book, the first thing I thought was that the plot was very similar to M. Night Shamalyan's The Village, but with more of an action/adventure feel than horror/thriller. (Well, to be honest, I read this in 5th grade where I probably didn't think that in depth about it, but looking back on it that's why I think now, anyway.)

This is a really fun and intense book, with such a facinating story concept. I really loved it. It was published back in the 90's, so it's a little outdated (I remember thinking it was outdated back in the early 20's!), with the technology and what year the book is set in. But it's still a really awesome book!

I would definitely recommend Running Out Of Time to younger fans who want to get into the dystopian/alternative world-within-a-world type books.