The Runaway Girls

I have also read this as a physical book and was interested to see what the audio book would bring to the story. The narrator really brings the characters alive, you have an image in your head if you’ve already read the story but the characters are so much more alive in your mind with the audiobook. Highly recommended

The Runway Girls - Jacqueline Wilson
Narrated by Mandeep Dhillon

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review thanks to Penguin Random House UK Audio and Netgalley.

Victorian London, 1851. Queen Victoria is on the throne and the Great Exhibition is about to open!

Lucy Locket lives with her father, the New Mother and the New Baby. They sent away her beloved Nurse and replaced her with a horrid governess. Lucy desperately wants someone to be kind to her, and to have some fun - there's very little of that in her house.

Kitty Fisher is a street performer who earns tin for her supper by tumbling. She has always lived on the street and on her wits, with only the kind Gaffer to help her. But now Gaffer is gone, and Kitty is all alone.

When Lucy runs away from home, Kitty shows Lucy how to survive - where to find the best picnic leftovers in the park, and which trees makes the best beds. Lucy learns quickly and shows Kitty her own skills - befriending families to get free meals and singing beautiful melodies for the crowds.

I used to love reading Jacqueline Wilson books when I was younger and when I saw that this book was available to request on Netgalley, I wanted to see if they were still as good as I remember - they are.

I thought that Kitty’s character was very well developed as the entire story is told from Lucy’s perspective. Even though they are from very different worlds, Lucy and Kitty become fast friends, and both are very likeable characters.

Rating 4/5

This book is a fun and enjoyable read for all ages.

I've always loved Jacqueline's historical novels, and this is another fantastic one. I loved seeing life in Victorian times, something I was always interested in during my school days.

The two main characters are great to follow, I got real Princess and the Pauper vibes from them. I loved Kitty teaching Lucy to survive on the streets, and Lucy trying to bring out Kitty's softer side. I also truly adored Mrs Chubb, who takes the girls in for a while.

However, there were a few things I didn't love. I don't much love an "evill stepmother trope", and I did have to suspend belief a little when Lucy's father didn't recognise her.

I highly recommend this audiobook! It is very entertaining! I really enjoyed listening to The Runaway Girls, I always like Jacqueline Wilson.
I would recommend this audiobook for children between the ages of 8-14 years old.
I liked the narrator, she was very engaging and acted out all the roles very well.

Another great Jacqueline Wilson book. The two girl characters Lucy and Kitty are great and their adventures even greater. I can't wait till the next book to find out where the circus takes them. This book will be popular with both Betty Feather fans and new Wilson readers.

The audio was brilliantly narrated, clear, well read and much like other books from the same author.

I will be recommending this to many of the small readers I work with.

As an almost 29 year old, I am definitely not the intended reader of this book but when I saw Jacqueline Wilson had a new book that was available on audiobook I could not resist.

Growing up Jacqueline Wilson was my favourite author and listening to this audiobook I can fully remember why.

Jacqueline has a way of dealing with topics that are not normally discussed with children but actually giving children credit for understanding what is going on around them more than some adults give them credit for and I will always love that about her books.

This audiobook was brilliant, the narrator Mandeep Dhillon was amazing and someone I would happily listen to again.

The book follows a girl named Kitty, in Victorian London. Jacqueline’s descriptions as usual are perfect, you can genuinely get a great image in your head of Victorian London even for kids who might not have a lot of knowledge of that time.

Kitty lives on the streets and develops a friendship with a girl named Lucy who has run away from home.
The friendship between the two girls is nothing short of brilliant and I loved the character development between the two of them.

This audiobook was amazing, the only downside was missing Nick Sharratt’s amazing illustrations.

I fully enjoyed this book and recommend it for any Jacqueline Wilson fan (young or older)!

What a great story for fans of Jacqueline Wilson. Loved that it was based in the Victorian times & the bit of added history with the exhibition. The two main characters were great and loved that they were strong female characters.

Set in Victorian London, friends Lucy and Kitty form a strong friendship to overcome obstacles from this period of time. Jacqueline Wilson has created strong, believable characters in Lucy and Kitty who mix with other some characters from other Jacqueline Wilson books. This audio version is engrossing and the narrator is wonderful. As a listener, I was transported to this era and felt I had a ring-side seat on this book journey. I will happily recommend this book to my Upper Key Stage 2 pupils.

This was a lovely nostalgic read, I've loved Jacky since I was little, and this was a delightful reminder of the writing I've always loved, while still being so entertaining. I suspended disbelief for some parts, but I would have loved this book as a child and I loved the narration, especially the voices for Kitty and Lucy. Absolutely recommend.

This was the first Jacqueline Wilson book that I've read/listened to (and not a performance). The book is about a young girl with wealthy parents and another girl who is living on the streets. They become friends and both find themselves on the streets to survive. I think this book will bring young audiences to appreciate history and life in the Victorian times at the time of the Great Exhibition.

Jacqueline Wilson was my favourite author as a child, and I love that I'm able to still discover and enjoy her new books as an adult. This was the first of hers that I've listened to, but the audio version definitely brought the Victorian setting and main characters to life.

Lucy is struggling to adjust to her new life with the New Mother and New Baby, as well as mourning the dismissal of her most beloved nurse. After a disaster with her doll that she accidentally leaves in front of the sun for too long, Lucy doesn't think twice about running away to find her old nurse. Along the way, she meets a friendly street performer, Kitty, and the two develop a close friendship. Although Lucy misses the privileges that came with her previous family, she soon accepts her new street life, happy to have found a friend like Kitty. But friendship isn't always enough to protect them from lurking dangers hiding in the underbelly of Victorian London. They must be quick-witted to avoid the punishments, otherwise, it's the workhouse for this innocent duo!

As with many Jacqueline Wilson books, this tale explored quite dark and serious themes (such as thievery, homelessness, and suffering) but in a sensitive and child-friendly way. It was a well-researched and engaging insight into Victorian times without being too heavy and historical. Kitty and Lucy embarked on a range of adventures, some exciting and some scary, which gave the book a great pace and will maintain attention low spans. The character development was strong, with two very contrasting personalities and life experiences in Kitty and Lucy. This made their friendship even more heartwarming as they sought solace in one another and worked together to earn pennies for their suppers. It made us want a happy ending for both children who deserved happy lives after everything they both went through.

This is a book I would definitely recommend to readers, both young and older, especially those that grew up with Jacqueline Wilson and are keen for some epic nostalgia.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House UK for sending me a free audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

My 8 year old daughter and I listened to the audiobook of this story together, both being avid Wilson fans. We loved Lucy and really enjoyed her adventure, my daughter was desperate to listen to more each evening which lead to some late bed times and I felt that she’d learned a lot from the story. As an adult I loved the way that the darker issues were written about in a completely accessible way for children too. Thanks so much for this arc.