Suzanne Leal, Running With Ivan, HarperCollins Publishers, February 2023, 320 pp., RRP $17.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781460761335
Leal portrays a journey of grief, hardship, and identity through Leo Arnold, who recently lost his Mum and is forced to join a new family. Leo just wants to be in a world of his own, but a mysterious music box takes him to war-stricken Prague, where he finds his purpose through meeting his friend Ivan and running for their lives. Literally.
I found this book very intriguing, especially as I am currently studying WWII and it provided me with interesting historical information and background through the heart-warming tale of Leo finding his place in the world. His character is developed well, with interconnecting themes of adolescence, grief and bullying contributing to Leo’s unique insight on the world. Leo experiences his complex feelings of sadness through encounters of a world filled with anguish and mourning and connects with Ivan through their shared experiences of loss. However, they can help each other, regardless of the year. Leo is able to find a passion for running, which saves him in 1945, as well as in 2002.
Very similar to Morris Gleitzman’s Once, I would recommend this book to 12 and older, especially as the book could be more relatable considering that Leo is thirteen years old. It also contains violent themes connected to WWII and the Holocaust.
Reviewed by Emily Woolnough
