Running Out of Night

” Lush, detailed, total-immersion storytelling.” – Kirkus Reviews

” What stands out most is the author’s depiction of the rural Virginia setting. Lark’s knowledge of the natural world leads to a satisfying, nonviolent resolution. An Underground Railroad story with a distinctive flavor.” – Booklist Reviews 

“Great historical fiction read.” - Wandering Librarians (wanderinglibrarians.blogspot.com)
 
“Written in a believably rough-edged dialect (a glossary is included) and distinguished by lively descriptions and dialogue, Lovejoy’s story offers a tense account of the perils facing those who sought freedom in the lead-up to the Civil War.” – Publisher’s Weekly 
 
“The rural, mid-19th-century dialect, coupled with the author’s interest in ethnobotany, roots the story deeply in the houses, forests, gardens, and even streambeds of antebellum Virginia.” – School Library Journal

“Rarely do page-turners written for middle-school kids also ignite excitement in adults. (A notable exception is the series of Harry Potter books.) Fewer still explore the secret sorrows of children’s lives in the mid-1800s, whether enslaved or free. Running Out of Night, a debut novel from Californian Sharon Lovejoy, a veteran author-illustrator known nationally for her prizewinning nonfiction books on gardening and nature, gives you both. Like Rowling’s Potter, her book follows the desperate quest of youngsters who’ve seen the darker sides of human nature. Instead of Harry, Hermione and Ron, it’s preteen girls Lark and Zenobia who flee their grim lives in search of a sunnier, freer world.” – Op Ed News