Lucy lives in a beautiful house. She has maids to help her dress, a boy to clean their shoes, a cook, more maids to clean and even a butler to open the door. Despite all this, she is terribly unhappy.

Now 9 years old, she can’t remember her Mama who died when she was a baby, but she misses her good life with her busy businessman Papa and her wonderful Nurse who practically raised her.

That was before. Before her Papa got remarried, and New Mother (as Lucy names her in her head), fires Nurse and then New Baby arrives too. New Mother replaces Nurse with a strict unloving governess Miss Groan.

There is no fun in Lucy’s life, and the boring days stretch out before her. One Sunday, Lucy makes a terrible mistake with an expensive toy. New Mother, Miss Groan and even Papa are terribly cross with her – with one of her punishments to be given nothing but bread and water for days.

Gazing out her window in despair one day, Lucy spies her beloved Nurse out on the street. Before anyone can stop her she flees the house to follow Nurse. It’s not long before she realises she has made a horrible mistake and is the victim of a robbery.

She’s soon discovered crying by another little girl – Kitty. Kitty has no last name, was raised since a baby by someone called Gaffer and is very streetwise. The two become firm friends, their differences making them a great team on the bustling, and often dangerous streets of London.

After a failed attempt at returning home, Lucy has to quickly learn the way of a street kid. With Kitty’s courage and help they are inseparable, despite many daily challenges. Now the police are looking for them and they have to flee London.

The first in a new series by this hugely popular author, The Runaway Girls is an entertaining read about two girls – one rich, one poor. One happy, one sad. One worldly, one innocent. These contrasts give the reader an insight into two very different lives. Although very different, they help each other survive on the streets.

London is a thriving city, bursting with all types of people – characters good and evil, kind and cruel. Viewing this all through Lucy’s eyes and naivety opens a young readers eyes to all walks of life in Victorian London. A small section on the Great Exhibition (actually held in London May 1851-Oct 1851) is a pivotable piece to the easy plot, leading the girls to their biggest challenges yet.

The Runaway Girls would be perfect for girls 7+

Author – Jacqueline Wilson

Age – 7+

(2021, Penguin Random House NZ, Victorian London, The Great Exhibition, Street Kids, Survival, Poverty, Museum exhibit, Crystal Palace, Street Performers, Friendship, Family, 1851, Historical)