The runaway

Gr 2--4--The "Crow Stories" trilogy that began with The Outlaw and was followed by The Ranger concludes here. Illustrations in somber tones, in ink and watercolor, with newspaper clippings and posters from the mid-1800s, capture the dramatic setting of a boy facing the challenge of survival in a world of death and disease. A cholera outbreak has claimed the life of his mother, leaving the titular character to hitch a ride on a passing wagon to search for his sister who left him at the story's start. From city to wilderness to farming settlements, the boy survives clutching a locket with a picture of himself and his sister. His determination is noteworthy, and their eventual reunion is satisfying and heartfelt. This book, closing out the story, works with the opacity of the other two titles to render a compelling whole. Vo's stealthy building of character and setting will not fail to move older readers who engaged with the first books; new readers will want to go find those after they have read this one. VERDICT Illustrations and minimal text convey a deeply felt story that will provide rich opportunities for children to extend the storytelling and perhaps tell their own survival stories. Beautifully presented.--John Scott

A boy leaves home due to circumstances that aren't completely clear until the book's conclusion. This final installment in the Crow Stories trilogy features the familiar muted palette, Old West setting, and spare narrative of Vo's previous books. Evocative illustrations, rendered in watercolor, ink, and acetone transfers of 19th-century newspaper clippings and posters, open on Jack, a light-skinned, dark-haired boy who "had many reasons to run, but when illness took his ma, that cinched it." A sign for cholera prevention provides context. Jack is a resourceful traveler, sneaking onto a moving wagon and quenching his thirst at a woodland river. Two figures on horseback--concerned for his safety--bring him to their encampment, where he trades labor for food. The only clue to his mindset is a locket he holds dear with a photo of him and his sister. It is she, pale-skinned, with dark braids and wearing the orange scarf she sported in the second book in the series, The Ranger (2019), who finds him. A rust-colored tail visible at their reunion belongs to the fox Annie befriended. She explains that she had "many reasons" for being away so long but that she had always intended to come back for him. What links these titles other than the obvious? Perhaps each character is on a journey of grief, searching for the antidote. Is the outlaw in the first book possibly their father--one of his children's "many reasons"? A satisfying finish, even as questions linger. (Picture book. 5-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.