Selznick, Brian. Run Away with Me. Brian Selznick, Illus. Scholastic, 04/2025. 320pp. Fiction. Trade $24.99. 978-1-3390-3552-9. GRADES 8–12. HIGH ADDITIONAL.
Rome is an expansive and central character in this layered romance between two adolescent boys whose relationship begins and grows in an exploration of the city. Danny is a visitor to Rome because his mother’s work in book restoration keeps them moving all over the world, making it impossible to send down roots. Angelo is grounded in Rome by both interest and heritage, and when the two boys meet their story is both a love story to learning about the ancient city and their own discovery of each other. Selznick’s amazing pencil drawings open and close a book that turns into a treasure hunt through centuries of Roman history, gay history, and the history of art and creativity. Luminous images abound, but a certain awkwardness in plotting and inconsistency in character development impede this Roman fantasy. Review based on an ARC.
Lesley Mandros Bell—Independent