Running away often begins in a child’s mind with a very small suitcase. Pack a sandwich, a favorite toy, perhaps one clean sock, and head somewhere the rules are better. Children’s books understand both sides of that plan: the comic indignation behind a trip to the end of the block and the courage, danger, and loneliness faced by a child who truly has reason to leave.
Drawing from Bookroo’s collection of 59 books about running away from home, our editors chose twelve that keep the reason for leaving in view. Start with the fixed shortlist below, then browse picture books for younger children trying out the idea and chapter books about museum hideouts, island camps, foster homes, city streets, and the hard decision to ask a trustworthy adult for help.
Claudia plans a first-class runaway to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, taking her thrifty younger brother along for the week.
A white dog with black spots buries the scrubbing brush and comes home a black dog with white spots.
Feeling overlooked, Kate moves to a fort under the lilacs in the neighboring yard and sets up house on her own terms.
Fed up with her new baby brother, a girl writes “FREE KID” on a box and waits outside for better parents.
Elmer Elevator packs chewing gum, lollipops, hair ribbons, and a fine-tooth comb for a secret rescue on Wild Island.
Tom, Huck, and Joe Harper flee to Jackson’s Island, play pirates, and secretly watch their whole town mourn them.
With a suitcase, a set of rules, and an old jazz-band flyer, ten-year-old Bud walks out of Flint to find the man he thinks is his father.
Certain her guardian will leave for France, ten-year-old Lucky packs an enormous survival kit and heads into a desert dust storm.
A sick boy takes his dog and heads for Mount Rainier, determined to finish one great thing without anyone stopping him.
Two sisters flee an abusive home in Chennai and build a makeshift family with two boys beneath an abandoned bridge.
Margaret hides in her favorite amusement park and meets another runaway who knows every ride, tunnel, and security patrol.
Thirteen-year-old Sunny leaves her foster home to find the twin sister from whom she was separated ten years earlier.
Funny, reassuring read-alouds about bath protests, new babies, backyard hideouts, packed bags, and deciding that home still has something to recommend it. Ages 3–8.
A runaway troll discovers the true meaning of home just in time for Christmas.
A girl's imaginary friend leads her on a wild adventure. Can she tame the chaos before it goes too far?
A boy seeks escape from a world overshadowed by a new sibling.
A walrus escapes the zoo, donning disguises to evade capture. Can he find a new life?
Trixie seeks quiet but discovers the comfort of her noisy family.
A child's imagination creates a secret world, but reality calls her back. Where is she truly lost?
A small frog discovers the power of being heard and true to oneself.
Classic adventures and middle-grade novels about careful escape plans, unsafe homes, searches for family, and what life away from adults actually requires. Ages 6–12.
A rebellious princess seeks adventure with a powerful dragon, facing magical dangers and unexpected allies.
A girl's journey to her sick mother reveals unexpected truths and challenges her sanity.
Two brothers flee to Venice, pursued by a detective, uncovering a magical treasure that alters time.
A mute orphan must find her voice or be left behind by the circus.
An orphan's escape leads to a new life among the undead, but a dark plot threatens her newfound family.
A runaway girl and a lost tree spirit face a storm and their emotions in the woods.
Orphaned siblings flee to find family, facing challenges and discovering themselves.
Two children embark on parallel quests, fifty years apart, to uncover life-changing secrets.
Beverly seeks independence but finds unexpected connections that challenge her resolve to stay detached.
A mysterious doll arrival sparks a runaway adventure.
Uncover the truth behind a runaway teen's murder in NYC before more lives are lost.
An orphan seeks a true home with her dog and mysterious allies.
