When a diphtheria epidemic breaks out in Jessie’s 1840 village, Jessie’s mother reveals the shocking truth—they’re actually living in a historical tourist site, and the year is actually 1996. Normally the people who run Clifton Village would not let the children die, but for some reason luxuries like modern medicine have been withheld. Jessie must escape Clifton Village, brave the terrifying modern world, and get help for the village children before it’s too late.

Haddix’s first novel, and still one of my favorites of hers. Everything is just perfect in this book. The pitch-perfect narrator, on the fence between naïve childhood security and scary adolescence. The suspense that will keep you reading breathlessly until you find out what happens at the end. The world-building that makes you wonder if this couldn’t be happening right next door. RUNNING OUT OF TIME is a beautiful blend of the speculative and the probable, and earns its title as one of the best speculative juvenile fiction novels out there today. ( )

An epidemic hits an 1840's village which is actually 1996.

This is a quick and easy read. It's a great story, though. It sort of reminded me of the Truman Show with Jim Carey. I would recommend it. ( )

Jessie lives with her family in the frontier village of Clifton, Indiana. When diptheria strikes and the children of Clifton start dying, Jessie's mother sends Jessie to bring back help. Jessie is not aware that Clifton is a tourist attraction and a scientific experiment. As she seeks help from the modern world, she must convince them that the experiement has gone awry. This will appeal to a reader who would like a book that blends adventure, historical fiction, and science fiction. ( )

This book was really good but really odd. Jessie is going on a big adventure. She's time traveling from the 1840's to the 1990's! well...sorta. read it to see what im talking about ( )