And Now We Run by Nicola Penfold – at a glance
The School Reading Lists’ five word review: new friendships, environmental impact, bravery.
Children’s book title: And Now We Run.
Children’s authors: Nicola Penfold.
Genre: Children’s fiction.
Published by: Little Tiger.
ISBN: 9781788958431.
Recommended for children aged: 9-12.
First published: Paperback July 2026.
This children’s book is ideal for: beginning a discussion about global warming and maybe linking it to the heatwaves in the UK in 2026, to show how extreme weather conditions should be a concern for everyone, not just those caught up in them.
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Our review:
Jelly isn’t really enjoying being in Year 7. Her best friend has decided she’s far too babyish to bother with, apart from being mean to her, and now she has to spend a whole week with her on a school trip! Lincoln, on the other hand, can’t wait. He knows the area; his brother used to take him on trips there when he was younger.
Unfortunately, the weather is awful; the rain is torrential, and all the exciting activities have been cancelled. After an embarrassing time on the orienteering course, Jelly runs off towards the set of peaceful reservoirs they’d previously visited, finding Lincoln already there.
They decide they should return to the camp but find it deserted. Then the world shifts, and before they know what’s happening, they are caught in a flood as the first of the three reservoirs bursts, changing the landscape and cutting them off from the rest of the world.
Realising they have to save themselves, the two new friends begin to head for higher ground, but nothing is as they remember it; the rain is still falling, and it’s getting dark. Can they find a way to stay safe overnight and find something to eat and drink, or will all their efforts so far have been in vain?
Our verdict:
Environmental issues are popular in children’s fiction, and the impact shown here definitely gets a strong message across. The two children are very different but work well together. Jelly is friendly but naive; her best friend has dropped her for the cool girls but knows how to upset her and does so continuously. Lincoln, on the other hand, is one of four boys who live close to the breadline. The deputy headteacher has no time for him or his family and punishes him throughout the trip.
By the time they meet by the reservoirs, both children are very aware of the environmental problems in the area but have no idea just how imminent the disaster facing them is. Alone, neither child would have survived, but by working together, not only do they rescue others, but they also encourage each other to keep going and accept that they have to behave in ways which are alien to them.
The final two chapters move the story on four months, and so there is a chance to see how everyone moves on after their different traumatic experiences and how those experiences change their outlook.
Teaching points and book club discussion ideas:
- Jelly was looking forward to the school trip until she fell out with Mikala. How hard is it to make new friends? Could you have joined a different group on the coach, like Jelly did?
- Lincoln broke the rules so that his mum didn’t worry. Do you think there should have been a way for everyone to contact home during their trip?
- Draw two posters to show how both flooding and drought change the landscape.
- There are disastrous consequences following both floods and droughts. Which are more common in the United Kingdom?
- Nothing is said about how the school handled the evacuation of the pupils. What should they have done differently to prevent Jelly and Lincoln from being left behind?
- Have you ever experienced an extreme type of weather? How can we lessen the effects of global warming in future? Whose responsibility should it be?
Many thanks to Little Tiger for the review copy.
To order a class set of this book, please click below to order via uk.bookshop.org, an organisation that supports local bookshops, or Amazon.co.uk.
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