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The Runaway Dinner Audiobook
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(3.14) - 258 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Like most little boys his age, Banjo is hungry! He can't wait to gobble up his delicious dinner. But as he sits at the table ready to dig in, something very wild and wacky happens. Melvin the sausage suddenly leaps from Banjo's plate and leads Peter, Percival, Paul, Caroline, Clara, and the other peas and carrots on a daring escape. As the silverware, table, and chairs also flee the kitchen, Banjo begins a hilarious race to catch up with his very, very fast food. Two-time winner of the Children's Book Award and the Kate Greenaway Medal, acclaimed British author Allan Ahlberg delights children of all ages. Ascribing to him "the kind of genius that can dominate an era," London's Sunday Times ranks Ahlberg with Lewis Carroll and A. A. Milne. And the Gurardian believes The Runaway Dinner "confirms [Ahlberg] as one of the finest writers of picture books." ". stylistically accomplished . sophisticated . this madcap riff is for primary-grade readers-and their clever parents."-Kirkus Reviews "Funny, touching, ridiculous and dramatic-a treat from start to finish."-Guardian "Talk about fast food! A Hilarious, high-speed tale from the inimitable Allan Ahlberg-catch it if you can!"-Candlewick Press
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"A quirky take on the classic gingerbread boy tale, Ahlberg's rendering features a little boy Banjo, who takes off in pursuit of a cheeky sausage named Melvin after he escapes the dinner-plate one evening. Mayhem ensues as others, on and off the plate, follow Melvin's lead. Caution: although Ahlberg's outrageously long sentences drive the energetic flow of the text, and his excessive use of interrupting conjunctive adverbs is greatly responsible for the humor in this tale, some readers may find them tedious or exhausting, especially over multiple reads. Recommended for ages 4-8, with older readers encouraged to read it with an eye for the appropriate use of the comma."
— Vicki (5 out of 5 stars)
The Runaway Dinner Listener Reviews
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" Not a fan. Read like a 7-year-old wrote it. "
— Jen, 2/12/2014 -
" I liked the illustrations. The plot? Not that great. "
— Nojood, 2/2/2014 -
" Zoom crash crash bang. Cross the street at the crosswalk. Go. Stop. And crash. Go. Faster faster faster. You can do it, you can do it. Go go go go. Crash crash. Bang. Boom. Go go. Oh no. You can do it. Climb. Whew. Go. Faster. 50 miles per hour. Stop. "
— Cole, 1/31/2014 -
" Hilarious use of rhythm and syntax. It reads as if someone were speaking and not writing the words. The story line is busy and funny. By giving nearly every object a name and gender, they are all personified and appeal to children. There are several clever plays on words, such as the French Fries having French names. I thought this was a very silly story and a lot of fun to read. "
— Holly, 12/27/2013 -
" expanding from the idea of the dish ranaway with the spoon, and on circumstance story for children. A good inspriational book about questioning boundries. "
— Theresa, 12/25/2013 -
" This is a very silly book! It is about a little boy whose dinner runs away. It's kind of long though. You would like it if you like silly books. Or dinner. "
— Msjenny, 12/24/2013 -
" It's a book written in the form of free verse. If you like food, you will like the book and you will learn some words related to food. "
— Carol, 12/21/2013 -
" It was funny when he got new forks and stuff like that and they ran away "
— Ashanti, 12/8/2013 -
" this is a really funny book. It starts with a sausage jumping off of a dinner plate and the chase that ensues. "
— Dayna, 11/27/2013 -
" cute, clever little story about a boy and his food running away, i like how the different parts of his meal eventually trail off and do different things during the chase... the kids thought it was funny "
— Amy, 11/26/2013 -
" Bea thought it was really fun. I thought it was nonsensical fun but didn't understand the book's insistence (more than once) on its veracity. ...It's a true story. Really it is! The dinner got up and ran away. Hee hee.... ?? "
— Amy, 11/16/2013 -
" Couldn't even finish it, and it was a children's book. Stupid story...at least what I read of it??? "
— Libby, 11/9/2013 -
" This one was a winner for my preschool daughter. It was ridiculous, unpredictable, and totally silly. She loved it. I enjoyed all the zany antics and the climax of the story when the Mom says "You can't eat that--It's been on the floor!" (just hilarious!). "
— Joy, 10/27/2013 -
" Made me chuckle. a little bit like the Gingerbreadman. kids loved it. "
— Stephanie, 9/18/2013 -
" I read a book named The Runaway Dinner and gave it five stars. It was about a boy who chased his dinner. I thought it was a very funny story. "
— Alysa, 7/10/2013 -
" Cute, clever. "
— M, 6/29/2013 -
" This book is hilarious! There is something about food, dishes, tables and chairs running around that make me giggle! "
— Angie, 6/27/2013 -
" Ahlberg's book is quirky and unique in its matter-of-factness. His jokes all belong in a Wes Anderson movie. "
— Michael, 6/5/2013 -
" my husband brought this book home for our kids, and I laughed through the entire thing. Strange, quirky, odd. But funny :) "
— Gaylene, 2/9/2013 -
" This is an odd little book that I really enjoyed! Reminiscent of the gingerbread man stories, but also with a touch of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs whimsy thrown in! "
— Erin, 9/28/2012 -
" Read "The Pencil" first. "
— Mary-Jane, 5/22/2012 -
" It's the tale of The Gingerbread Man moved to teatime and told minus the hubris and nemesis, which enables the story to be satisfactorily circular whilst remaining artfully unresolved. "
— Paul, 4/18/2012 -
" This is a must own!! It was fun to read :) "
— ~*mandy*~, 4/17/2012 -
" Love this one--charming illustrations! "
— Heidi, 2/16/2012 -
" great kids book, really fun to read "
— Tvermar, 3/23/2011 -
" I love the British humor and conversational narrative of the book. And it has my all time most favorite name of a character - Banjo Cannon. Doesn't get better! "
— Penelope, 3/6/2011 -
" my husband brought this book home for our kids, and I laughed through the entire thing. Strange, quirky, odd. But funny :) "
— Gaylene, 12/29/2010 -
" It was okay, done in a conversational tone. A boy's dinner gets up and runs off on him. "
— Rochelle, 10/12/2010 -
" Couldn't even finish it, and it was a children's book. Stupid story...at least what I read of it??? "
— Libby, 6/25/2010 -
" I think this book's okay, but Sydney absolutely LOVES it! We got it from the library & she's already had us read it like 5x & normally we don't read library books more than once or twice, so therefore her asking for repeats is a glowing recommendation! "
— Nicole, 6/8/2010 -
" I liked the illustrations. The plot? Not that great. "
— Nojood, 8/16/2009 -
" this is a really funny book. It starts with a sausage jumping off of a dinner plate and the chase that ensues. "
— Smizler, 2/20/2009 -
" It was funny when he got new forks and stuff like that and they ran away "
— Ashanti, 12/9/2008 -
" This is a very silly book! It is about a little boy whose dinner runs away. It's kind of long though. You would like it if you like silly books. Or dinner. "
— Msjenny, 12/1/2008
About Allan Ahlberg
Allan Ahlberg is one of he most acclaimed and successful authors of children’s books. He is the author of The Snail House, The Cat Who Got Carried Away, The Children Who Smelled a Rat, Half a Pig, and The Shopping Expedition. Allan Ahlberg lives in Bath, England.
About Jeff Woodman
Jeff Woodman is an actor and narrator. He is a winner of the prestigious Audie Award and a six-time finalist. He has received twenty Earphones Awards and was named the 2008 Best Voice in Fiction & Classics, as well as one of the Fifty Greatest Voices of the Century by AudioFile magazine. As an actor, he originated the title role in Tennessee Williams’ The Notebook of Trigorin and won the S. F. Critics’ Circle Award for his performance in An Ideal Husband. In addition to numerous theater credits on and off Broadway, his television work includes Sex and the City, Law & Order, and Cosby.