Nothing says summer like a road trip. Even if you can’t manage to take a trip of your own this summer, get a taste of adventure with these books:
In Search of Mockingbird by Loretta Ellsworth
Who? Erin, is a sixteen-year-old writer whose mother died when she was a baby. The only connection she has to her mother is her much-loved copy of To Kill a Mockingbird and the diary she kept when she as sixteen.
Where? From Minnesota to Monroeville, Alabama, the hometown of author Harper Lee.
Why? Erin’s mother wrote to Harper Lee when she was sixteen, asking how to know if you have what it takes to be a great writer. Harper Lee never replied, and Erin intends to find out why.
An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
Who? Colin, a washed-up former child prodigy who was just dumped by his latest girlfriend (named Katherine, just like all the others), and his best friend Hassan.
Where? They don’t really have a plan, but they end up in the small town of Gutshot, Tennessee.
Why? To get Colin out of his post-breakup funk. In the meantime, Colin is working on his magnum opus—a mathematical theorem of love.
Jerk, California by Jonathan Friesen
Who? Sam, who struggles with Tourette’s Syndrome and was recently kicked out of his home by his stepfather, and Naomi, the girl who is messing with his heart.
Where? From rural Wisconsin to California.
Why? Sam wants to escape from the mess at home by going out west, but instead the journey is helping him to discover who he is and maybe even help him to find some answers about his dead father.
Two* Way Street by Lauren Barnholdt
Who? Jordan and Courtney, totally in love, got in to the same college so they could be together. The problem is, Jordan just inexplicable broke up with Courtney, but it is too late to call the trip off.
Where? They are going cross-country.
Why? At the end of their trip lies college orientation, but before they get there Jordan may reveal some of the secrets that are haunting him—why they broke up, why they can’t get back together, and why they are destined for each other.
Zigzag by Ellen Wittlinger
Who? Seventeen-year-old Robin, her aunt, and two younger (and troubled) cousins.
Where? From Iowa to California
Why? Robin’s “perfect” boyfriend Chris just left for summer school in Rome, her mother has started dating again, and her aunt has been recently widowed and needs company. Why not go on a road trip? How hard could it be?
The After Life: A Novel by Daniel Ehrenhaft
Who? Nineteen-year-old Will Shepherd, who met his father exactly once, and that was the day before he died.
Where? From Florida to New York.
Why? A clause in his father’s will states that he must drive his two half-siblings, Liz and Kyle, back to New York after the funeral. Never mind that Will didn’t even know they existed until…now.
My Road Trip to the Pretty Girl Capital of the World by Brian Yansky
Who? Simon, an angry and misunderstood high school student.
Where? From a small Iowa town to Texas, and back again.
Why? Simon is hoping to find his birthparents, who his adoptive parents refuse to talk about. The down-on-their luck drifters, the pretty girl named Charley, and the Elvis impersonator that he picks up on the way are just bonuses.
Suckerpunch by David Hernandez
Who? Danger-loving Marcus, his brother, and his brother’s girlfriend.
Where? To San Francisco.
Why? Marcus and his brother want to confront their estranged father, who abused them terribly. Their mother is thinking of letting him back into their lives, but Marcus is NOT going to let that happen.
Crash Into Me by Albert Borris (available 7/09)
Who? Four teens who met on the internet after they all attempted suicide and failed.
Where? They want to visit famous sites of celebrity suicides.
Why? At the end of the trip, they plan on taking their own lives…unless the journey makes them want to stay.
~Eva, CLP-Knoxville
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