Drive Me Crazy

January 15, 2015
New cousins Lana and Cassie embark upon a road trip with their recently married grandparents and with very different attitudes.Lana is excited to accompany her Grandpa Howe and his new wife on their honeymoon excursion and get a chance to befriend Cassie. However, Cassie would far prefer to stay home and foster her social connections with the ultracool Kendra. Initially, Cassie rebuffs Lana's eager overtures, going so far as to make rules for the trip governing their interactions. Still, there are moments when Cassie lets go of her superior attitude, and the girls begin to forge a connection. McVoy's tale examines the nature of friendship. Alternating chapters give each girl's perspective on the journey, delving into their personal struggles and revealing their vulnerabilities. Cassie's increasing desperation as she attempts to maintain her social standing with Kendra's clique highlights the pressure and intensity of middle school social issues. McVoy also thoughtfully explores the impact of a parent's health problems on a child. With compassionate insight, she addresses Lana's feelings of abandonment and anxiety as her parents attempt to shield her from her mother's serious illness. When their trip culminates in a visit to the aptly named "End of the Road," both girls discover the support and strength found in friendships. A trek across the continent evolves into a journey of personal growth in this affecting book. (Fiction. 10-14)

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March 1, 2015

Gr 6-8-Two months ago, Lana's Grandpa Howie married Cassie's Grandma Tess (Nono). The girls didn't quite hit it off, but as they're accompanying their grandparents on their California road trip honeymoon, Lana hopes that they'll soon be great friends. Cassie, on the other hand, just wants to get through the trip as best as possible. She quickly realizes that maybe Lana isn't so bad, and they begin a tentative friendship. Both girls are struggling emotionally: Lana is pretending that her mother's recent health issues are not bothering her, and Cassie is obsessed with keeping the popular kids as her friends. Eventually, the girls have to face their own truths: Cassie's friends are not really her friends, and Lana's mother is seriously ill. A spur of the moment trip to Maine to catch a Magic Moment finally allows the protagonists to understand what each is dealing with and solidify their friendship. Problems are relatively easily dealt with, and the messages of true friendship and communication will resonate with many readers. VERDICT Despite some heavy topics, this is a lighthearted road trip story with a lot of middle school appeal.-Kefira Phillipe, Nichols Middle School, Evanston, IL

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2015
Grades 4-6 Lana is excited to start a road trip with her grandpa and his new wife, especially since it means spending time with her new cousin, Cassie. However, Cassie does not want to leave her friends to sit in a car with nerdy Lana for a week. But both girls need this vacation: Lana to forget about her mom's illness, and Cassie to learn the real meaning of friendship. Lana's problem is a big one, compounded by the fear that her parents are keeping her in the dark about how sick her mother isa feeling some readers will understand. Comparatively, Cassie's problem might seem small, but her desire to fit in with the popular crowd will speak to readers as well. Two very different girls in a car together with show tunes and wacky pit stops plus lots of desert make for a pretty sweet friendship story. Steer this toward fans of Lisa Graff's Umbrella Summer (2009) and those drawn to books with plenty of heart.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2015
Lana and Cassie wouldn't choose to be friends, but when Cassie's grandmother marries Lana's grandfather they're thrown together, like it or not. Cassie's concern with popularity and Lana's cloying perfection are clichid and exaggerated; nonetheless, their ultimate appreciation for each other (and themselves) is believable. The "honeymoon" road trip is an ideal setting to watch this unlikely group become a family.

(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)