Amy & Roger's Epic Detour (Car travel, Grief)

When I stopped in the bookstore after school today, I stopped by the Gateway Readers display to see and read the covers of the books I still need to read.  Amy & Roger's Epic Detour was on the top shelf. 

Book Title: Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour  by Morgan Matson
 

Topic: Automobile travel, Grief

Thoughts: Even though I am trying to find books that my male students will read, I picked this one up because it is nominated for the Gateway Readers Award, and I always read them to provide recommendations.  This is a book that I know appeals to girls more than guys.  As I read this, I had my atlas beside me so that I could follow Amy and Roger’s trek across the United States.  Because I have been to some of the same places Amy and Roger traveled, I could visually picture the scenery around them even though Matson did not provide the entire picture for us. She doesn’t have to though, the story focuses on Amy and Roger. 

Amy’s mother sells the house in California and moves to Connecticut.  Roger has to drive Amy cross country and on the way, we find out why Amy won’t drive and why Roger agreed to go on the trip in the first place—these two do not know each other, even though their mothers are friends.  Amy’s mother has the entire trip planned out with where they will stay each night, but Amy and Roger decide to rebel (what teenager doesn’t) and take their own route. 

Matson provides a list of songs that Amy and Roger listen to on the trip, but I have not heard of several of them.  I don’t know if students have these songs on their Ipods and will listen to them as they read the novel or look them up on Youtube to listen? 

Do not let the page amount (368) turn you away from this novel.  A travel scrapbook with  maps, state overviews, music playlists, authentic pictures, and souvenir receipts add to the realistic experience of these two teenagers.    

This is a road trip worth taking!