If You Like...Books About Road Trips

There is nothing better than hitting the open road during the summertime! Packing your bags, grabbing some tunes, and setting out to explore new places. If you like road trips or reading books about travel adventures, here are a few great middle grade books to add to your must-read list for the summer!

The Lonely Heart of Maybelle Lane

By Kate O'Shaughnessy

New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 2020.

Maybelle Lane has never met her dad but she has an old voicemail message of his voice in her collection of sounds. One day she hears his voice on the radio and realizes that he is a DJ. When he announces that he will be judging a singing contest in Nashville, Maybelle is determined to compete. She signs up, finds someone to drive her, and sets out on a road trip to Nashville to finally meet her dad.

The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise

By Dan Gemeinhart

New York : Henry Holt and Company, 2019.

Coyote and her dad, Rodeo, have been living in an old converted school for five years, constantly on the go, trying to escape the memories of the accident that killed Coyote's mom and sisters. When Coyote learns that a park near her old home is getting demolished, she knows she needs to return to get the special memory box that she buried there.

Clean Getaway

By Nic Stone

New York : Crown Books for Young Readers, 2020.

Scoob sets out on an impromptu road trip down memory lane with his G'ma in her new RV. As they travel, Scoob learns more about how people have not always been friendly or welcoming to the Black community. The trip starts to get strange when G'ma begins avoiding calls from Scoob's dad and is constantly changing their license plate.

When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Peach Pie

By Erin Downing

New York: Pixel Ink, 2021.

The Peach family sets out on a summer road trip around the country to sell pies in their new food truck. This was always a dream of their mother's before she passed away and they are determined to accomplish it together. The only problem is, none of them know how to bake.

Wrong Way Summer

By Heidi Lang

New York : Amulet Books, 2020.

Claire's father has always told her and her brother outlandish tales about their absent mother. When he decides to sell their home and moves the family into a converted van, she begins growing tired of the stories and wants to find out the truth. As they take the ultimate road trip around the country, Claire is faced with the choice to continue to go along with the stories or force her family to face what really happened to her mom.

Comments

Review: Faker

Faker By Gordon Korman New York: Scholastic Press, 2024. Fiction. 214 pages. 12-year-old Trey is used to starting over at a new school -- he has the routine perfectly memorized: make new friends, introduce his dad to the wealthy parents of his new friends, and "Houdini" themselves out of there before they get caught running their latest scam. Trey's dad is a master con artist, and Trey has just been promoted to full-partner. Their new scheme for the next big score brings them to the affluent suburb of Boxelder, TN where Trey's dad has cooked up a fake electric car company for investors to buy into. The only problem is that Trey is starting to grow tired of moving around and never putting down roots, especially after forming a fast friendship with Logan and developing a crush on Kaylee, a socially conscious girl in his class. As Trey longs for a normal life, is there any way he can convince his dad to get out of the family business? Gordon Korman is a perennial favorit...

You Need to Read: Percy Jackson

I was a kid myself when The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan was published, and it didn't take long for the Percy Jackson series to take the world by storm. Being the son of a Poseidon, Percy Jackson has some unique challenges as a half-blood. Here's some books that I think could've helped Percy when he was on his adventures trying to save the world: Greeking Out: Heroes and Olympians Written by Kenny Curtis and Jillian Hughes Illustrated by Javier Espila Washington D.C.: National Geographic, 2024. Informational. 191 pages. Percy, I know Chiron did a good job teaching you about mythology in Latin class, but this book is sure to be good to have on hand while you're traveling across the United States. Greeking Out is written in a kid-friendly voice with vivid illustrations and a sometimes-snarky tone (much like Percy himself). It also presents real-life creatures and places along with the information about Greek mythology. The Homework Squad's ADHD Guide to School S...

If You Like...Ladybugs

Spring is almost upon us! We'll have more rain instead of snow, flowers will start blooming, and more bugs will be out. Ladybugs are some of the prettiest insects--and the least intimidating for those more wary of bugs. If you like ladybugs, check out these books! Ladybugs Do Not Go to Preschool Written by Ali Rutstein Illustrated by Nin̋a Nill Richmond, VA: Bright Light, 2024. Picture Book. Ravi loves ladybugs--he eats aphids instead of cornflakes for breakfast, brushes his mandibles instead of teeth, and has a ladybug costume complete with wings and antennae. He is certain that ladybugs don't have to go to preschool, and when Mom says that Ravi still has to go to school, he is nervous. However, thanks to Mom's patience and gentle encouragement, Ravi makes some new friends and realizes that preschool might be a good place for ladybugs after all. A Perfect Spot By Isabelle Simler Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2022. Picture Book. A ladybug is ready to ...

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