The Vacation - Hardcover

Horvath, Polly

3.57

275 ratings by Goodreads

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0374380708 ISBN 13: 9780374380700

Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR), 2005

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From the author of the Newbery Honor Book Everything on a Waffle

When his mother decides on a whim to be a missionary in Africa and drags his unwilling father with her, Henry is left in the care of his Aunts Magnolia and Pigg. Henry's sure they dislike him and he's trying to keep his distance, but that becomes more difficult when Mag decides they should take a destination-less road trip. Mag, convalescing from an illness that makes her look like death, is downright crabby. Pigg, tense from driving, is becoming more assertive and less willing to submit to Mag's whims. And while they poke each other – literally – Henry is finding it hard to keep his resolution.
They go to Virginia Beach (it's too hot); try camping in the Everglades (Henry accidentally spends four days floating in a swamp); visit their daddy, Henry's granddaddy (Henry's never met him!); and lose Pigg to love in Oklahoma (what would the radio psychologist Daly Kramer say?) before they finally receive word that Henry's parents are coming back and will meet them in Tulsa to finish the trip with Mag and Henry. But his parents are bickering and Henry is in despair – until he surrenders to the road and decides to let whatever happens happen, but to be there in it all.
Complete with her signature cast of eccentric characters, absurd situations, and heartfelt moments, Polly Horvath writes an on-the-road epic like no other!

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About the Author:

Polly Horvath is the author of many books for young people, including Everything on a Waffle, The Pepins and Their Problems, The Canning Season and The Trolls. Her numerous awards include the Newbery Honor, the National Book Award for Young People's Literature, the Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor, the Vicky Metcalf Award for Children's Literature, the Mr. Christie Award, the International White Raven, and the Young Adult Canadian Book of the Year. Horvath grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan. She attended the Canadian College of Dance in Toronto and the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance in New York City. She has taught ballet, waitressed, done temporary typing, and tended babies, but while doing these things she has always also written. Now that her children are in school, she spends the whole day writing, unless she sneaks out to buy groceries, lured away from her desk by the thought of fresh Cheez Whiz. She lives on Vancouver Island with her husband and two daughters.

From The Vacation
I must admit the beach was hot. I do not know why I didn’t expect this. I guess when you see beaches in magazine ads they look as if they are always a temperature for perfect comfort. We put our towels down, and Aunt Mag and Aunt Pigg lay on the sand where flies would land on them and then apparently change their minds. I watched this for a while. Then Aunt Magnolia sat up. "I'm too hot, Pigg," she said.
"I know what you mean," said Aunt Pigg. "But let’s give it a while longer"
They lay down again, and then Aunt Magnolia said, "How much longer?"
"Maybe we should get wet first," said Aunt Pigg. “Then we’ll be just the right temperature.”
"I don’t want to get in the water," said Aunt Magnolia. So Aunt Pigg went down to the water alone. She came back screaming. There were long thin whip marks over one shin.
“Jellyfish," said Aunt Magnolia reflectively. "I've seen them on the Discovery Channel. Must be very painful."
"Argh, argh, argh!" Aunt Pigg was shouting and hopping around on the good leg."
"Well, just lie down on the sand and put some wet sand on it," suggested Aunt Magnolia.
"Is that what you’re supposed to do?" asked Aunt Pigg.
"I don’t know," said Aunt Magnolia, lying back down herself and closing her eyes. "You know, I think I’m beginning to enjoy this. I feel a cool breeze stirring."

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