The Middle of Somewhere - Hardcover

Cheaney, J.B.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0375837906 ISBN 13: 9780375837906

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2007

Synopsis

Veronica Sparks is hitting the road! She has practically memorized Seize the Way: Ten Weeks to SuperSize Your Life! and she is going to shake the dust of her little town off her shoes and see the world!

Well, someday. For now she's hitting the road in an RV with her cantankerous grandfather at the wheel and her hyperactive little brother in the backseat. Ronnie's grandfather is a wind prospector, and they are heading across Kansas in search of a good stiff breeze. Okay, so it's not the trip of her dreams. But with her newly affirmatized attitude, Ronnie figures that travelling somewhere is better than travelling nowhere. That is, until her little brother manages to disappear into thin air. . . .

On one weird, windy, wild ride across the prairie, Ronnie discovers that there are some things you just can't plan for or seize control of—but that sometimes a little chaos is just what a girl needs.

About this title

About the Author

J. B. Cheaney's The Playmaker was named one of Booklist's Top Ten First Novels for Teens. She and her husband live in the Ozarks of Missouri.

Reviews

Following her mother's emergency knee surgery, 12-year-old Ronnie Sparks becomes her brother's keeper. The task is daunting because 7-year-old Gee suffers from severe ADHD. In an effort to speed up her recovery, Mom arranges for her father to take the kids on a road trip. Pop reluctantly agrees, and they all set out for Kansas, helping Pop search for wind-power-generating sites. Ronnie quickly becomes a buffer between Pop and Gee, stuck in the impossible position of trying to contain her brother's outrageous behaviors so that Pop won't throw a tantrum and drive everyone home. Amusing chapter-heading quotations, taken from a self-help book Ronnie has just read, lighten the mood of the story, even as Ronnie's outlook on her personal situation continues to deteriorate. The main characters are particularly well drawn and believable, and readers will root for both children as they attempt to overcome the obstacles placed in front of them. Fans of Jack Gantos' Joey Pigza series are sure to appreciate Ronnie and Gee's excellent adventure. Kay Weisman
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Edition details

• Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 2007
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0375837906
• ISBN 13: 9780375837906
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 224