Book Review by Aarene Storms: Road Trip

Road Trip by Gary Paulsen and Jim Paulsen

Ben thinks his dad's "great ideas" aren't so great.

He's spent the family savings -- including money set aside for Ben's hard-earned hockey summer camp -- to create a new house remodeling business. He's decided to get a new puppy --although the family already has a perfectly good dog called Atticus. And he's decided that Ben needs to accompany him on a father-son road trip to get the puppy.

Along the way, they pick up a motley crew of companions: a friend with a bad reputation and a secret, a bus mechanic to look after the bus they borrow after the truck breaks down, an unemployed waitress/actress ... and of course, Atticus goes too, to keep everyone together like a good herding dog should.

Ben tells most of the story, but the occasional pages provided by Atticus are the best! This is a quick, light read.

Rating:

No sex or drugs, some references to "doing bad things" are deliberately vague. A few attempts at violence, quickly thwarted.

Recommended for readers ages 8 to adult, especially dog lovers.

The events may not have happened; still, the story is true. --R. Silvern

Aarene Storms, youth services librarian
Richmond Beach and Lake Forest Park Libraries, KCLS