![]() The overriding message is clear: life takes you to unexpected places, and sometimes what's best for you isn't the easiest road to travel. Through her wallowing, Ariel begins to see that avoiding problems is not the answer, despite the allure of running away with Andre. ![]() Typical reactions of disbelief and anger follow. Ariel's mother uses the bus trip to buffer the news that she wants a fresh start with her children in a new town. Her parent's marriage has been torn apart by her father's gambling addiction, which has also bankrupted them. Through the course of the trip, it becomes clear that Ariel's boyfriend woes pale in comparison to the breakdown of her family. Dylan misspells her name and says that "whatever happens on the road stays on the road," two big clues that he's not worth the trouble. Luckily, Ariel can periodically escape by writing postcards to her boyfriend, Dylan, who is at camp and by talking to Andre, an attractive fellow traveler. As if this weren't punishment enough, her mother has implemented mandatory quality time, which means no cell phones, email, or iPods. ![]() Grade 7 Up-Spending two weeks touring middle America with her family and a busload of senior citizens is not 16-year-old Ariel's idea of a fun summer vacation. ![]()
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