Rules of the Road
by Joan Bauer
Bibliography
Bauer, J. (1998). Rules of the road. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
ISBN 0-399-23140-4Summary
Jenna is a high school student living with her mother and sister. Her parents are divorced due to her father’s drinking problem. She is going through an awkward phase of not feeling she fits in but she has a best friend and a job at the shoe store to distract her from her problems. She has recently gotten her driver’s license and is saving to buy a car. The owner of the shoe store makes her a proposition to pay her double to spend six weeks driving her to from Chicago to Dallas, visiting shoe stores along the way. On this road trip adventure as she learns the ‘rules of the road’, she discovers more important rules about life.
My Impression
One of my favorite Young Adult books; the author’s voice and description made me feel I was traveling with Jenna. This is a story anyone who has dealt with the frustrations of alcoholism within their family will relate with. My favorite quotes:
“My grandma always said, God made libraries so that people didn’t have any excuse to be stupid.” (p.142)
“You never know where the road’s going to take you…sometimes it’s less important that you get to your destination than the sidetrips you take along the way.” (p. 165)
“…it isn’t the problems along the way that make us or break us. It’s how we face them that makes the difference.” (p.201)
Reviews
Gr. 6^-10. It's downright wonderful these days to find a teenage protagonist who is smart, moral, funny, confident (mostly), and open-minded about grown-ups…this has its introspective side as well as its share of sad moments that show the long-term damage alcoholism has on families and individuals. But it's also a warm, funny, insightful story about ordinary people who look beyond age to the things they have in common and the wisdom they can share. Stephanie Zvirin -- Booklist
Grade 7 Up?Jenna Boller, 16, has had a lot of practice at being responsible. Her mother is a nurse who works the night shift, and her younger sister yearns for attention. Jenna's long-divorced, alcoholic father embarrassingly shows up whenever he gets an occasional urge to "make it up" to her. In addition, her wise and beloved grandmother is grappling with Alzheimer's disease. So the teen's mother reluctantly agrees to let her accept a summer job driving the elderly Madeline Gladstone…The author creates some fabulous and sometimes flamboyant characters, witty dialogue, and memorable scenes, thus making readers really care about the intricacies of matching shoes to people and finding the right focus for Jenna as she strives to meet tall goals. Bauer's best yet.?Cindy Darling Codell, Clark Middle School, Winchester, KY ~ School Library Journal
Use this book as a discussion lead for difficult topics such as Alzheimer's, alcoholism, and drunk driving.
