An impromptu road trip leads to new friendships, the start of healing for a family deeply wounded by the death of its patriarch, and dinosaurs, of course. When widowed Grandma France suddenly decides to set out on a memorial cross-country drive to see Allosaurus fossils at a Utah dig, she sweeps Leo; his teenage caregiver, Abbey; and Abbey's golden retriever, Kermit the dog, along in her wake t leaves Leo's controlling single mom behind. The trip is highlighted by encounters with a mother grizzly and with Honey, a dazzling Filipino American grad student with tats and a pilot's license, but it turns into a chase when Grandma tries to strand her passengers in Nebraska, and finally culminates with life-altering experiences for all, including Leo's mother and (alas) the dog. Acampora tucks laughter, tears, light doses of life wisdom, impressive fossils, and any number of appealing characters into this amiable odyssey.

At the one-year anniversary of his grandfather's death, Leo and his teenage cousin Abby follow feisty widow Gram on a road trip from Pennsylvania to a Utah dinosaur quarry--much to Leo's nagging mother's dismay. Acampora offers insight into three generations' grief, using humor at every opportunity, from revelations of family secrets to madcap face-offs with the police and a bear.

Gr 4-7 The transformative power of the American road trip is taken to new heights through the skillful pen of Acampora in this fast-paced family story full of humor and heart. Thirteen-year-old Leo and his overworked mom, his feisty grandmother, and his 17-year-old cousin Abbey are all still grieving the death of Leo's beloved grandfather almost a year earlier. Compelled to make the trip she had planned with her husband, Gram determinedly sets off from Allentown, PA, on an end-of-summer cross-country journey in a 1973 Buick with doughnuts in hand, teens in tow, and Abbey's trusty old golden retriever sprawled in the backseat. Heading for the Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry in Utah via a stop at the Field Museum in Chicago, Leo and Abbey learn about natural history, family history, and each other at every turn. Joining them for the adventure (and a ride to her home in Nebraska) is aspiring paleontologist Honey Buenafe, whose instant bond with the family assists with their healing process. There's no lack of liveliness or bumps in the road, including a bear encounter, an emergency trip to the veterinarian, and a runaway Gram. VERDICT A cast of memorable characters, intelligent banter, and wry humor reminiscent of Richard Peck or Gary Paulsen make this an authentic and unforgettable journey. Madeline J. Bryant, Los Angeles Public Library