Rules of the Road

this book holds a wonderful premise, a girl who loves to sell shoes. Then the adventure starts. I read this book and loved it. Recomendations all around. 13 year old girls might really get an extra kick out of it.

I'm an adult/female who reviews dozens of middle grade and young adult books as part of my job. I haven't been this enthusiastic about a book since "The Agony of Alice." I laughed out loud and had tears in my eyes..all within a few pages! Joan Bauer touches upon the traditional teenage concerns...feeling awkward & ugly at times and being an outsider at school. Everyone, no matter what age they are now, will relate to Jenna's feelings. But, more importantly, the relationship between Jenna, the "smart" 17 year-old, and Mrs. Gladstone, the ageless 73 year-old, will convince you that there are are no age limits on friendship.

Joan Bauer's funny and unforgettable character, Jenna makes up for her self-perceived lack of beauty and confidence with wit and amazing grace in the face of her father's alcoholism, her employer's cranky personality; Jenna's insight is often hilarious, always profound. When Jenna takes on the task of driving ancient Madeline Gladstone to Texas, readers will be thankful they came along for the ride! The messages are clear for everyone to explore, but this book is a must-read for young people struggling with drug-abuse issues in their home.

Jenna doesn't do well in school, and she isn't happy with the fact that she is so tall. Her little sister is the beautiful one in the family. Jenna does have one talent, though. She is excellent at selling. Specifically, she is excellent at selling shoes, which is her part-time job. She loves working at Gladstone's shoe store, a store that prizes quality service and quality products.

This summer it seems that Jenna's life is about to become more complicated. Her alcoholic father, often gone for years at a time, is back in town and trying to get in touch with Jenna. Jenna knows that means he will be calling at all hours after he has been drinking and showing up to see her at work and at home. She doesn't know how she will handle him this time.

Then a wonderful opportunity presents itself. The aging president of the company, a grumpy woman who can't seem to accept that she is getting older, needs to travel extensively to visit some of her shoe stores and attend important meetings. She doesn't like to fly, so she needs someone to drive her across the country. She takes a liking to Jenna and, surprisingly enough, Jenna's mom agrees to let her go.

Thus starts an adventure Jenna would never have dreamed. Mrs. Gladstone is grumpy and snappy, but Jenna begins to really like her and even learns how to talk her into things. On this trip Jenna learns that Mrs. Gladstone's son is trying to take over the company and turn it into a discount place that sells substandard shoes. Mrs. Gladstone isn't sure she can stop her son from taking over. But Jenna is pretty sure she can, and is willing to do whatever it takes to help.

I really liked the relationship between Jenna and Mrs. Gladstone. They were both strong and stubborn, and balanced each other well. I also liked that Jenna's home life wasn't perfect and her mother had a good reason for sending her on this trip. It was a well-written story of personal growth.

Rules of the Road was included as one of the required texts for our Reading and Writing Festival to be held in the spring. As a teacher, I am thrilled that a book focusing on the inner strengths of a 16-year-old girl was included. Sure, there are myriads of books addressing heroines -- but this book is different. We get a sense of Jenna's dismay with adolescence; she deals with divorce, alcoholism, and loneliness with a unique sense of charm and wit. We hear Jenna's voice maturing throughout the saga of driving to Texas -- and are charmed by her relationship with her aging boss. What book have you read lately that addresses respect for elders, discusses the horrors of alcoholism, the sadness of Alzheimers, and the inequities of being young, and even integrates a lesson in economics! All in a rambunctious, lively dialogue emanating from the soul of a young lady who I would love to have in my classroom. I tend to "read-between-the-lines" of every dialogue journal I review after reading such a moving book. Thank you, Joan Bauer.