How My Summer Went Up in Flames

Gr 8 Up—Rosalita Ariana Catalano is not starting off her summer vacation quite the way she imagined. Instead of having fun in the sun, she receives a temporary restraining order from Joey, her ex-boyfriend, all because she sent him a series of text messages and accidentally set his car on fire. She only wanted to know why he had cheated on her with a blond freshman. Rosie's parents decide to get her as far away from Joey as possible until her court date, so they send her off on a road trip with her neighbor, Matty, and his two friends. Rosie, much to her surprise, starts to realize that she just might be having the summer of her life. Although the premise sounds entertaining and lighthearted, the story and underdeveloped characters are formulaic and predictable. Rosie is hard to connect with and her voice seems forced. Also, her dramatic Ecuadorian mom and loud Italian dad at times come across as caricatures. And, although she does go through a transformation, resulting in the new, caring Rosie, the hot-tempered protagonist remains unconvincing right through the happy ending. Teens who like road-trip books might enjoy this story, but there are better titles out there. Give them Morgan Matson's Amy & Roger's Epic Detour (S & S, 2010) or Julie Halpern's Don't Stop Now (Feiwel & Friends, 2011) to satisfy their open-road captivation.—Traci Glass, Eugene Public Library, OR