Drive Me Crazy

Gr 6–8—Two months ago, Lana's Grandpa Howie married Cassie's Grandma Tess (Nono). The girls didn't quite hit it off, but as they're accompanying their grandparents on their California road trip honeymoon, Lana hopes that they'll soon be great friends. Cassie, on the other hand, just wants to get through the trip as best as possible. She quickly realizes that maybe Lana isn't so bad, and they begin a tentative friendship. Both girls are struggling emotionally: Lana is pretending that her mother's recent health issues are not bothering her, and Cassie is obsessed with keeping the popular kids as her friends. Eventually, the girls have to face their own truths: Cassie's friends are not really her friends, and Lana's mother is seriously ill. A spur of the moment trip to Maine to catch a Magic Moment finally allows the protagonists to understand what each is dealing with and solidify their friendship. Problems are relatively easily dealt with, and the messages of true friendship and communication will resonate with many readers.