How To Avoid Extinction

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.