First published 2010
Ren boards a train to summer camp, but mechanical problems leave him stuck at a tiny station in the rural Midwest. His phone dies. His grandfather, who was supposed to pick him up, has vanished on a walk with the family dog. His parents are unreachable on a plane somewhere over the ocean. With no money and no way to contact anyone, Ren must figure out how to survive on his own. He meets strangers who help him along the way, from a kind truck driver to a family dealing with their own crisis. As Ren navigates this unexpected journey, he discovers his own resourcefulness and learns that sometimes getting lost leads you exactly where you need to be. The story follows multiple characters whose lives intersect in surprising ways, showing how small acts of kindness create connections across vast distances.
Genres: fiction, family-life, adventure, contemporary
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Midwest, Rural
368 pages · Hardcover · Greenwillow Books