Judging a Book by Its Cover

I should randomly buy books on Amazon all the time!

I'm pretty sure I bought Take Me With You  by Catherine Ryan Hyde based on the pretty cover. Okay, maybe I read the back of the "book jacket" (Kindle book!), and maybe I thought I'd identify with the science teacher protagonist who has a soft spot for these children, but I couldn't tell you why I picked it...

Especially when I reached the end and read the "About the Author" section, which showed book titles that I would have immediately shunned as sappy or gimmicky...I mean, this author wrote Pay It Forward (which was turned into one of those movies I would watch only if I NEEDED a good cry).

In fact, I think when I started reading and the mechanic offers to give this teacher his two kids for  the summer, I immediately knew I would have to suspend my disbelief. I mean, who does that? But the author makes that point: that the father's offer and the teacher's acceptance of the author are irrational... and later you delve into the reasons.

The teacher, August, is on a trip to scatter the ashes of his 19-year-old son, who died in a car accident. What we learn about along the way is how responsible he feels for the accident, even though he wasn't there. We also learn, through his children, how complicated the mechanic Wes's life is, and the author does what I didn't think possible: she makes the man who sort of abandons and neglects his kids sympathetic.

But Wes isn't the focus of the story. While August is the protagonist, the real "stars" are the children, Seth and Henry. I love the real and metaphorical journeys they take in the novel, and how the book's parabolic arc (while again, a bit cheesy), feels right and sweet. In fact, I remember reading what I thought was the "end" and realized that I was only 58% finished (again, love that Kindle books calculate this and the estimated minutes left in the chapter based on my reading speed). So, while in retrospect I should have seen the ending coming, I was so focused on what would happen at the end of August's trip with the boys that I forgot to think ahead to their lives after. And I was glad that the rest of the story wasn't a "happy ending," but something that reflected the nuance that would inevitably be a part of a "real" story.

So, while the book isn't necessarily high literary fiction, I found it a great beach read, and I highly recommend it to people looking for something uplifting (but not sappy), emotional (but not gimmicky), and real (despite the somewhat ridiculous premise). Oh, and it is all about nature and a dog! (Did I forget to mention that?). I learned a great deal about many of our national parks, and having never been out West to actually see the Grand Canyon or Yellowstone, I loved the descriptions. (Although I don't know if I'd like all the camping...I would have joined Troop Beverly Hills if that was an option in Girl Scouts).

I think boys and girls would like this book, and there was NOTHING in here that I thought was especially inappropriate for high school (or middle school  for that matter). There is a great deal about drinking and alcoholism, but the protagonist is in recovery, and I liked the realistic way the book handled his addiction. Given how much I came to "understand" the boys alcoholic dad, I think it would be a great book for helping students understand how human their parents (and teachers) are--even if they don't have drinking problem.

"It's sort of like he's a good person and a bad person at the same time. Which I think is...not possible."

"Seth. It's not only possible, it pretty much describes every human being on the planet. Everybody is a good person and a bad person at the same time. The only real variation is in the balance."

So, had I judged this book by its author (and not just its cover), I would have missed out on an enjoyable and inspiring read.

Happy reading!