Road Trip Rescue: Book Review {and Giveaway!}

If you’re looking for a middle-grade novel packed with adventure and written with a Christian worldview, then you’ll want to check out this review of ROAD TRIP RESCUE.

It’s been a while since I reviewed a middle-grade (MG) novel. Maybe it was two or three years ago when I reviewed Ben Franklin’s In My Bathroom, and Britfield and the Return of the Prince. I tend to lean more toward picture books, but recently, I ran across this gem and want to share it with you.

The Author

Becca Wierwille’s website states that her last name used to be easy to pronounce—but then she got married. She says a trick for pronouncing Wierwille: “Ask me how my family was doing . . . we were well!”

Becca writes stories with a Christian worldview and to show kids they are wonderfully created for the unique adventures in their lives. Born with only half of her right arm, she aims to help others find beauty in what makes them extraordinary.

Her short stories and devotions have been featured in magazines, anthologies, and other publications. She has previously worked as a kindergarten teacher, newspaper reporter, and writing tutor. She and her husband have one child and live in Pennsylvania.

ROAD TRIP RESCUE is Becca’s debut middle-grade series.

About ROAD TRIP RESCUE

This softcover book of 230 pages is for kids ages 8-12. The story is written from the main character, Kimmy’s point of view. She’s twelve and learning how to deal with her emotions and the people around her. And she’s struggling after her beloved dog, Bo, disappeared two years ago. Bo seemed like the only companion she could really trust, especially after her best friend let her down at school. Bo never made fun of her for being born with one hand.

The adventure begins when Kimmy sees a photo in a travel magazine of a dog that looks just like Bo. An opportunity arises for Kimmy to travel with her pink-haired Aunt Skylar to search for Bo. Kimmy is certain it is her dog in the photo and is eager to find him. But Aunt Skylar likes to take the road less traveled, and she will not be rushed. Kimmy and Aunt Skylar learn a lot about each other and about themselves during their unusual journey.

The road trip has several exciting side roads for young readers to discover before reaching the final destination.

The book is written with a Christian worldview but not overtly so. I think non-Christian kids will enjoy the suspenseful search for Kimmy’s dog. Plus, all tweens will relate to Kimmy’s struggles with her internal emotional roller-coaster and trying to make sense of the world around her.

There is a surprise ending to this book. I’m not telling.

Also Included in ROADTRIP RESCUE

 At the end of the book, there are some extras:

A Note From the Author. It is a clear and accurate representation of the gospel.

A Glossary of Places. Most of the places in the book are fictional, but they’re based on actual places.

A Discussion Guide – Make note of this because I did not know it was there until I finished reading the book! It is an excellent resource to use in a classroom or homeschool setting. Some are story comprehension questions, while others are for self-reflection.

Also included are recipes for Ice Cream Dessert, Homemade Waffles, and Tiramisu!

Recommendation

I truly enjoyed reading this book! It is a wholesome, clean read that I’d feel good about giving to any 8 – 12-year-old. It would also make a wonderful read-aloud book. I bet the kids will be begging for one more chapter. I had a hard time putting it down, and I’m much older than 12! The writing is engaging and well done. The story is adventurous but highly realistic.

I like that this book includes differently-abled people. We learn very early that Kimmy has one hand, but the author expertly introduces another character’s challenges with autism in a more gradual approach. I love that because, just like in real life, there are times—especially for children—when the abilities and disabilities of others are less apparent at first.

I think children of all abilities will enjoy this book, which contains themes of friendship, family, sorrow, forgiveness, courage, and hope.

Giveaway Details

Becca Wierwille has kindly donated an autographed copy of ROAD TRIP RESCUE to give away to one of you, dear readers.

Usually, we select a name from this blog’s email subscriber list, but since this book is about a journey, let’s do something a little different this time.

To enter the drawing for this book, let’s make this book review blog post travel. Share it in some way, and let us know how you did that in a comment below. It can be through social media, requesting your librarian for the book, or by some other avenue. Just let us know how you shared it and your name will go in the drawing. As usual, I will pay all shipping costs, and this is only for residents of the contiguous United States.

The winner will be announced here and on my Facebook Page on May 3, 2024.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor compensated in any other way. All opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC Regulations.

A freelance writer, Sally Matheny’s writing is published in worldwide, national, regional, online, and print publications, including Appleseeds, Clubhouse Jr., Homeschooling Today, and The Old Schoolhouse.

As a writer, blogger, and speaker, Sally encourages parents to live victorious and to courageously tell the next generation wondrous things. Connect with her on several social media sites, but her favorite hangouts are at SallyMatheny.com and Pinterest.