Your Destination Is on the Left

Gr 9 Up—After five years of crisscrossing the country in a three-family RV caravan, Dessa wants to attend art school. Her parents, who live by the motto "Never stop moving," don't want her to leave their nomadic group. Although Dessa feels ready to embark on her own future, she's received rejection letters from 10 colleges. Further complicating the situation, she has developed undeniable feelings for one of her travel mates, Cyrus. When a famous artist, Fiona Verlarde, chooses Dessa as a summer intern, the whole RV commune travels to Santa Fe with her. While in town, Dessa and her family stay with her grandmother, who gives her a box of colorfully illustrated tiles that Dessa uses to assemble a mosaic for Fiona's art show. Vivid descriptions of Dessa and Fiona's artwork and the desert landscape make this a pleasant read. The author writes believable dialogue that moves the story forward. Dessa's process of creating found art and developing the courage to venture out on her own will inspire teens. Many readers will empathize with her uncertainty about whether or not to go to college, and if she should give up her romance with Cyrus to pursue her dreams. However, the overwrought descriptions of Cyrus's physical beauty and Dessa's hormonal reactions to him can be cringeworthy. Still, this breezy summer read will appeal to most teens.