What YA' Reading: Road Trip!

Check out these YA novels featuring road trips that are by turns funny, heavy and romantic. The journey for the characters is always transformative making their end destination entirely new.

The Haters by Jesse Andrews

Teen musicians and best friends Wes and Corey get sent to jazz camp during the summer and they hate it. They meet a girl named Ash who shares their sentiment. The three of them ditch camp, form a band, and go on a road trip to play any place that will book them.

Along the way, they meet weird characters, make poor choices, and have impromptu jam sessions. But eventually the adventure must come to an end. Will their band and friendship survive the consequences of their road trip?

This book has a bit of everything: plenty of comedy, some romantic entanglements, and three teens doing whatever they can to follow their dreams. It uses interesting formatting as well so it doesn't read like your typical novel. Some exchanges are written out like a screenplay and the book even has fake Wikipedia entries. If you enjoy this novel, look for Jesse Andrews' other works like Me and Earl and the Dying Girl or check out That Time I Got Kidnapped by Tom Mitchell for another comedic road trip.

". . . hilarious. . . I laughed so hard I scared my cat off the couch multiple times. What The Haters excels at is describing music." ― The New York Times

Me (Moth) by Amber McBride

Moth is an aspiring dancer who lost her parents in a car wreck that left her scarred physically and emotionally. Now she lives with her alcoholic aunt. When a new student - Sani, a talented musician - comes to her school, she gets to know him and finds some comfort in their similarly sad lives. Sani's abusive stepfather is making his depression worse.

Moth and Sani go west on a road trip to the Navajo Nation to find Sani's biological father. Along the way, they find landmarks and way points that connect them with their past as their love for each other blooms.

This novel in verse deals with some heavy topics like mental illness, grief, bullying and racism. But it also looks at how healing it can be to find a kindred spirit and explore wider surroundings. If you like this book and want some similar reads, pick up Plan A by Deb Caletti, Four For the Road by K.J. Reilly or American Road Trip by Patrick Flores-Scott.

Amelia, If Only by Becky Albertalli

Prom is not great for friends Amelia and Natalie. Amelia invited Walter Holland, her favorite YouTuber, to prom but he didn't respond. Natalie gets dumped at prom. To boost their spirits their friend Zora invites them on a road trip to visit her girlfriend at college a few hours away where Walter is doing a meet and greet. Amelia might find out some important things about who and what she really wants in this queer romance.

This book is for you if you're looking for a diverse group of characters, loyal and loving friend groups, or a fun and earnest romp with something to say about internet and social media celebrity. If this piques your interest and you want more in a similar vein, check out Melt With You by Jennifer Dugan.

"Albertalli creates a realistic microcosm of queer and Jewish teen culture with no shortage of her signature humor and clever snark... The friends’ banter is warm, endearing, and relatable. Fresh and witty on the surface, tender and heartfelt at its core." –Kirkus Reviews (starred review)