Alsaid, Adi. Let’s Get Lost. U.S.A.: Harlequin Teen, 2014.

I started the book a bit skeptical and came out enthralled with this road trip, coming of age, kind of short story collectionish novel.

The story begins with Leila and Hudson and their unexpected meeting. Leila is on a road trip north to see the Northern Lights. She makes a stop at Hudson’s garage to have her car looked at. Hudson is pretty immediately attracted to her. In spite of his very important college scholarship interview the next day, he sneaks out to show her the treasures of his town.

Leila moves on meeting, Bree a teenage runaway; Elliot,who’s been crushed at his prom; Sonia, a renegade bridesmaid caught between the past the and the future; and Dee and her family - having adventures along the way that are almost unbelievable. Ultimately she finds the Northern Lights, but perhaps not with them, exactly what she is looking for. This coming of age road trip ultimately comes full circle in a lovely way.

So many things to like. Each character is beautifully and fully developed. I found myself wanting to meet each one, rooting for success. These kinds of unique people are ones that I want my students to meet. These are huge ideas in a book that is all kinds of fun. Enough romance exists to attract my romance readers, but this part of the story line is handled in such a way that my non-romantics will not be put off. My independently spirited kids will relate very directly to Leila’s freedom and travelling spirit. Others (who are, quite frankly, more like their librarian) will enjoy living vicariously through her.

I have been sharing the title with good results will be book talking in a larger way soon. My students who love Green’s Paper Towns are surely looking for another good road trip. I am also going to be looking a bit at the short story kind of angle. I have great story collections that are seldom touched, and I’m anxious to see if Let's Get Lost can inspire an interest in these.