Laughing All The Way

Behrens, Andy. 2006. All The Way.

Ian, Lance, and Felicia team up for an unpredictable road trip in Andy Behren’s YA novel All The Way. When Felicia and Lance return to town from their summer adventures, they try to cheer up Ian, who has had anything but an exciting summer working hard at Dunkin’ Donuts, by announcing that year’s plans for Lance-a-Palooza...their annual last fling of summer event. But this year Ian has plans of his own. You see, Ian is tired of being thought of as the “nice” guy...the gentleman...the sensitive guy who listens...this summer his goal was to imitate his friend Lance’s jerky behavior in the hopes that by the end of the summer, he’d lose his virginity. The problem, everyone in town knows him and would not be easily fooled. The solution, Ian determined, was to find a potential sex partner in an online chat room. The last weekend of summer Ian is filled with anticipation, if he can drive down to South Carolina from Chicago in time--before his “girlfriend” leaves for a semester in Spain...she promises to have sex with him. Enter in two sidekicks who make it their job to tease him relentlessly along the way, Felicia and Lance, and the reader is assured some lighthearted laughs along the way. I will not spoil the ending for you, however, readers may be able to predict this one soon enough after the journey begins. While very little is particularly “original” or “inspiring” in these characters and their friendship, All The Way is an entertaining book...as long as you’re not easily offended.

For an equally funny but "cleaner" road trip book try HIT THE ROAD by Caroline B. Cooney.