Desert Crossing

There are some kinds of trouble you never see coming, like those thunderstorms that start from nothing at all. One minute the sky is bright blue and distant. Then, all of a sudden, it's dark and thick with clouds, pressing down right on top of you. The leaves turn silvery and twist in the wind, the air starts to hum, and the rain comes, so heavy and fast you can't even see. You almost never make it to the house on time.

A dead body on the road—who is responsible and how will it affect the lives of three teens?

For fourteen-year-old Lucy Martinez, the moment when everything changes comes one night during a long car trip with her older brother and his friend Kit. They are on their way to visit Lucy's father for spring break, but never make it. While driving across northern New Mexico through a blinding rainstorm, their car hits something—an animal, they think. But when they backtrack, they find a dead body on the side of the road.

With amazing insight and compelling prose, Elise Broach charts a suspenseful journey full of danger, loss, and painful self-discovery. What will happen to the lives of three teenagers who can suddenly no longer pretend innocence?

There are some kinds of trouble you never see coming, like those thunderstorms that start from nothing at all. One minute the sky is bright blue and distant. Then, all of a sudden, it's dark and thick with clouds, pressing down right on top of you. The leaves turn silvery and twist in the wind, the air starts to hum, and the rain comes, so heavy and fast you can't even see. You almost never make it to the house on time.

A dead body on the road—who is responsible and how will it affect the lives of three teens?

For fourteen-year-old Lucy Martinez, the moment when everything changes comes one night during a long car trip with her older brother and his friend Kit. They are on their way to visit Lucy's father for spring break, but never make it. While driving across northern New Mexico through a blinding rainstorm, their car hits something—an animal, they think. But when they backtrack, they find a dead body on the side of the road.

With amazing insight and compelling prose, Elise Broach charts a suspenseful journey full of danger, loss, and painful self-discovery. What will happen to the lives of three teenagers who can suddenly no longer pretend innocence?

Sherrie Williams - VOYA

Fourteen-year-old Lucy Martinez is enduring a torturous road trip with her brother, Jaime, and his handsome but annoying friend Kit when their lives change in an instant. In a rare desert rainstorm, their car hits something. They do not know what they hit, but Lucy convinces her brother to investigate. The boys reassure her that it was no doubt a coyote, but as they backtrack they find a dead young woman on the side of the road. Could they have hit and killed her? Kit and Lucy drive to a nearby home to call the police, where they meet Beth, a woman whose life will become painfully intertwined with Jaime's. Upon the arrival of the police, they are pulled deeper every moment into life-changing decisions and events they never expected. This book blends several genres into a compelling, fast-moving tale. There are elements of true crime and forensics, romance, mystery, and self-discovery. The characters are realistic and the dialogue and situations ring true. There are some painfully beautiful turns of phrase invoked, as the characters are about to plunge into life changing events. Reluctant readers of both genders will find much to enjoy. The many moral dilemmas, bad decisions, and unexpected twists in the story keep the book moving at a steady pace toward a satisfying and cathartic conclusion. This book is strongly recommended for public and school libraries serving students age twelve and above. VOYA CODES: 4Q 4P J S (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; Broad general YA appeal; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12). 2006, Henry Holt, 288p., Ages 12 to 18.

Elise Broach lives with her family in rural Connecticut, where she writes books for children and teens, including When Dinosaurs Came With Everything, Shakespeare's Secret and Wet Dog!, and serves in town government. Visit Elise at www.elisebroach.com.