Big Rig

When I was a kid, I remember waving to truckers on the highway during family road trips. We stopped at truck stops because the food was reasonably priced and plentiful. But I never thought much about the trucking lifestyle until I read this book. I couldn’t help thinking of the movie CARS, though this novel’s premise is very different, because of the nostalgia factor inherent in an examination of a lifestyle that seems threatened by technological progress. Louise Hawes has created the kind of book that doesn’t seem like fiction. Hazel, her dad, and those they meet on the road, seem like real people. That’s the kind of time Louise invested in their creation. The nimbleness of her prose is another factor. Kids deserve to be handed this kind of book, because it instantly feels like a classic that can stand next to books like CHARLOTTE’S WEB and not be ashamed. Though I’m an adult, I highly recommend this book to kids, parents, and anyone else who loves a great story. It’s worth your time and your reading dollars.

Big haul trucks. Most drivers dread getting behind them, or next to them, or having to pass them on the road. They're like the sharks of the interstate...big, powerful, and let's be honest, kinda scary. That will change for anyone who reads this book because Leonardo, Hazmat, and her dad welcome you into their close-knit and supportive world with open arms.This book is a road trip adventure in the truest sense—readers will visit the Peabody Ducks, the St. Louis Arch, and a Hollywood movie set...but be warned, traffic will be the least of your worries as Hazmat gets into a bit of trouble as she tries to hold tight to the life on the road that she loves so much.Hazel is a brave, smart, sweet girl on the cusp of a lot of change in both her home life and her body; Big Rig shares this coming of age transition in a unique and honest way. I'll never pass another semi and not think of these characters fondly.