No Parking at the End Times - by Bryan Bliss (Hardcover)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

Abigail's parents believed the world was going to end. And--of course--it didn't. But they've lost everything anyway. And she must decide: does she still believe in them? Or is it time to believe in herself? Fans of Sara Zarr, David Levithan, and Rainbow Rowell will connect with this moving debut.

Abigail's parents never should have made that first donation to that end-of-times preacher. Or the next, or the next. They shouldn't have sold their house. Or packed Abigail and her twin brother, Aaron, into their old van to drive across the country to San Francisco, to be there for the "end of the world." Because now they're living in their van. And Aaron is full of anger, disappearing to who-knows-where every night. Their family is falling apart. All Abigail wants is to hold them together, to get them back to the place where things were right.

But maybe it's too big a task for one teenage girl. Bryan Bliss's thoughtful debut novel is about losing everything--and about what you will do for the people you love.

With their family shattered by a crisis of faith, can Abigail save her brother--and herself?

• Family Drama: Abigail's parents sacrifice their home, savings, and future for a prophecy that never comes true, leaving the family stranded and broken in San Francisco.
• Homeless Teens: Living out of a van isn't an adventure. It's a daily struggle for food, safety, and a place to park where they won't be told to move on.
• Brother and Sister: While Abigail fights to keep them together, her angry twin brother, Aaron, pulls away, seeking escape in the city's dangerous nights.
• A Story of Survival: Forced to grow up overnight, Abigail must decide who to believe in when her parents' faith has cost them everything.

From the Back Cover

Abigail's parents believed the world was going to end.
But it didn't.
Of course it didn't.

Now they are living in their van on the streets of San Francisco, three thousand miles away from home. They hop from soup kitchen to church for their meals. They wash up in public bathrooms. They move the van to a new parking spot when the cops bang on the window. And Abigail's twin brother, Aaron, sneaks out every night, full of anger, to go who-knows-where.

That's what's normal now.

But Abigail can change it, can't she? Even if her parents are making mistake after mistake, she can keep her family from falling apart. She can save them.

Or is it time simply to save herself?

Review Quotes

"This quietly powerful story of a young woman's quest for deliverance in the face of parental failure, religious disillusionment, and self-doubt moved me deeply. I can't wait to see what Bryan Bliss does next." - Sara Zarr, author of National Book Award finalist Story of a Girl

"Abigail's narration is smooth and authentic as she negotiates the complicated blend of anger and love she feels toward her parents." - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Bliss's debut explores family, sacrifice, and the power of everyday faith with a deft and sensitive hand." - Horn Book Magazine

"Bliss has worked with teenagers, and it shows--his characters are not stereotypical "teens" but human beings who must face and overcome unique problems. A fine debut." - Minneapolis Star Tribune