The Wrong Way Home - by Kate O'Shaughnessy

About the Book

"When twelve-year-old Fern and her mother abruptly leave their isolated, off-the-grid community, Fern wants nothing more than to return, but things get murky as she slowly adjusts to her new life and discovers unsettling truths about her old one"--

Book Synopsis

Twelve-year-old Fern believes she's living a noble life--but what if everything she's been told is a lie? This is a huge-hearted story about a girl learning to question everything--and to trust in herself.

Fern's lived at the Ranch, an off-the-grid, sustainable community in upstate New York, since she was six. The work is hard, but Fern admires the Ranch's leader, Dr. Ben. So when Fern's mother sneaks them away in the middle of the night and says Dr. Ben is dangerous, Fern doesn't believe it. She wants desperately to go back, but her mom just keeps driving.

Suddenly thrust into the treacherous, toxic, outside world, Fern can think only of how to get home. She has a plan, but it will take time. As that time goes by, though, Fern realizes there are things she will miss from this place--the library, a friend from school, the ocean--and there are things she learned at the Ranch that are just...not true.

Now Fern will have to decide. How much is she willing to give up to return to the Ranch? Should she trust Dr. Ben's vision for her life? Or listen to the growing feeling that she can live by her own rules?

Review Quotes

* "Gripping. A strong, emotionally intelligent story." --Kirkus Reviews, starred

About the Author

KATE O'SHAUGHNESSY is a book nerd, animal lover, former chef, and an outdoor enthusiast. When she's not writing, you can find Kate in her garden, eating good food, hiking with her dog, and chronically mispronouncing words she's read but never heard said aloud. She lives in California with her family.

Don't miss Kate's other books: The Lonely Heart of Maybelle Lane and Lasagna Means I Love You.