"Rapp's road trip is populated with good souls who, despite their
circumstances, make sacrifices to help. . . . Devastating stuff, but
breathtaking, too." -- Booklist (starred review)
For the runaway Punkzilla, kicking a meth habit and a life of petty
crime in Oregon is a prelude to reconnecting with his older brother, who
is dying of cancer in Memphis. Against a backdrop of seedy motels, dicey
bus stations, and hitched rides, the fourteen-year-old meets a colorful,
sometimes dangerous cast of characters. And in letters to his sibling,
crackling with visceral details and dark humor, he catalogs them all.
With each interstate exit his journey grows more urgent: will he make it
to Tennessee in time? This daring novel offers a narrative worthy of
Kerouac and a keen insight into the power of chance encounters.