Far from Fair by Elana K. Arnold

How I Heard About It:   While on vacation this past spring break, we visited a local bookshop in the town of Edwards, Colorado.  It was a delightful visit and I had quite a few new books in my stack to buy.  I then realized I would have to fly back and we had NO room for anything extra.  This was one of those books in my pile because I was drawn to the cover and the book description.  I didn't buy it that day, but recently downloaded it onto my iPad from the 3M Cloud Library.  

What It Is About:  Odette knows that life isn't fair and to prove so she begins to keep a list of all the unfair things.  She is one unhappy girl when her parents announce they are selling their home and hitting the open road.  To make things even worse, they are going to travel by RV.  To make matters even worse, the RV is not the luxury kind, but an old beat up form of transportation.  She is stuck in the RV with her younger brother, her parents (who are having issues), and only ONE cell phone.  Odette has to leave her best friend behind, leave the only home she has known, and begin to live in cramped quarters.  While on the road, a series of unfortunate events follow the family.  Odette just can't believe how unfair her life has become.  There is a highlight when she meets a boy along the way, but then they lose touch because of the ONE cell phone.  Their journey takes them to visit her grandmother, but when Odette arrives she learns that her grandmother's life isn't what it use to be.  

What I Thought Of It:  Right from the start, I knew this was going to be an outstanding story.  I enjoyed the writing style.  It flowed from page to page with an engaging and thoughtful plot.  Odette is a great character and would be very relatable to young readers.  There were many series themes throughout the story, but also lots of humorous moments that made me laugh out loud.  I'm so glad I ran across this title while on vacation, but even more happy that I had the opportunity to read it.  

Who Should Read It:  This is definitely a novel for the older readers in elementary school.  There are a few portions of the book, that are for a more mature audience.  Some of the topics include:  female bodies, parents being intimate, and the issue of being able to end your own life with medication.  The medication topic comes in with the grandmother's illness.  I probably wouldn't' share this book with my fourth graders, but I think a mature fifth and/or sixth grade reader could handle the content.  Middle-school readers would be just fine with the book.  Happy Reading!  

Rating:  4 STARS out of 5 Stars