Mosquitoland by David Arnold

Mary Iris Malone, or Mim for short, is a teen whose world has turned upside down. Her parents have recently divorced and her father remarried six weeks later, forcing Mim to move to from Cleveland, Ohio to Mississippi, or Mosquitoland, as she prefers to call it. Author David Arnold writes the story of Mim’s escape, and her path back to her mother who she believes is sick in Cleveland. She steals her new stepmother’s coffee can full of cash and hops on the Greyhound. On her way she meets a slew of characters, all while surviving a bus crash, buying a truck, falling in love, and making good friends. While her main goal is to reach her mother, she finds herself helping others with their goals along the way. Mim keeps track of her adventures by writing letters updating her Aunt Isabel on her travels. Mim is a lovable character and you can’t help rooting for her all the way through!