My Bicentennial Summer: True Adventures from the Most Epic Family Road Trip of All Time

Award-winning author G. Neri reflects on a childhood cross-country road trip with his family, sharing the wonder of America's most famous landmarks, the best (and worst) of its history, and the remarkable diversity of its people.

The year is 1976, and America is throwing its biggest birthday party ever--its bicentennial. What better way to celebrate than with an eight-thousand-mile road trip? In this vibrant follow-up to his travelogue, My Antarctica: True Adventures in the Land of Mummified Seals, Space Robots, and So Much More, author G. Neri recalls his family's real-life journey in a station wagon crossing twenty-six states in seven weeks, from California to Washington, DC, with only the aid of paper maps and transistor radios rather than smartphones and GPS. Young Greg is entranced by the variety of accents, strange foods, natural wonders, and historical attractions, from the Grand Canyon to the Statue of Liberty. He meets Civil War reenactors at Gettysburg, protesters in Philadelphia, pioneer wagon riders in Valley Forge, and his own rambunctious Texan cousins. And he glimpses the darker side of traveling as a family of color, pondering whether "We the People" includes people like him. Engaging text, sidebars, photos, and dynamic illustrations by Corban Wilkin create a personal snapshot of this extraordinary moment in US history, when a weary, post-Vietnam nation embraced the spirit of celebration. Back matter includes an author's note, history and travel facts, and recommended reading.

Author: G. Neri
Publisher: Candlewick Press (MA)
Published: 03/03/2026
Pages: 96
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.65lbs
Size: 10.30h x 10.00w x 0.80d
ISBN: 9781536239577
Audience: Ages 9-12


Review Citation(s):
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 02/01/2026
Booklist 02/01/2026
Kirkus Reviews 12/01/2025
School Library Journal 01/01/2026 pg. 62

About the Author
G. Neri is the award-winning author of many books for young readers, including My Antarctica: True Adventures in the Land of Mummified Seals, Space Robots, and So Much More; Hello, I'm Johnny Cash; When Paul Met Artie: The Story of Simon & Garfunkel; Ghetto Cowboy; Polo Cowboy; and Christo and Jeanne-Claude Wrap the World: The Story of Two Groundbreaking Environmental Artists. His books have been translated into multiple languages in more than twenty-five countries. He is a multiple National Science Foundation grantee and a founding co-chair of the Antarctic Artists and Writers Collective. He received an honorary doctorate from the State University of New York (SUNY) for his writing and his contributions to polar science outreach. He lives with his family on the Gulf Coast of Florida. He can be found online at gneri.com.

Corban Wilkin is an award-winning illustrator of several graphic novels and comics, including My Antarctica: True Adventures in the Land of Mummified Seals, Space Robots, and So Much More; Grand Theft Horse; and The Time Traveling Dino Detectives of Antarctica, all by G. Neri. His illustration work also appears in magazines, video games, and animations. He lives outside London.