Now You Say Yes

Two recently orphaned siblings embark on an unforgettable cross-country road trip in search of their place in the world.

When her mother dies, fifteen-year-old Mari is desperate to avoid being caught up in the foster system....again. And to complicate matters, she is now the only one who can take care of her super-smart and on-the-spectrum nine-year-old stepbrother, Conor. Is there anyone Mari can trust to help them? Certainly not her mother's current boyfriend, Dennis. Not the doctors or her teachers, who would be obliged to call in social services.

So in a desperate move, Mari takes Conor and sets out to find their estranged grandmother, hoping to throw themselves at the mercy of the only person who might take them in. On their way to New England, the duo experiences the snarls of LA traffic, the backroads of the Midwest, and a monumental stop in Missouri where they witness the solar eclipse, an event with which Conor is obsessed.

Mari also learns about the inner workings of her stepbrother's mind and about her connections to him and to the world...and maybe even a little about her own place in it. This heartwarming, fast-paced, and engaging middle grade novel is a beautiful exploration of identity and family.

Author: Bill Harley
Publisher: Peachtree Publishers
Published: 08/03/2021
Pages: 384
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.19lbs
Size: 8.19h x 6.14w x 1.34d
ISBN: 9781682632475
Audience: Ages 9-12


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 06/15/2021
Publishers Weekly 06/21/2021
Foreword 06/26/2021
School Library Journal 03/11/2022 pg. 1

About the Author
Harley, Bill: - Bill Harley is a two-time Grammy Award-winning storyteller, musician, and writer who has been writing and performing for kids and families for more than twenty-five years. He is the recipient of Parents' Choice and ALA awards. He won a 2007 Grammy Award for his children's storytelling album Blah Blah Blah and a 2009 Grammy Award for his children's spoken-word album Yes to Running! Bill Harley Live. He lives in Massachusetts.