From bestselling author Frances O'Roark Dowell, a funny and winning (Kirkus Reviews) tale of one teen’s quest for normalcy–and the much more exciting detours she takes along the way. Janie Gorman is smart and creative and a little bit funky…but what she really wants to be is normal. Because living on an isolated farm with her modern-hippy parents is decidedly not normal, no matter how delicious the goat cheese. High school gives Janie the chance to prove to her suburban peers that she’s just like them, but before long she realizes normal is completely overrated, and pretty dull.
If she’s going to learn how to live large (and forget the haters), Janie will have to give up the quest and make room in her life for things from the fringe–like jam band, righteous chocolate, small acts of great bravery, and a boy named Monster.
Ten Miles Past Normal is a quirky road map for life–and also a reminder that detours are not about missing out, but about finding a new way home.