The Road to After by Rebekah Lowell
Four out of Five Magical Coffee Cups
Book in verse
I know by now that these books are always going to be emotional. This book starts with her grandparents showing up at her house with police to help them escape their home. Lacey, her little sister, and her mom have been held captive by Lacey’s dad for years. Lacey is nervous and confused as to why they are leaving the house, and she is very worried because leaving the house means breaking one of her dad’s main rules, ‘never leave the house without him’. The family bounces around a little, going from her grandparents’ home to a shelter, to a place of their own. This is hard for both Lacey and her little sister. Totally understandable! Lacey is suddenly given freedoms she never had before. She can go outside, draw in her journal, and talk to other kids, even though that proves harder than she originally thought. How do you explain where your dad is and why you had to leave?
It is a sweet book as Lacey learns to explore these freedoms. You do see that her mom is trying her best, but she is a little more hesitant. She keeps the windows covered and doesn’t like the girls to go too far away in case their dad or someone from his family finds them. I like how Lacey is more willing to open those windows, to go out into the sun, and to plant her garden. I think it shows kids’ resiliency. Yes, Lacey is sometimes struggling, but she was acclimating to this new life easier than her mom or little sister. Part of me would like another book to keep updated on Lacey.
Literary Coffee 