Harriet Beamer Takes the Bus

Title: Harriet Beamer Takes the Bus
Author: Joyce Magnin
Labels: Fiction
Publisher: Zondervan
Publication Date: April 24, 2012
Recommended To: Girls, Middle-schoolers
Contains: Nothing I can remember being inappropriate.

Buy It: Amazon | Book Depository | Kindle
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Blurb From Goodreads: Aging and recent widow Harriet Beamer insists she's getting along fine with her dog Humphrey in Philadelphia ... until she falls for the fourth time, injuring her ankle, and causing her son and daughter-in-law to cry foul. Insisting Harriet move in with them in California, they make a bet that her ankle is broken, and she foolishly promises to move if they're right. Four x-rays later, Harriet's ankle---and her heart---are broken. She packs up, ships her huge salt and pepper collection to California, and prepares to move away from the only life she knows. The only catch? She's doing it her way. Just wait till her daughter-in-law hears Harriet will travel cross country only by public transportation and alternate means. What follows is a hilarious, heartwarming journey by train, metro bus, ferry, and motorcycle. Along the way, Harriet discovers that although her family thinks it's time for her to be put out to pasture---God has a different plan.
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In all honestly, I hate to be negative, but I really wasn't thrilled with this book. Maybe it was the age range it was aimed at, maybe it was something else. I don't know. I initially thought it was an interesting concept for a plot line, but it just didn't keep my interest.

In a last stroke of independence--or possibly rebellion...?--Harriet Beamer sets out on a journey across the United States to her children's home, where she will be living. However, she insists on using only public transportation, collecting salt-and-pepper shakers as she goes. Throughout this trip she meets all sorts of colorful characters, though some a bit strange.

Middle-school children will probably enjoy this crazy journey, but I'm afraid it fell short for me. It didn't hold my attention, and in my opinion, the ending fell short of the built up story. I received a free copy of this book from the author for this review. These opinions are my own; I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated for this review.