I See London, I See France

Nineteen-year-old Sydney has never traveled far from home: she’s felt compelled to watch over her agoraphobic mother ever since her father left years earlier. Sydney is ready for a respite from family responsibilities, so when her best friend Leela breaks up with her boyfriend and needs another summer travel companion in Europe, Sydney hesitantly agrees to accompany her. What follows is Mlynowski’s (Don’t Even Think About It) hilarious if predictable recounting of two girls’ mishaps, adventures, romantic escapades, and heartbreaks while traveling from country to country. There are reflective moments, too, as Sydney battles with guilt for leaving her younger sister in charge at home and worries (after a couple of minor panic attacks) that she may have inherited her mother’s disorder. Then there’s the matter of Leela’s ex, who shows up in Europe wanting to make amends and whose own travel companion steals Sydney’s heart. Witty with a serious edge, this book encapsulates the wonder, joy, and anxieties that accompany any journey. Ages 14–up. [em]Agent: Laura Dail, Laura Dail Literary. (July) [/em]