Chasing the Milky Way

Lucy Peevey, 12, and her best friend Cam are pinning their hopes on winning the BotBlock robot programming competition as a way to solve their families' financial problems (they currently live in a trailer park) and pay for part of their future college tuition. Their current obstacles include Lucy's irrational and paranoid manic-depressive mother%E2%80%94who ignores Lucy's birthday, buries china in the yard, and scribbles about visions of Robert Frost%E2%80%94and Cam's mother's abusive boyfriend. The novel takes an unexpected turn when Lucy's mother's behavior forces them on the run. With a stolen RV and Lucy's younger sister in tow, Lucy and Cam try to stay optimistic that their dreams are within reach if they can just make it to the competition. Lucy's memories of her late grandmother, her life's anchor, are gracefully woven in, as is Lucy and Cam's passion for science. Moulton (Tracing Stars) writes freely about children forced to assume adult responsibilities while remaining in touch with their idealism, and the possibility of everyday magic. Ages 8%E2%80%9312. Agent: Ammi-Joan Paquette, Erin Murphy Literary Agency. (June)