Some bookish advice:

If your mom hands you a book this week and tells you to read it because "It's such a good book; you'll love it!" -- Read it. Especially if the book happens to be Take Me With You by Catherine Ryan Hyde. Because she's right. It's not only a really good read, it's also touching, well-written, and the perfect summer road-trip book.

Here's what I loved about it:

1. August Shroeder, the lonely high school science teacher who's headed to Yellowstone National Park with his dog, Woody, in order to sprinkle some of his son's ashes there.
2. Seth and Henry, the two young boys who end up traveling with August while their Dad spends ninety days in jail. (Especially Henry.)
3. The fact that on their way to Yellowstone they also visit Zions and Bryce Canyon...two national parks that I love because they're right here in Utah and they're amazing!
4. The poignant relationship that develops between August and the two boys over the course of the summer and where it eventually leads these three unique and extremely likeable characters.

You know what? My mom was right. I did love this book. Makes me think I should've read those other books she was always telling me to read when I was growing up. Oh, well. Live and learn!

Happy Reading!