Punkzilla

“Rapp’s road trip is populated with good souls who, despite their circumstances, make sacrifices to help. . . . Devastating stuff, but breathtaking, too.” — Booklist (starred review)

For the runaway Punkzilla, kicking a meth habit and a life of petty crime in Oregon is a prelude to reconnecting with his older brother, who is dying of cancer in Memphis. Against a backdrop of seedy motels, dicey bus stations, and hitched rides, the fourteen-year-old meets a colorful, sometimes dangerous cast of characters. And in letters to his sibling, crackling with visceral details and dark humor, he catalogs them all. With each interstate exit his journey grows more urgent: will he make it to Tennessee in time? This daring novel offers a narrative worthy of Kerouac and a keen insight into the power of chance encounters.