The Car (Library Binding)

~ (Author) "HE WAS ALONE..." (more)
Key Phrases: religious commune, South Dakota, Sterling Moss, Civil War

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Fourteen-year-old Terry Anders is a 1990s Huck Finn, with parents as neglectful as "Pap." Like Huck he escapes, not on a raft but by constructing a kit car. He takes his red Blakely Bearcat out to the highway and points it west, intending to leave his home in Cleveland for Oregon, where he hopes to find the uncle he only vaguely remembers. Long before he reaches his destination, Terry meets up with a middle-aged wanderer named Waylon, who introduces him to his old friend, the free-living Wayne. The pair, Vietnam vets, lead the young protagonist on a string of impromptu adventures and eventually become his mentors, introducing him to the history, hypocrisy and beauty of his country. Besides evoking a type of independence and tough-mindedness that will appeal to teens, this provocative novel introduces and explores some interesting philosophies of life while stressing the value of learning from experience. Once again the Newbery Honor author demonstrates his abilities to create flesh-and-blood characters and to relate a message without preaching a moral. Ages 12-up.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From School Library Journal

Grade 6-9-Used to being ignored, Terry, 14, is now alone. His parents have abandoned their marriage, not realizing that they each made the decision at the same time. Armed with a great set of tools, some experience with engines, and a detailed set of instructions, he works night and day on a kit car that his father had begun to assemble in the garage. When the little convertible is complete, he decides to drive from Cleveland to Oregon, where an uncle lives. On the outskirts of town, heavy rain forces him to the roadside. There he is joined by the Shakespeare-quoting Waylon, who is seeking shelter from the storm. The Vietnam vet convinces Terry to let him ride along, and later they are joined by Waylon's army buddy, who rides a Harley Davidson. This curious trio tours the West, encountering hostile rednecks, residents of a religious commune, and a history-teaching hermit, among others. This novel features a simple plot and an easy-to-read text; an intense young boy on his own; and the unmistakable message that one must always continue to learn if one is going to survive. The characters are familiar, and to a degree predictable, but they will be interesting to YAs. Excluding several segments on engines, the action is brisk. Paulsen fans will enjoy the book; those with an interest in cars will love it.
Tim Rausch, Crescent View Middle School, Sandy, UT
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Library Binding: 182 pages
• Publisher: Turtleback (November 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1417761156
• ISBN-13: 978-1417761159
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (73 customer reviews)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Cat, March 15, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Car (Hardcover)

The Car by Gary Paulsen is a great novel about growing, rebellion, and America. The book begins in Cleveland, Ohio with a 14 year old boy named Terry. His parents, who spend all of there time arguing, decide to leave one another, coincidently at the same time - leaving Terry at home by himself. In his garage there is a little kit car of his fathers that he was forbidden to work on. Now that he has no supervision he decides to put the car together. Terry decides to go west with his new friend, he calls the "cat" since the car is a Blakely Bearcat, to see his only relative, his uncle. On the way he picks up a hitchhiker named Waylon, not by choice, a Vietnam veteran. Waylon is a "child of the sixties and seventies" and tries to teach Terry about "learning". They head to Wayne's house, who is also a Vietnam Vet and together they all three go "trucking". While "trucking" they learn all sorts of things about America, themselves, and each other. Gary Paulsen who also wrote The Hatchet, along with many other celebrated novels is an excellent author. He explains just enough to give the idea of what is going on, and leave the rest to the reader. Unlike some Authors who detail everything so much you don't even want to finish reading. For this reason I think that Gary Paulsen is one of the best authors ever. His books feel so realistic, probably because he writes from his own experience and has an excellent way to describe it. A possible alternate title that might have been better would have been The Cat, but that might not have caught to many peoples interest.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not a bad Book, June 18, 2001

By	"sexykev" (Gorham, ME USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Car (Paperback)

The book the car is about a young teenage boy whose parents are always fighting. One night it gets really bad. The next morning Terry wakes up to a quiet house, a few days go by and Terry doesn't see, or hear from his parents at all. After about three days Terry gets a phone call from his father saying that he is leaving and not coming home, than later that day his mother calls with the same message. Terry is abandon by his parents and decides to assemble a "kit car" that his father had in his garage. When the car is finished, he calls it the "Cat" and begins his journey from Cleveland to Portland. He is going to Portland to see an uncle that he has met only once in his life, he is the only family that Terry knows of. During Terry's trip he meets up with a Vietnam War Veteran named Waylon and he guides him his way to his uncle. This book is a lot about what Terry learns on his journey.

I thought that this was a very good book but I did mark it down a few stars because I personally did not like the narration of the book. I sometimes found myself asking which character was which and who did what. Yet the book although somewhat difficult to follow was an excellent book!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Wonderful Car, February 23, 2000

By	John D. (Anderson, Indiana) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Car (Hardcover)

A fourteen year old boy named Terry is on a quest. He needs to get from Ohio to Portland, Oregon with two old Vietnam Veterans. Terry ends up with no parents as a result of them not liking each other. He was left all alone. When he found out he was alone he started building a kit car that was given to his father. He plans to drive to an uncle in Portland who he barely knows. Along his way he picks up Wayne and Walon. Both were in the Vietnam War. They wanted to show Terry America, it's wonders, and its people. I think most people would enjoy THE CAR if they would sit down and read. I highly recommend this book to people who especially like Gary Paulsen or who are interested in cars. I hope you will want to read this book after reading my review.