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The Wrong Way Home
Twelve-year-old Fern believes she's living a noble life--but what if everything she's been told is a lie?
Fern’s lived at the Ranch, an off-the-grid, sustainable community in upstate New York, since she was six. The work is hard, but Fern admires the Ranch's leader, Dr. Ben. So when Fern’s mother sneaks them away in the middle of the night and says Dr. Ben is dangerous, Fern doesn't believe it. She wants desperately to go back, but her mom just keeps driving.
Suddenly Fern is thrust into the treacherous, toxic, outside world. At first she thinks only about how to get home. She has a plan, but it will take time. As that time goes by, though, Fern realizes there are things she will miss from this place—the library, a friend from school, the ocean—and there are things she learned at the Ranch that are just...not true.
Now Fern will have to decide. How much is she willing to give up to return to the Ranch? Should she trust Dr. Ben’s vision for her life? Or listen to the growing feeling that she can live by her own rules?
Fern’s lived at the Ranch, an off-the-grid, sustainable community in upstate New York, since she was six. The work is hard, but Fern admires the Ranch's leader, Dr. Ben. So when Fern’s mother sneaks them away in the middle of the night and says Dr. Ben is dangerous, Fern doesn't believe it. She wants desperately to go back, but her mom just keeps driving.
Suddenly Fern is thrust into the treacherous, toxic, outside world. At first she thinks only about how to get home. She has a plan, but it will take time. As that time goes by, though, Fern realizes there are things she will miss from this place—the library, a friend from school, the ocean—and there are things she learned at the Ranch that are just...not true.
Now Fern will have to decide. How much is she willing to give up to return to the Ranch? Should she trust Dr. Ben’s vision for her life? Or listen to the growing feeling that she can live by her own rules?
336 pages, Library Binding
First published April 2, 2024
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August 8, 2024
Nuance and complexity in books for kids can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, our children deserve only the best possible literature. We must fill them with stories full of three-dimensional characters. We should give them difficult and complicated situations, sometimes without easy answers. We have to be willing to show them (in developmentally appropriate ways, naturally) that the world is not black and white. By the same token, when you write a complex character into a book intended for a young audience, gatekeepers get very nervous. If your main character doesn’t display forthright and true thoughts and intentions from page one onward then the adults start to squirm. They start muttering things like “bad role model” and “what’s the message here?”. Even if your protagonist does learn and grow, some grown-ups just aren’t comfortable with where they started in the process. And if they don’t learn and grow? If they stay adamant in their awfulness? Well, forget about it. Funny books might be able to get away with that (looking at you, Diary of a Wimpy Kid) but definitely not the straight up fiction. And yet, some of the best books for kids I’ve ever read have starred kids with wrong-headed ideas or notions or thoughts or beliefs. Sometimes that’s obvious to the child reader. And sometimes, as in the case of The Wrong Way Home, it can come to them as a complete surprise.
Imagine you were plucked from the only place you’ve ever truly considered your home. Your kidnapper? Your own mother. Fern’s lived on The Farm for most of her life and she’s happy there. They’re self-sustaining, agrarian, and they have very little contact with the outside world. But one day Fern’s mother takes that all away. They get into a car and drive completely across the country to a motel on the shore of the ocean. That’s when her mom breaks it to her: they’re never going back. Worse still, they have to live here now and Fern has to attend school for the first time in years and years. Determined to prove herself to the people she left behind, particularly The Farm’s leader Dr. Ben, Fern decides to figure out where they are and learn how to contact them. But as she places more distance between herself and her old life, Fern may begin to understand that maybe there was more to The Farm than she ever truly imagined.
A child who has never encountered an unreliable narrator may be utterly unprepared for when that moment occurs. It can be a good thing. It can throw them off, make them more susceptible to enjoying the book, and it can stay in your memories for a long time. But there are two types of unreliable narrators I’m talking about here. There’s the narrator who knows that they are purposefully misleading their audience. Then there’s the narrator who has no idea that they are in the wrong. Fern belongs squarely in the latter category. Her beliefs are based on what, she would be more than happy to tell you, are cold hard facts. The Farm offered her and her mom the first stability that they’d had in years. The people there were nice to her. They believed in good things like sustainability and helping the environment. And yes, sometimes there was tragedy, like a kid sent off on their initiation dying, but since Dr. Ben can explain such things away, it’s okay. Right?
Now an adult reading this book is probably going to catch on pretty quickly that something strange is going on. The book begins with Fern knitting in a circle of women. Dr. Ben comes in and we are told that he’s the leader of their community. He then does these very subtle little power plays. So subtle that if you aren’t looking for them, you might miss them. Stuff like observing the knitting the girls are doing and offering thoughts on their improvement. When he speaks to Fern and tells her that he’d like her to undergo some kind of coming-of-age initiation, your antennae goes up and you begin wondering (if you’re an adult) what year this takes place. By the time you realize it’s in the present day you’re on high alert. Kids, however, may be listening more to what Fern’s reactions are to all these events. We’re seeing the book through her eyes. As such, the child reader is going to be inclined to trust their narrator. If she says that her mom is unreliable and Dr. Ben is infallible, they’ll listen. But going into this book I didn’t know a thing about it, and the escape from The Farm (I almost wrote “the compound”) had my “CULT!” alarm systems blaring out like mad. The word “cult”, for that matter, does actually appear in this book, but it takes a good 242 pages to get there. And the child reader is entirely on Team Fern for much of this text.
I sometimes wish I could have read a book for kids that I’ve encountered today as a child myself. This is one of those books. At what point does the average reader figure out that Fern may be in the wrong? When do their loyalties switch to the mom? Do they ever? While the adults amongst us are screaming “DON’T GET IN THAT VAN!” at the book, do kid readers feel the same way? I can’t help but think that this book would be an amazing bookclub read with children. Their reactions would be incredible.
For the record, I found this book utterly believable as well. O’Shaughnessy seems to have a particular talent for couching her world in reality. Dr. Ben’s background was kid-appropriate and yet still bad. The economics of The Farm makes perfect sense. You can see how these people could, even in this modern day and age of surveillance, still fall through the cracks. I flipped to the back of the book to see if the author talked about her research process at all. Mind you, as an adult reading this book, I got the distinct impression that Fern only saw certain aspects of The Farm that the adults hid from her. There may be more sordid stories found there that she never learns. I had little bit more difficulty understanding why Fern’s mom didn’t share with Fern early on some of the problems with The Farm and, specifically, Dr. Ben, but in retrospect I suppose it makes a fair amount of sense. After all, all you have to do is see Fern’s reaction when her only friend in town tells her she thinks she was in a cult. It does not go well.
It's rare that I encounter a book featuring an active protagonist who uses their brain to solve their problems and whom you find yourself rooting AGAINST. O’Shaughnessy even manages to make you like Fern, though she exhibits some pretty unlikable behaviors for the bulk of the book. It’s a cleverly written and supremely literary story, while also remaining pretty gripping in its telling. Trust me, you won’t know what hit you after you finish it. Consider The Wrong Way Home for any kid who is ready to doubt everything they ever knew about narrators.
Imagine you were plucked from the only place you’ve ever truly considered your home. Your kidnapper? Your own mother. Fern’s lived on The Farm for most of her life and she’s happy there. They’re self-sustaining, agrarian, and they have very little contact with the outside world. But one day Fern’s mother takes that all away. They get into a car and drive completely across the country to a motel on the shore of the ocean. That’s when her mom breaks it to her: they’re never going back. Worse still, they have to live here now and Fern has to attend school for the first time in years and years. Determined to prove herself to the people she left behind, particularly The Farm’s leader Dr. Ben, Fern decides to figure out where they are and learn how to contact them. But as she places more distance between herself and her old life, Fern may begin to understand that maybe there was more to The Farm than she ever truly imagined.
A child who has never encountered an unreliable narrator may be utterly unprepared for when that moment occurs. It can be a good thing. It can throw them off, make them more susceptible to enjoying the book, and it can stay in your memories for a long time. But there are two types of unreliable narrators I’m talking about here. There’s the narrator who knows that they are purposefully misleading their audience. Then there’s the narrator who has no idea that they are in the wrong. Fern belongs squarely in the latter category. Her beliefs are based on what, she would be more than happy to tell you, are cold hard facts. The Farm offered her and her mom the first stability that they’d had in years. The people there were nice to her. They believed in good things like sustainability and helping the environment. And yes, sometimes there was tragedy, like a kid sent off on their initiation dying, but since Dr. Ben can explain such things away, it’s okay. Right?
Now an adult reading this book is probably going to catch on pretty quickly that something strange is going on. The book begins with Fern knitting in a circle of women. Dr. Ben comes in and we are told that he’s the leader of their community. He then does these very subtle little power plays. So subtle that if you aren’t looking for them, you might miss them. Stuff like observing the knitting the girls are doing and offering thoughts on their improvement. When he speaks to Fern and tells her that he’d like her to undergo some kind of coming-of-age initiation, your antennae goes up and you begin wondering (if you’re an adult) what year this takes place. By the time you realize it’s in the present day you’re on high alert. Kids, however, may be listening more to what Fern’s reactions are to all these events. We’re seeing the book through her eyes. As such, the child reader is going to be inclined to trust their narrator. If she says that her mom is unreliable and Dr. Ben is infallible, they’ll listen. But going into this book I didn’t know a thing about it, and the escape from The Farm (I almost wrote “the compound”) had my “CULT!” alarm systems blaring out like mad. The word “cult”, for that matter, does actually appear in this book, but it takes a good 242 pages to get there. And the child reader is entirely on Team Fern for much of this text.
I sometimes wish I could have read a book for kids that I’ve encountered today as a child myself. This is one of those books. At what point does the average reader figure out that Fern may be in the wrong? When do their loyalties switch to the mom? Do they ever? While the adults amongst us are screaming “DON’T GET IN THAT VAN!” at the book, do kid readers feel the same way? I can’t help but think that this book would be an amazing bookclub read with children. Their reactions would be incredible.
For the record, I found this book utterly believable as well. O’Shaughnessy seems to have a particular talent for couching her world in reality. Dr. Ben’s background was kid-appropriate and yet still bad. The economics of The Farm makes perfect sense. You can see how these people could, even in this modern day and age of surveillance, still fall through the cracks. I flipped to the back of the book to see if the author talked about her research process at all. Mind you, as an adult reading this book, I got the distinct impression that Fern only saw certain aspects of The Farm that the adults hid from her. There may be more sordid stories found there that she never learns. I had little bit more difficulty understanding why Fern’s mom didn’t share with Fern early on some of the problems with The Farm and, specifically, Dr. Ben, but in retrospect I suppose it makes a fair amount of sense. After all, all you have to do is see Fern’s reaction when her only friend in town tells her she thinks she was in a cult. It does not go well.
It's rare that I encounter a book featuring an active protagonist who uses their brain to solve their problems and whom you find yourself rooting AGAINST. O’Shaughnessy even manages to make you like Fern, though she exhibits some pretty unlikable behaviors for the bulk of the book. It’s a cleverly written and supremely literary story, while also remaining pretty gripping in its telling. Trust me, you won’t know what hit you after you finish it. Consider The Wrong Way Home for any kid who is ready to doubt everything they ever knew about narrators.
May 9, 2025
4.5 The Wrong Way Home was completely and totally unexpected. This is one of those books where revealing too much about the plot can spoil moments of surprise and connection. Though it's my first time encountering Kate O'Shaughnessy, I instantly understood/realized why people enjoy her other novels. Her writing is captivating, engaging, and tackles complex topics in a way that make sense for younger readers. To be honest, I'm not sure that I've read a book quite like this for children and my heart broke for Fern every step of the way. This was another title that I read for my Newbery reading project. If you want to know more of my thoughts, be sure to check out that video: https://youtu.be/3GO5U8MopY0
February 2, 2025
A book about a 12 year old unwillingly being rescued from a cult—this was not a gap I realized existed in middle grade novels. The revelations occur slowly to our unreliable narrator. This part was believable to me.
I’m definitely in favor of exposing kids to difficult topics through books, but I don’t plan to recommend this book or giving it to my kids. The cult-leader character was sinister enough to be convincing, but as an adult, I kept trying to read between the lines and wondering what other crimes he’d committed relating to the vulnerable members of the group. Had this been for a YA audience, this could have been explored more and the novel wouldn’t have felt like we got the “young readers edition.”
I’m definitely in favor of exposing kids to difficult topics through books, but I don’t plan to recommend this book or giving it to my kids. The cult-leader character was sinister enough to be convincing, but as an adult, I kept trying to read between the lines and wondering what other crimes he’d committed relating to the vulnerable members of the group. Had this been for a YA audience, this could have been explored more and the novel wouldn’t have felt like we got the “young readers edition.”
July 8, 2024
I was liking this well enough until I came to page 194 where we meet a “gender-fluid” librarian named Wren who “educates” Fern after she asks her if she is s girl or a boy. It’s in there just to be in there it doesn’t advance the story at all, and neither does Babs having a “wife”. I skimmed the rest of the book after this.
September 10, 2024
✰ 3.25 stars ✰
“Dr. Ben says there are truths about what society is doing to the world we have to accept.
That it’s not a question of believing, it’s a question of accepting.
I guess I never realized what—or who—we believe in could ever be a choice.”
What I think the author captured really well was how twelve-year-old Fern had been so conditioned into thinking and behaving in a certain way, that when she became aware of a whole other side of the world - away from the isolated Ranch that she had grown up in - her reaction was realistic. It's not so much her naivete and her innocence that was believable, but also her anger and rage at dissolving the conditioning that she had been privy to. It made for some very volatile confrontations with her mother, who finally took the bold decision to leave the place that she felt was harming her family, rather than protecting it. It's a bold example of how cult-like doctrines becomes so ingrained into one's system, that the moment the choice of one's God-given birthright of free is given back to her - it can only serve as a reminder of what has been forgotten and for how long one has been deprived of it. 😤
“A small voice—so small it’s almost not there—tells me, You never would have seen this if you had stayed at the Ranch.
And I’m not sure I like the way it makes me feel to know that.”
There is certainly plenty to unpack and re-adjust to; to have to see the good and bad and ugliness of life that Fern was kept unaware of, which comes also with the thrill of wonder at even the simplest thing of using Google. Her innocence to these surprises of what she had been deprived of were depicted well; it is also interesting to see how the environment played a big part in her accepting that there was so much more to offer in life, and had she stayed on the Ranch, she would never have been able to experience it. 😢 It's that war within herself of trying desperately to find a way back home. It helped that through her interactions with a new school and the library and its facilities, meeting a vast variety of identities, getting a new job, she starts to note the difference between what is visible and what actually lies beneath the surface.
Something that also stood out for me was Fern's conflicting emotions over her new experiences; it is with a doubtful rejection, as well as reprimanding herself for enjoying the tastes and delights was a convincing example of how strong her conditioning has been, that it is a struggle to desensitize what has been done to her. I liked that there were those who either ridiculed and mocked her for her indifference, and those who were eager to help and show that she was not alone in feeling ignorant about things. 'There are so many things I don’t know that I don’t know that I don’t know them.' 😟 She's been so wired to think and operate in a certain way to follow rules, that it is a lengthy process to let go of that feeling. To draw the line of what has been permissible to her now is alright to feel, rather than feel that it is dangerous to feel that way. It was with strong emotion that her interactions with the new people in her life allowed her to experience things that her sheltered and closeted life had prevented her. 😥
“I’m sorry,” Mom says. “I’m sorry you’re hurting. I’m sorry if you feel confused. But I’m doing this to protect you. It’ll make sense to you. One day.”
I start to cry again. “I won’t ever forgive you. Now or ‘one day.’”
While this story is about a young girl rediscovering herself with her interactions in a new world - opening her eyes to new things, it is also a story about a mother and her daughter, and how they relearned what it means to trust in each other as family. Her mother had made that decision to isolate them, when she herself was alone and abandoned; that inclusion is one that helps Fern understand why her mother chose to leave then, and what led her to escape, before she deprived her daughter of what it really means to live a healthy and happy life. 🥺 That regretful feeling, highlighted in her childhood memories at what their life could have been if she had not trapped them in a cult for so long, was vividly captured. I know it is not for us to disregard those who live in sheltered communities with their own set of ideals and principles; it's having the wrong people serve their leader, with misguided intentions and wrong actions, is what prevents it from really becoming a home. 🫶🏻
And it was a positive feeling to see Fern realize the depths of love her mother had for her; how despite her resentment for taking her away from the Ranch, she knew that she was always only doing what she did was best for her daughter's safety. 🫂❤️🩹 The ending is a suspenseful one; as Fern senses the cracks of her disillusioned method of living choices, it becomes a war of still seeking out a way to return home, while also entertaining the thought that there was something amiss in what she had grown up thinking. When the choice of freedom is given to her, the author grips you with whether or not her conscience will know if the sacrifices and risks her mother took to first bring them to the Ranch and for them to leave was worth it. ✊🏻
“Most experiences you’ll have in life will be a mixed bag. The good and the bad tend to be swirled into every experience you have... It can be your choice to take the good with you and leave the rest behind.”
There were some drawbacks to this, however, that made me feel less inclined towards it. In the first book I had read of this author, I had noticed that it had felt unnecessarily long for a middle grade read; sadly, it was the same case here. I found my attention span waning and getting bored with the redundancy in which the author had Fern be introduced to different aspects of life that she was not privy to before. I mean, if I was getting bored, then just imagine how a ten-year-old would feel if this were not an assigned reading! I also thought that it became rather overstuffed with information! 😩 I know that it makes sense that her getting this knowledge was a side track to getting back, but getting so crammed with all this knowledge! I felt it was not necessary to cover every little detail - a few would have been more than enough to allude to the idea that the cracks in Fern's ideology were starting to appear. It was hard to believe that in less than three months she could so easily adapt to everything and accept that this was normal, compared to the normal she had always known. 😮💨
Despite my own conflicting thoughts, I felt that it was an impactful and different one. Rarely have I read a middle grade that deals with a cult, and how a young person has to decide if her experiences on the outside are better than what she has always known and believed to be true on the inside. It's also a strong glimpse of how she sees what had always been law belonging to one man, was not the case in the real world. There is a strong difference between right and wrong, and she was able to see that she was allowed free will and thinking. To break free of that chain was perhaps the best take-away from this that what had started off as The Wrong Way Home eventually turned out to be the right one. 🙏🏻
“Dr. Ben says there are truths about what society is doing to the world we have to accept.
That it’s not a question of believing, it’s a question of accepting.
I guess I never realized what—or who—we believe in could ever be a choice.”
What I think the author captured really well was how twelve-year-old Fern had been so conditioned into thinking and behaving in a certain way, that when she became aware of a whole other side of the world - away from the isolated Ranch that she had grown up in - her reaction was realistic. It's not so much her naivete and her innocence that was believable, but also her anger and rage at dissolving the conditioning that she had been privy to. It made for some very volatile confrontations with her mother, who finally took the bold decision to leave the place that she felt was harming her family, rather than protecting it. It's a bold example of how cult-like doctrines becomes so ingrained into one's system, that the moment the choice of one's God-given birthright of free is given back to her - it can only serve as a reminder of what has been forgotten and for how long one has been deprived of it. 😤
“A small voice—so small it’s almost not there—tells me, You never would have seen this if you had stayed at the Ranch.
And I’m not sure I like the way it makes me feel to know that.”
There is certainly plenty to unpack and re-adjust to; to have to see the good and bad and ugliness of life that Fern was kept unaware of, which comes also with the thrill of wonder at even the simplest thing of using Google. Her innocence to these surprises of what she had been deprived of were depicted well; it is also interesting to see how the environment played a big part in her accepting that there was so much more to offer in life, and had she stayed on the Ranch, she would never have been able to experience it. 😢 It's that war within herself of trying desperately to find a way back home. It helped that through her interactions with a new school and the library and its facilities, meeting a vast variety of identities, getting a new job, she starts to note the difference between what is visible and what actually lies beneath the surface.
Something that also stood out for me was Fern's conflicting emotions over her new experiences; it is with a doubtful rejection, as well as reprimanding herself for enjoying the tastes and delights was a convincing example of how strong her conditioning has been, that it is a struggle to desensitize what has been done to her. I liked that there were those who either ridiculed and mocked her for her indifference, and those who were eager to help and show that she was not alone in feeling ignorant about things. 'There are so many things I don’t know that I don’t know that I don’t know them.' 😟 She's been so wired to think and operate in a certain way to follow rules, that it is a lengthy process to let go of that feeling. To draw the line of what has been permissible to her now is alright to feel, rather than feel that it is dangerous to feel that way. It was with strong emotion that her interactions with the new people in her life allowed her to experience things that her sheltered and closeted life had prevented her. 😥
“I’m sorry,” Mom says. “I’m sorry you’re hurting. I’m sorry if you feel confused. But I’m doing this to protect you. It’ll make sense to you. One day.”
I start to cry again. “I won’t ever forgive you. Now or ‘one day.’”
While this story is about a young girl rediscovering herself with her interactions in a new world - opening her eyes to new things, it is also a story about a mother and her daughter, and how they relearned what it means to trust in each other as family. Her mother had made that decision to isolate them, when she herself was alone and abandoned; that inclusion is one that helps Fern understand why her mother chose to leave then, and what led her to escape, before she deprived her daughter of what it really means to live a healthy and happy life. 🥺 That regretful feeling, highlighted in her childhood memories at what their life could have been if she had not trapped them in a cult for so long, was vividly captured. I know it is not for us to disregard those who live in sheltered communities with their own set of ideals and principles; it's having the wrong people serve their leader, with misguided intentions and wrong actions, is what prevents it from really becoming a home. 🫶🏻
And it was a positive feeling to see Fern realize the depths of love her mother had for her; how despite her resentment for taking her away from the Ranch, she knew that she was always only doing what she did was best for her daughter's safety. 🫂❤️🩹 The ending is a suspenseful one; as Fern senses the cracks of her disillusioned method of living choices, it becomes a war of still seeking out a way to return home, while also entertaining the thought that there was something amiss in what she had grown up thinking. When the choice of freedom is given to her, the author grips you with whether or not her conscience will know if the sacrifices and risks her mother took to first bring them to the Ranch and for them to leave was worth it. ✊🏻
“Most experiences you’ll have in life will be a mixed bag. The good and the bad tend to be swirled into every experience you have... It can be your choice to take the good with you and leave the rest behind.”
There were some drawbacks to this, however, that made me feel less inclined towards it. In the first book I had read of this author, I had noticed that it had felt unnecessarily long for a middle grade read; sadly, it was the same case here. I found my attention span waning and getting bored with the redundancy in which the author had Fern be introduced to different aspects of life that she was not privy to before. I mean, if I was getting bored, then just imagine how a ten-year-old would feel if this were not an assigned reading! I also thought that it became rather overstuffed with information! 😩 I know that it makes sense that her getting this knowledge was a side track to getting back, but getting so crammed with all this knowledge! I felt it was not necessary to cover every little detail - a few would have been more than enough to allude to the idea that the cracks in Fern's ideology were starting to appear. It was hard to believe that in less than three months she could so easily adapt to everything and accept that this was normal, compared to the normal she had always known. 😮💨
Despite my own conflicting thoughts, I felt that it was an impactful and different one. Rarely have I read a middle grade that deals with a cult, and how a young person has to decide if her experiences on the outside are better than what she has always known and believed to be true on the inside. It's also a strong glimpse of how she sees what had always been law belonging to one man, was not the case in the real world. There is a strong difference between right and wrong, and she was able to see that she was allowed free will and thinking. To break free of that chain was perhaps the best take-away from this that what had started off as The Wrong Way Home eventually turned out to be the right one. 🙏🏻
April 27, 2024
Twelve is a hard time in life to question everything you know about what is morally right and wrong. For Fern the two dominate adults in her life, her mother and the Dr. Ben, the leader of her community, are suddenly at odds. Her mother breaks away from The Ranch, the only place Fern has ever called home, in the middle of the night and drags her across the country. Now she is out in the world full of toxins, vaccines, and wicked novels. Fern will do whatever it takes to get back to her only known safety.
The author does a masterful job of weaving the complexity of right and wrong through many different perspectives. For middle-grade, this is a book about the power of cult thinking, without getting too dark.
The author does a masterful job of weaving the complexity of right and wrong through many different perspectives. For middle-grade, this is a book about the power of cult thinking, without getting too dark.
December 25, 2024
2.5 rounded up. The reason for the rounding up was the conflict and the very end. The protagonist and Bab’s are strong characters. The weakness of this story is that we don’t get a long enough look into the cult- everything is told rather than shown. Young readers are not going to get enough from this plot to understand the allure of cults. More of the story should have been on The Ranch or at least used flashbacks. Instead- 80% of the story stagnated leading up to the very short climax and conclusion. The rising action was very slow and boring- over 100 pages could have been cut out. Also, the author inserted a nonbinary character and used it in a way that was cringy and not authentic at all. I wish authors would quit doing that in order to get books on LGBTQ+ shelves to sell more books.
June 26, 2025
Reading this was such a healing, mildly triggering experience. 🤍
If you know anything about me, I spent time in a cult-like church and have spent years working through that. This book was so honest, empathetic, and accurate about the experience, though the MC obviously went through more than I did.
I loved the friends and good adults she was surrounded with, and the town was so welcoming and sweet. Also, yay for books and librarians! I was rooting for the MC the whole time, and the end had me so nervous and proud. 🤍
I definitely recommend this empathetic, beautiful book.
CW: Lying, fear, danger. Mentions of off-page death. Discussion of killing animals. The main character has a lot of anxiety surrounding certain food, chemicals, and medicines. A prominent side character is gay and a background character is non-binary.
If you know anything about me, I spent time in a cult-like church and have spent years working through that. This book was so honest, empathetic, and accurate about the experience, though the MC obviously went through more than I did.
I loved the friends and good adults she was surrounded with, and the town was so welcoming and sweet. Also, yay for books and librarians! I was rooting for the MC the whole time, and the end had me so nervous and proud. 🤍
I definitely recommend this empathetic, beautiful book.
CW: Lying, fear, danger. Mentions of off-page death. Discussion of killing animals. The main character has a lot of anxiety surrounding certain food, chemicals, and medicines. A prominent side character is gay and a background character is non-binary.
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July 31, 2023So so good.
April 4, 2025
2.5 ⭐️
I love books about cults and this book had so much promise! The prose itself was good and I felt like it tried to handle the nuance of good and bad being mixed in experiences. However, there were inconsistencies in the plot and I didn’t really feel the danger of this cult. We leave the cult before we ever really figure out what they believe or we know anything about it. Fern’s extreme environmental beliefs are praised by adults and even quite a few kids, which sends a really confusing message about the cult itself. The ending felt so over dramatic and unrealistic. I won’t say more, because I don’t want to spoil it, but I was just shaking my head.
I love books about cults and this book had so much promise! The prose itself was good and I felt like it tried to handle the nuance of good and bad being mixed in experiences. However, there were inconsistencies in the plot and I didn’t really feel the danger of this cult. We leave the cult before we ever really figure out what they believe or we know anything about it. Fern’s extreme environmental beliefs are praised by adults and even quite a few kids, which sends a really confusing message about the cult itself. The ending felt so over dramatic and unrealistic. I won’t say more, because I don’t want to spoil it, but I was just shaking my head.
May 24, 2025
This was sooo good! An intense topic for a middle grade book, but I thought it was handled so well. I've never seen a kid's book talking about the complexities of leaving a cult. I loved all the characters here, such good queer representation as well!
May 25, 2025
This would make a great book club for kids pick!
July 16, 2025
Really good and really important. Also very stressful near the end. A fascinating look at a girl who grew up in a cult learning to view other perspectives and embrace the world. Her devotion to the cult was incredibly realistic and also terrifying. I loved how she always had a desire to protect the earth but learned to do it in a way that wasn’t just beneficial to herself. And I loved the relationship with her mom, who felt responsible for bringing her daughter into that situation and was trying to make things right, even if Fern hated her for it.
September 3, 2023
Title: The Wrong Way Home
Author: Kate O'Shaughnessy
Review:
"The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O'Shaughnessy is a poignant and heartfelt coming-of-age story that explores themes of self-discovery, trust, and the pursuit of one's own path in life. At its core, it's a story about a young girl, Fern, who must grapple with the revelation that the life she thought was noble and ideal might actually be built on deception.
Fern's journey begins at the Ranch, an off-the-grid, sustainable community in upstate New York, where she has lived since the age of six. She admires Dr. Ben, the leader of the Ranch, and believes in the values and principles of the community. However, when Fern's mother abruptly takes her away in the middle of the night, claiming that Dr. Ben is dangerous, Fern is faced with a profound and disorienting change.
The strength of the novel lies in its exploration of Fern's inner turmoil as she navigates the treacherous and toxic outside world, which is in stark contrast to the sheltered environment she knew. O'Shaughnessy skillfully portrays Fern's determination to find her way back to the Ranch, but as time passes, she begins to question the authenticity of the life she once cherished.
Fern's character is relatable and endearing, making it easy for readers, particularly young readers, to connect with her. Her journey of self-discovery and her internal struggle to determine what she truly believes in and values are central to the narrative. It's a universal theme that resonates with readers of all ages.
The author's writing is evocative and immersive, allowing readers to feel the emotions and experiences of Fern as she confronts the unknown. The story's pacing is well-balanced, capturing both the urgency of Fern's desire to return to the Ranch and her evolving understanding of the world beyond it.
As Fern grapples with her choices, readers are presented with thought-provoking questions about trust, the pursuit of individual happiness, and the willingness to challenge one's beliefs. These themes add depth to the story, making it not only an engaging adventure but also a reflective journey of personal growth.
In conclusion, "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O'Shaughnessy is a beautifully written and emotionally resonant novel that speaks to the universal themes of self-discovery and the quest for truth and authenticity. Fern's character is a testament to the resilience and courage of young individuals as they confront life's uncertainties. This book is a compelling read for both young readers and adults alike, offering a message of hope and empowerment in the face of life's unexpected twists and turns.
Author: Kate O'Shaughnessy
Review:
"The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O'Shaughnessy is a poignant and heartfelt coming-of-age story that explores themes of self-discovery, trust, and the pursuit of one's own path in life. At its core, it's a story about a young girl, Fern, who must grapple with the revelation that the life she thought was noble and ideal might actually be built on deception.
Fern's journey begins at the Ranch, an off-the-grid, sustainable community in upstate New York, where she has lived since the age of six. She admires Dr. Ben, the leader of the Ranch, and believes in the values and principles of the community. However, when Fern's mother abruptly takes her away in the middle of the night, claiming that Dr. Ben is dangerous, Fern is faced with a profound and disorienting change.
The strength of the novel lies in its exploration of Fern's inner turmoil as she navigates the treacherous and toxic outside world, which is in stark contrast to the sheltered environment she knew. O'Shaughnessy skillfully portrays Fern's determination to find her way back to the Ranch, but as time passes, she begins to question the authenticity of the life she once cherished.
Fern's character is relatable and endearing, making it easy for readers, particularly young readers, to connect with her. Her journey of self-discovery and her internal struggle to determine what she truly believes in and values are central to the narrative. It's a universal theme that resonates with readers of all ages.
The author's writing is evocative and immersive, allowing readers to feel the emotions and experiences of Fern as she confronts the unknown. The story's pacing is well-balanced, capturing both the urgency of Fern's desire to return to the Ranch and her evolving understanding of the world beyond it.
As Fern grapples with her choices, readers are presented with thought-provoking questions about trust, the pursuit of individual happiness, and the willingness to challenge one's beliefs. These themes add depth to the story, making it not only an engaging adventure but also a reflective journey of personal growth.
In conclusion, "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O'Shaughnessy is a beautifully written and emotionally resonant novel that speaks to the universal themes of self-discovery and the quest for truth and authenticity. Fern's character is a testament to the resilience and courage of young individuals as they confront life's uncertainties. This book is a compelling read for both young readers and adults alike, offering a message of hope and empowerment in the face of life's unexpected twists and turns.
April 2, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️As many of you know, I am an avid Newbery Medal book lover. I became very interested in this award when I discovered, as an adult, that many of my favorite childhood/ teen books had won this prestigious prize. A Wrinkle in Time, The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Island of the Blue Dolphins, and The Giver, to name a few! But I also realized that there are many gems in the pages of the Newbery Honor books, too! And I also discovered that, in some cases, I liked an Honor winner even better!
This book is one of those cases! I read the 2025 winner first, and was very happy with it! But then I picked up this book yesterday—-and finished it yesterday!
This is the story of Fern, who has lived happily for half her life in a “futuristic self-sustaining community” with her mom. Then, late one night, her mother wakes her up and tells her that they need to leave on a special errand for Dr. Ben, the charismatic leader of their ranch. But the actual reason for their trip soon becomes clear—her mom is escaping the commune. Fern is upset and confused. She doesn’t understand why her mother became disenchanted with Dr. Ben and their lifestyle. She hates the outside world, where she is bewildered and embarrassed by all the things she doesn’t know or understand. She just wants to go back, but, as time goes by, she begins to see that there were things about The Ranch and its leader that were not what they seemed. I was fascinated by Fern’s dilemma, and the author does a great job exploring the internal conflicts that she faces when confronted with everyday situations that we take for granted. Especially when one of her new classmates asks her what it was like living in a “cult”. The story is very thought-provoking, and would make an excellent book club selection. I loved it.
This book is one of those cases! I read the 2025 winner first, and was very happy with it! But then I picked up this book yesterday—-and finished it yesterday!
This is the story of Fern, who has lived happily for half her life in a “futuristic self-sustaining community” with her mom. Then, late one night, her mother wakes her up and tells her that they need to leave on a special errand for Dr. Ben, the charismatic leader of their ranch. But the actual reason for their trip soon becomes clear—her mom is escaping the commune. Fern is upset and confused. She doesn’t understand why her mother became disenchanted with Dr. Ben and their lifestyle. She hates the outside world, where she is bewildered and embarrassed by all the things she doesn’t know or understand. She just wants to go back, but, as time goes by, she begins to see that there were things about The Ranch and its leader that were not what they seemed. I was fascinated by Fern’s dilemma, and the author does a great job exploring the internal conflicts that she faces when confronted with everyday situations that we take for granted. Especially when one of her new classmates asks her what it was like living in a “cult”. The story is very thought-provoking, and would make an excellent book club selection. I loved it.
February 18, 2025
LOVE books that center around leaving a cult. There are no two ways around it. I'm obsessed by it. Cults and how people could even be a part of one--for whatever length of time--fascinates me. I just don't understand the reasoning. But that is what adds to the adventure.
So here we meet Fern who is about to more or less become initiated into the "farm" where she and her mother live. Only thing is under the cover of darkness, Fern is awaken by her mother, the two of them take a taxi to a car waiting for them, and then just drive. Drive under the cover of darkness to the ocean and a new life.
You would think Fern would be in favor of this. But no. In fact, Fern wants to return home to Dr. Ben and the life she knew. Under the guise of being content will she actually be figuring out how to use the internet, look up addresses, discover things like fiction books and the topic of conservation....it's a story about discovery and redefining what "home" is. Because, as the title leads others to thing, maybe there IS a "wrong way home."
I loved the setting and all the characters found in this book. It is one I will go back to time and again!
So here we meet Fern who is about to more or less become initiated into the "farm" where she and her mother live. Only thing is under the cover of darkness, Fern is awaken by her mother, the two of them take a taxi to a car waiting for them, and then just drive. Drive under the cover of darkness to the ocean and a new life.
You would think Fern would be in favor of this. But no. In fact, Fern wants to return home to Dr. Ben and the life she knew. Under the guise of being content will she actually be figuring out how to use the internet, look up addresses, discover things like fiction books and the topic of conservation....it's a story about discovery and redefining what "home" is. Because, as the title leads others to thing, maybe there IS a "wrong way home."
I loved the setting and all the characters found in this book. It is one I will go back to time and again!
September 14, 2024
4.5 This book fills a huge whole in the market that I’ve never even considered: middle grade books about cults. This one was very well done and nuanced. Fern was given the space to process and deprogram from her experience, as well as to mourn the changes in her life. As a middle school librarian, I hope there continue to be books like this, especially slightly aged up from this one. This is the exact type of topic middle schoolers would eat up if the cover/protagonist/writing were a little more mature. As is, I would say the sweet spot for this one is grades 5 and 6.
April 17, 2024
Interesting concept, mediocre execution. I think that it should be - at the very least - difficult to tell what an author’s personal beliefs are, but Kate O’Shaugnessy’s are very clear in this book. The ending was also a little too perfect.
March 31, 2025
What a powerful and incredible story. Absolutely adored this read.
March 25, 2025
I’m coming at this a bit critical (anybody surprised? 😆) but while there is a lot to gleam from stories like this, I really hate when a book pushes every agenda down my throat for the sake of just throwing it in there.
This also wouldn’t be a book I would hand to a kid without reading it with them. Overall character development was good and interesting. Would make for some good discussion.
This also wouldn’t be a book I would hand to a kid without reading it with them. Overall character development was good and interesting. Would make for some good discussion.
August 27, 2025
Read this with my 10 and 13 year old sons and we were hooked on the story. It teaches a lot of empathy because in the beginning they didn't understand how she could fall for a cult but over time, it is a bit slow at times, but it is believable that she needs a lot of time to start to change her mindset and unlearn things.
April 21, 2024
5++++! This was one of those books I could not put down and when it ended, I wanted more! Perhaps my favorite part of the book was Fern's reaction to reading her first novel. Such a wonderful story, great characters, California setting. Don't miss this one!
January 28, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this title.
What if you were raised in a commune? What would happen if you left? Fern's (aka Frankie) Mom does exactly that, moving Fern across the United States from New York to California. Adjusting to life in a California beach town is nothing like Fern's previous life. No longer living in a sustainable and wellness focused community (no sugar, artificial additives, clothing made from natural fabrics, taking care of the environment), she's not sure what to do or not to do at school. Her Mom is changing too. Could returning to the community (aka commune) be the answer to Fern's problems or is it time for her to move on to a different kind of living? Who has her best interests at heart; Mom, Dr. Ben the leader of her old community, Eddie a girl from school, Babs her Mom's godmother, Mr. Carlson a teacher and kindred soul who shares her interests in taking care of and improving the environment or someone else?
What if you were raised in a commune? What would happen if you left? Fern's (aka Frankie) Mom does exactly that, moving Fern across the United States from New York to California. Adjusting to life in a California beach town is nothing like Fern's previous life. No longer living in a sustainable and wellness focused community (no sugar, artificial additives, clothing made from natural fabrics, taking care of the environment), she's not sure what to do or not to do at school. Her Mom is changing too. Could returning to the community (aka commune) be the answer to Fern's problems or is it time for her to move on to a different kind of living? Who has her best interests at heart; Mom, Dr. Ben the leader of her old community, Eddie a girl from school, Babs her Mom's godmother, Mr. Carlson a teacher and kindred soul who shares her interests in taking care of and improving the environment or someone else?
October 1, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. Welp. @colbysharp never steers me wrong. Gwen and her mother live on a ranch, cut off from society. Their leader, Dr. Ben, pores he’s the dangers of the outside world. When he announces that it is almost time for Fern’s rite - something usually for members at age 15, when she is not quite 12 - her mom leaves the community and takes her daughter to the opposite coast. There, Fern is introduced to mainstream society and attends school for the first time since she was in the first grade. As she grapples with all the newness, she yearns to find her way to what she thinks is of as her home. But what if she finally is home? Despite the young age of the protagonist, I think middle school students will enjoy this. The young main character dealing with bigger issues reminded me of Fighting Words. Will be recommending.
February 7, 2025
This is a Newbery Honor book that I had trouble putting down. It is the story of a girl and her mother who flee from a cult and try to rebuild their life. The daughter doesn't understand all of what is going on and wishes to return. It is an interesting read as an adult as the author gives you some insights into what the daughter is thinking and doesn't give you much from the mother's point of view. It would also make for good discussion with a kid about how people get sucked into situations that most people would avoid.
April 10, 2024
A touch of lite cult fiction for the middle grade set, everything as it should be.
February 27, 2025
characters were just too unbelievable/ predictable.
April 22, 2025
two stars? maybe? the concept was good, i just wasn't a fan of some things. not a book i'd recommend to MG readers.
September 27, 2024
An interesting look at a 12 year old girl who has grown up in a cult and flees with her mother but against her will. The world building and development of relationships is really engaging, the plot is somewhat predictable but the author throws in some clever twists. I didn’t think the investigator would have given her the time of day but this is one of those books where my adult brain thinks the girl is naive, the adult jaded to take 300 dollars from a kid and wouldn’t alarm bells be going off that she’s in a cult as she tells him her story??; however, a child will have a different take and probably like the adventure and not be so picky. This is a book that I would love to discuss with students. A unique premise. I can’t think of a kids book on cults.
May 26, 2025
Oh, this was GOOD. The last 30 or so pages especially brought it all together and had such powerful moments. I'll definitely be adding it to the school library.
I'm impressed with how well the author did figuring out how to convey the view point of someone who had previously been so cut off from so many typical things. It reminded me of Room a bit in that way.
I'm impressed with how well the author did figuring out how to convey the view point of someone who had previously been so cut off from so many typical things. It reminded me of Room a bit in that way.
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