Title: Turn Left At The Cow

Authors: Lisa Bullard

Themes: Anxiety, Coping Skills, Grief, Social Skills, Developing Perspective, Friendship, Individuation, Blended Families

Age Recommendation: Junior High through High School

Summary: Turn Left At The Cow is a fun mystery that tells the story of Trav, a 13 year old who runs away from his mom and stepdad in California and "finds himself" (both literally and figuratively) in a small Minnesota town with his paternal grandmother. While living with her, he creates deep friendships, learns the truth about his deceased father, confronts fears stemming from his mom's new marriage, and develops a sustaining sense of self. Trav initially uses sarcasm as his primary coping skill, but gradually learns to replace it with genuine expression, modeling growth and individuation for readers.

Ideas / Interventions: This is a great book to use in conjunction with motivational interviewing techniques. Have clients read a few chapters at a time, between sessions, and then use values sorting activities to compare and contrast their own values with those of the characters in the book.