Growing Up on Route 66 by Michael Lund

A coming of age story in a small town along the famous highway, Route 66. Novelist Michael Lund's Route 66 kids are the generation that grew up in America after World War II, experiencing childhood in the innocent 1950s but coming of age in the turbulent 1960s. Their stories are told in seven novels stretching form the post-War period to after 9/11. Growing up on Route 66, first book in the series, is set in a Missouri small town along "America's Main Street." The story of Mark Landon, Marcia Terrell, and their friends takes place in a neighborhood known to the children growing up there as the "Circle." That time and place are remembered as ideal, but closer scrutiny repeatedly--and often humorously--complicates this innocent picture. "Route 66, with its endless stream of traffic and modest roadside motels and restaurants, provides the backdrop [to his stories]. . . . His characters move from their small stretch of Route 66 into the world beyond." --Nancy Beardsley, Voice of America "An extremely heartwarming and nostalgic look at young people's angst during this age of wonder." --David Knudson, Route 66 Federation News His "series of Route 66 novels [say that] Route 66 has come to mean slower travel, small towns, and a connection to the promise this country enjoyed at mid-century." --Sarah McConnell, Virginia Public Radio's "With Good Reason"