Rating: 
Summary: Rules of the Road
Review: Joan Bauer managed to get comedy and drama packed into one great read. Rules of the Road had some serious issiues in it, like her dad being an acholic, and is also a hilarious novel. Bauer as always has a girl whose really good at something in each of her books, and in this case it's selling shoes. This is a great book for mostly girls ages 12-16, and I would reccomend it to anyone.
Rating:
Summary: The Way of Loving Others
Review: Jenna Boller, age 16, works at Gladstone Shoes and has a job for the summer to drive the owner of Gladstone Shoes to all of her shoe stores in 6 different states. While travelling on the road, Jenna meets and makes new friends. She gets a chance to help her boss solve a big problem with her son, Elden Gladstone. This book is full of love, mystery, and sadness. I like this book because mystery books always get my attention, because Joan Bauer always gives love, mystery, and sadness in her books. Joan writes stories from her life experiences. This story teaches me to not always judge a book by it's cover or judge a person by the way they act, dress, etc.
Rating: 
Summary: Good, "Hope Was Here" is Better..
Review: I got this book after reading the GREAT book "Hope Was Here," in hopes that this would be similar. Well, it was. Too similar for me. The plot follows Jenna, a teen just dealing with the problems of impending adulthood. Her father has always been an alcoholic, when he comes back to town after her parents' divorce, Jenna is faced with all the problems of her early life again. Jenna works at Gladstone's Shoes, when owber Mrs. Gladstone notices Jenna's exemplary work, she offers Jenna a job as her driver. What awaits is a summer of discovery. For all that, it's a great book. But, if you compare this to Bauer's "Hope Was Here," it's practically the same plot: You can try running away from your problems, they stay with you anyway. Just when you start to realize how good a person is, they die. And for some people, there's just no reformation. It's the identical plot, practically word for word, with a mask of different characters and a slightly altered situation. I'd recommend reading this, it is very entertaining. It's not very refreshing, though.
Rating: 
Summary: Rules of the Road
Review: Rules of the Road gives young kids a chance to feel like they have made a huge accomplishment themselves. Jenna brings understanding and friendship to the book, while Ms.Gladstone brings the book a problem and a witty sense of humor. Read this book to your kids and it would make a great gift for your 16 year old teen who is ready to get behind the wheel.
Rating:
Summary: "Rules of the Road"
Review: I read this book because my friend recommended it to me. I picked it up and didn't put it down until I had finished it. The story follows Jenna, a teenager who not only sells shoes, but is happy doing so. Jenna is asked to be a driver for the summer for the finnicky owner of the chain of shoe stores she works at. Jenna is taken on a road trip learning about driving, shoes, and life in general, as well as learning to deal with her alcoholic absent father. I was touched by this book. It is told in such an honest manner, you couldn't help but feel like you not only knew but were friends with Jenna. I was entertained by Mrs. Gladstone, the elderly owner of Gladstone Shoe Stores. I would definitely recommend this book to my friends.
Rating:
Summary: Rules of the Road
Review: Jenna Boller may not be the most popular girl at high school. At five foot eleven, she towers over everyone and often feels awkward. Her alcoholic father with his frequent obnoxious public antics does not help her social life either. Luckily, Jenna has a place where she feels at home. At Gladstone's shoes, Jenna is the number one employee due to her great understanding of people that allows her to find them the best pair of shoes for their feet. With her superior record for selling shoes, Jenna catches the attention of Madeline Gladstone, the elderly president of Gladstone shoes. Madeline appreciates Jenna's spunk and maturity and hires Jenna to work as her chauffer for a summer drive from Chicago to Dallas to check up on all of the stores. Hesitant at first to spend three months with a cranky old woman, Jenna soon discovers that despite their age gap, she and Madeline actually have quite a bit in common. As the miles on the road increase in number, so does a strong friendship between Jenna and Madeline. Along the way, they encounter some very interesting people and Jenna learns some very important things about the rules of life. In Rules of the Road, Joan Bauer delivers an uplifting message of hope with a strong, young protagonist who befriends a group of older people and is able to learn some very important things about life from them. At the same time, she is able to help them out as well. At the end of the road, Jenna finds herself to be a much stronger and wiser person, thanks to her new friendships and her newfound confidence in herself.
Rating:
Summary: Another winner from Joan Bauer
Review: Continuing in the tradition of her previous books, Joan Bauer graces us with another strong, independent heroine with an unusual passion. Jenna sells shoes, and she does it well. When the owner of the shoe-store chain recruits her to drive from Chicago to Dallas, Jenna is torn. She has plenty of problems she'd like to get away from but she also has concerns about leaving her family for the summer. The most striking thing about this book is how Jenna comes to understand the relationship between trials and character. Though this is somewhat a feel-good novel, it doesn't shy away from serious problems and heavy topics. It also deals well with the fact that, in real life, things do not always turn out how we want them too but that doesn't absolve us of personal responsibility. Together with the themes mentioned above, the writing is engrossing and the result is a very insightful book which is a pleasure to read.
Rating:
Summary: Rules of The Road
Review: Before I read this book, I was thinking about working at a shoe place like Foot Locker or Foot Action. This book really got me thinking. Exactly how much do those people in the striped uniforms know? Do they know which basketball shoe is the most comfortable, or the best shoe for long distance running? Maybe...maybe not. This book is fun to read because the people seem to know so much. It must have took a long time to write it. I liked this book because it showed the business side of things. One person was really into the quality, and another into profit. They both settled to an agreement. It showed how two different people that thought very differently could get along. I really liked this book, and would definitely recommend this to someone else.
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Summary: road trip
Review: I read this book after hearing Joan Bauer speak at a conference. She was such an engaging speaker that I immediately wanted to read her books. I was not disappointed with Rules of the Road. It was quite funny, and I would recommend it to anyone who has had a demeaning job that they loved and were good at (i.e. selling shoes (in the book) or waiting tables (in my life)).
Rating:
Summary: Rules of the Road
Review: RULES OF THE ROAD is about a girl named Jenna that works at a shoe store called Gladstone's. She accepts when the manager of the chain of Gladstone stores offers to pay her to drive her across the country for a series of meetings for the store. While driving, Jenna finds out about the store's history and its future- including the disturbing news that Gladstone's is about to be sold to a larger company. Jenna fights against the sale, with the manager's help. They stick together even when the manager's own son, Elden, admits that he is the person that wanted to sell Gladstone's in the first place! All in all, this is an inspirational story, and changed the way I look at life!
A very good read, I highly recommend it!
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