Two sisters take off on a wild road trip in this poignant tale for fans of Counting by 7s and Fish in a Tree After Mama Lacy’s death, Fella was forced to move in with her grandmother, Mrs. Madison. The move brought Fella all sorts of comforts she wasn't used to at home, but it also meant saying goodbye to her sister Zoey (a.k.a. Zany) and her other mother, Mama Shannon. Though Mama Shannon fought hard to keep Fella, it was no use. The marriage act is still a few years away and the courts thought Fella would be better off with a blood relation. Already heartbroken, Fella soon finds herself alone in Mrs. Madison's house, grieving both the death of her mother and the loss of her entire family.       Then one night, Zany shows up at Mrs. Madison’s house determined to fulfill Mama Lacy’s dying wish: to have her ashes spread over the lawn of the last place they were all happy as a family. Of course, this means stealing Mama Lacy’s ashes and driving hundreds of miles in the middle of night to Asheville, North Carolina. Their adventure takes one disastrous turn after another, but their impulsive journey helps them rediscover the bonds that truly make them sisters. A heartrending story of family torn apart and put back together again, Ashes to Asheville is an important, timely tale. Gr 5–8—Following the death of one of her mothers, Mama Lacy, 12-year-old Fella is ripped from the only other parent she has ever known, Mama Shannon, and her 16-year-old sister, Zoey Grace, aka Zany. Fella is forced to move in with her grandmother Mrs. Madison, who has never approved of the relationship between her daughter, the more serious Mama Lacy, and the free-spirited Mama Shannon. When Zany shows up in the middle of the night, whisking away Fella and Mrs. Madison's stowaway poodle, Haberdashery, they set off on a misadventure of epic proportions. Zany is steadfastly determined that she and Fella return to Asheville, NC, to honor Mama Lacy's dying wish that her ashes be scattered there. In the span of a night, what can go wrong does—the girls lose (and find) the ash-filled urn and accept a ride with a would-be thief, and the dog is hit by a car—but nothing will stop them in their pursuit to tie together the last shreds of their torn-apart family. Many poor decisions are made during the journey, such as taking a ride with a stranger. While searching for the girls, Mama Shannon and Mrs. Madison come to realize they have more in common than they think, and they begin to understand the importance of putting aside their own grief when making family decisions. Dooley makes readers stop and think about what really constitutes a family and whether laws should ultimately define those parameters. VERDICT Poignantly told with verve and a splash of humor, this novel explores sensitive topics with care and belongs in all middle grade collections.—Michele Shaw, Quail Run Elementary School, San Ramon, CA Praise for Ashes to Asheville : A School Library Journal Best Book of 2017 A 2018 ALSC Children’s Notable 2018 Rainbow List Book A 2019 Intermediate Sequoya Master List Pick ★ “Dooley’s portrait of two sisters still struggling with grief and huge life changes makes for a powerful, absorbing read. . . . A tender, touching, and timely read .”— Booklist, starred review ★  “Dooley ( Free Verse ) skillfully balances the troubling story of a family torn apart with Fella’s lively, humorous narrative . . . in this moving, entertaining, and thought-provoking tale.”— Publishers Weekly , starred review ★  “ Poignantly told with verve and a splash of humor , this novel explores sensitive topics with care and belongs in all middle grade collections .”— School Library Journal , starred review   “Dooley packs plenty of emotion into this eventful road trip . . . Breathless and engaging , Fella's distinctive voice is convincingly childlike.”— Kirkus Reviews  “A warm tale of family possibilities after bereavement.”— BCCB  “Some books can sweep you away in the first sentence .”—NPR  “In her exquisite, poignant novel , Sarah Dooley ( Free Verse ; Body of Water ) explores the strange places grief takes people.”— Shelf Awareness “[A] believable, touching story of loss and healing.”— VOYA Praise for  Free Verse : ★   “Dooley subtly exposes readers to poetic forms that invite engagement, understanding, and expression, while Sasha and her extended family are depicted with a sweetness reminiscent of Cynthia Rylant— a southern soulfulness that is warm even as it reveals the downtrodden struggles of a mining community .”— Booklist ,  starred review   ★   “The changes in [Sasha’s] life, the anguish she feels, and her journey forward are expertly portrayed through Dooley’s use of first-person narration, which is sensitive and gentle without being soft or sentimental.  The poetry is wonderful and feels authentic to Sasha’s years …”— School Library Journal,  starred review  ★   “In this  gripping story , Dooley