The Car - Gary Paulsen

At 14, Terry Anders has been abandoned by his parents, with no choice but to make his own way. After assembling pieces of a kit car from his father's garage, he sets out from Cleveland to Portland to search for an uncle he hardly knows. Neglected by his parents, fourteen-year-old Terry Anders is used to taking care of things on his own. He even manages to assemble a car kit by himself. When the car is finished, Terry sets off from Cleveland to Portland in search of an uncle he barely remembers. Along the way, he is joined by a wise Vietnam vet who turns his journey into an adventure in learning. Each book includes a reader's guide.