She is a self-professed anomaly because she feels different from seemingly normal people, and she therefore feels alone and unable to make genuine connections, especially after her mom and dad get divorced. As far as she’s concerned nothing, not her father, or her step-monster Kathy, will keep her from leaving the horrible wastelands of Mississippi to reach her mother in Cleveland by Labor Day. Sixteen-year-old Mim runs away from her father's home and goes on a long, eventful bus journey to find her mother. Mary Iris Malone, known by her nickname of Mim, is not okay. When her parents unexpectedly divorce, Mim Malone is dragged from her beloved home in Ohio to the 'wastelands' of Mississippi, where she lives in a haze of medication with her dad and new (almost certainly evil) stepmom.īut when Mim learns her real mother is ill back home, she escapes her new life and embarks on a rescue mission aboard a Greyhound bus, meeting an assortment of quirky characters along the way.Īnd when her thousand-mile journey takes a few turns she could never see coming, Mim must confront her own demons, redefining her notions of love, loyalty, and what it means to be sane. Mary Iris Malone (Mim) Mim is the 16-year-old protagonist who embarks on a journey from Mississippi to Ohio to find her mom. Mosquitoland by David Arnold is one such book. 'At last, a Kerouacian adventure for teenage girls' INDEPENDENT A story of the difficulties we face and the strength we find to overcome them, perfect for fans of LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, THE FAULT IN OUR STARS, and JUNO. David Arnold lives in Lexington, Kentucky, with his (lovely) wife and (boisterous) son.He is theNew York Times bestselling author of Kids of Appetite and Mosquitoland, and his books have been translated into over a dozen languages.Previous jobs include freelance musician/producer, stay-at-home dad, and preschool teacher. SYNOPSIS: Mims father has recently divorced her mother and married Kathy, a waitress at Dennys whom he met shortly after.