We Made It Home—Dirt Road Rascals Is Finished!
by Jennifer Greene-Sullivan
Y’all, we made it. After twists, turns, a blown tire, and one very memorable rattlesnake—Dirt Road Rascals is officially finished! I need to play with the formatting and set a launch date!!
This sweet Southern story started with two siblings, a travel ball tournament, and one very wrong turn down a dusty backroad. What I thought would be a simple second/third grade reader quickly grew into something richer: a tale of courage, cleverness, and the quiet lessons we learn when life doesn’t go according to plan.
Over the course of ten chapters, Dottie Rose and Grady taught me (and hopefully young readers, too) that getting lost isn’t always a setback—it can be the beginning of something beautiful. They reminded me of the value of family, the strength found in being still, and how sometimes, a grandpa’s porch and a glass of sweet tea are exactly what the soul needs.
The final chapter made me emotional. Watching Dottie Rose swing that bat and Grady cheer from the bleachers was more than a plot resolution—it was a celebration of every moment they grew together along the way.
To every teacher, parent, and little reader ready to hop in for the ride: I hope you love these rascals as much as I do.
There’s nothing quite like finishing a book that has characters that I love and believe in–Dottie Rose and Grady.
I think I’ll keep the dirt on my shoes a little longer.
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The Aging English Major 