As Easy As Falling Off the Face of the Earth by Lynne Rae Perkins

From Goodreads:In this new novel by a Newbery Medalist ("Criss Cross"), 16-year-old Ry completely redefines summer vacation. Illustrated with the author's line art and comics throughout.




From Misty:
Ry is off to summer camp. Wait, he's how old? (*cough* 16) But on the train he opens a letter from the camp that says camp is cancelled. He gets off the train to call home, but the train leaves without him. So he walks into town and Del takes him in and after a day of working at Del's tree cutting down business, Ry decides to let Del drive him across country to home. Wow. Ry, you're kind of an idiot. And even though Del is a nice guy, he has other reasons for driving Ry home which turns out to be his wife, What's her name.
Ry and his folks have bad luck after back luck, but Ry can't really grow because it's not bad choices he's making, not really, not in the sense of being a bad egg who needs reform...more like choices that turn out to be poor based on the circumstances. So it's all about circumstances and not about Ry at all. So then I have to ask myself who this book even about, because it's not about Del either. Ry is extraodinarily under-developed as a character--he really falls flat. Del is the one who has personality, character, integrity, intelligence, a bevy of interesting friends, and a history you wish you knew.I liked this book, but as there was no romance and nobody fell in love, it kinda didn't do it for me. The thing was, there was totally the possiblity of a great love story between Del and ...Whatever her name was that was barely touched on.
I suppose it wasn't touched on because that wasn't the point of the novel. But then I had to ask myself what the point was. ....*crickets--crickets*... Um...there wasn't one?  But the poem Del writes to his wife inspires the title of the book--and it's about falling in love,or maybe being in love, and it's pretty much one of the sweetest poems ever.

Try as I might, I can't escape your gravity.
My orbit is eliptical.
I fling myself far and think I'm free.
Who am I kidding?
Invisible forces and visible ones come into play.
A stranger comes to town.
Someone goes on a trip.
Leaving and staying away
is as easy as falling off the face of the earth.
But who would want to anyway?

So, okay book, but...confused. Less plot, more a series of unconnected and/or unbelievable events.