Summary

A narrator begins by wishing for the gifts of the chameleon –to adapt and see two ways.

Ariel – Almost-seventeen year-old Ariel Pearson and her Dad, an Army veteran named Mark, have moved around frequently since she was little. She longs for a place to truly call home, where she can feel safe, accepted, and be herself. Despite this, Ariel knows she has seen beautiful sights across the country, such as the Grand Canyon and Niagara Falls. Dad becomes angry with Ariel for wanting a home, accusing her of wanting to run off and leave him like her mother did. He usually says this while he is drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes. Her dad tells her he is raising her as he was raised. As they travel, Dad uses an atlas to decide where they will go. They come to live in Sonora, California. They...