I read Walk Two Moons a few years ago and liked Sharon Creech's writing very much. Lately I was at the library and picked up The Wanderer. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The format of a diary fits the story. Also the viewpoint of a few different characters adds to the story. I have always been fascinated by water. I love to listen to and watch the ocean (when I'm near it) or a waterfall or river. Really any body of water. Some of my fondest memories are from the cabin. I would sit down on the dock at dusk and listen to the sound of the lake; the birds, fish, waves, and the feel of the setting sun. It was one of my favorite places to be. Of course the ocean terrifies me and a trip across it in a boat the size of the Wanderer gives me small nightmares.
Creech doesn't use a lot of words. But the ones she chooses to describe Sophie and her trip are the perfect ones. The reader can feel the boat and smell/see the ocean. They can also feel and understand the emotions Sophie experiences. This journey isn't just a physical one for her but an emotional and life changing event. The same goes for her cousins and uncles. Definitely a read for any age.