# The Wrong Way Home

**Author:** Kate O'Shaughnessy
**Grade range:** Grades 4–8
**Age range:** 9–13
**First published:** 2024
**Page count:** 337
**Genre:** Middle Grade Fiction
**ISBN-13:** `9780593650752`
**ISBN-10:** `0593650751`
**Canonical URL:** https://readinglist.school/book/the-wrong-way-home
**License:** [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) — please credit ReadingList.school when citing.

## About this book

Twelve-year-old Fern has spent her life at the Ranch — an off-grid community led by a charismatic man who taught her the outside world is poison — until her mom suddenly takes her back to it. Kate O'Shaughnessy's novel is about questioning what you've been told and finding your own truth. Nominated for the 2025-2026 Maine Student Book Award (grades 4-8), the statewide reading list Maine students read from and vote on.

## Themes

- family
- truth
- belonging

## Content notes

- coercive community

## Where this book is assigned

### Maine Student Book Award

- **recommended** · 4th grade · Maine — [source: 2025-2026 Maine Student Book Award Reading List (grades 4-8)](https://sites.google.com/view/mainestudentbookaward/home)
- **recommended** · 5th grade · Maine — [source: 2025-2026 Maine Student Book Award Reading List (grades 4-8)](https://sites.google.com/view/mainestudentbookaward/home)
- **recommended** · 6th grade · Maine — [source: 2025-2026 Maine Student Book Award Reading List (grades 4-8)](https://sites.google.com/view/mainestudentbookaward/home)
- **recommended** · 7th grade · Maine — [source: 2025-2026 Maine Student Book Award Reading List (grades 4-8)](https://sites.google.com/view/mainestudentbookaward/home)
- **recommended** · 8th grade · Maine — [source: 2025-2026 Maine Student Book Award Reading List (grades 4-8)](https://sites.google.com/view/mainestudentbookaward/home)

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