In the summer of 1976, thirteen-year-old Mary embarks on an unforgettable cross-country journey with her father and younger twin sisters. What begins as an exciting road trip in their beat-up car, Blue Pierre, soon unravels into a chaotic adventure as their father’s decisions force them into unexpected situations.

Traveling through iconic American landscapes—from Mount Rushmore to Yellowstone and San Francisco—Mary grapples with the growing realization that her father is not the hero she once believed him to be. When the trip takes a disastrous turn in Texas, leaving them stranded, Mary must find the strength to navigate their way home to Ohio, hitchhiking with strangers and confronting the painful truth about family, loyalty, and growing up.

Set against the backdrop of America’s Bicentennial celebrations, Bicentennial Summer is a coming-of-age story about love, disappointment, and the bittersweet journey of understanding the people we cherish most.