The Long Way Home is a story of twins who are in a summer day camp program. The twins are surprised when they are enrolled into day camp, this was something different than there traditional summers that were spent on the beach. Sally and Emily are learning to deal with their mother's cancer. Sally is separated from her twin for the first time in the camp, she is distraught when her sister is happy and displays no dissatisfaction. Sally takes a pessimistic attitude toward almost everything, her camp friends, her mother’s cancer, and her sister. She discovers that the conversations with the camp bus driver and the stories she tells her is a distraction, and helps her forget what is taking place in her life at home. New campers join in and Sally has new friends. Things begin to look brighter and start to look up with her new friends and the bus driver who has a talent for telling stories. Just as things seem to be getting better the bus driver is fired and mom is in the hospital. Sally is fed up with everything, she is upset with her family, mostly her mom for being sick. She has a melt down and is angry at everyone. Her sister finds her after her outburst and they finally talk. They discover that they need to talk about what is happening to their mother. They have a family meeting and discover that the whole family has been feeling the exact same way that Sally has been feeling! She is stunned, and learns that she needs to talk about what is bothering her. ( )