We Built This City

Award-winning author Cat Patrick returns with a charming tale full of first crushes and new friendships, as one girl learns a little more about who she is and who she wants to be all while on the road trip of lifetime.

It’s the summer of 1985 and twelve-year-old Stevie is finally old enough to go on her sign-language troupe’s annual cross-country tour. Twenty-six teen cast members will perform in more than twenty cities, and Stevie and her best friend, Wes, can’t wait—for more reasons than one! Away from home for the first time and on tour with their secret crushes, Stevie and Wes have big plans to finally let their crushes know how they feel. But every time Stevie tries to even talk to her crush, Joey, she gets completely tongue-tied. Then inspiration strikes—she decides to tell him through a Long-Distance Dedication on the American Top 40 radio show. Surely pop lyrics can say it better than she can!

From each new city, Stevie mails a new Long-Distance Dedication, handwritten in scented pen, explaining to DJ Casey Kasem how awesome Joey is and why they’re meant to be. Making sure Joey is in the room when American Top 40 airs is tricky, but Stevie and Wes get the job done. The only problem? After weeks on tour, Casey still hasn’t read any of Stevie’s dedications. She’s running out of time. To complicate things, Joey is giving Stevie mixed signals. One day he’s nice to her—even helps her keep an important secret—and the next she sees him flirting with another castmate. It’s enough to make Stevie’s head spin right ‘round. Does Joey like her or not? And after getting to know him, is she sure she likes him back?