If you’re looking for A-1 fiction to read in the New Year, start with award-winning author Jonathan Evison’s 2012 release, “The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving,” a story of love, loss, and hope.

Trevor Conklin, 19, lives with his mother, Elsa, on a small farm in Washington state; and he suffers from Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a degenerative disease that requires a wheelchair and 24-hour care. His father, Bob, left when he was 3 years old, two months after Trevor’s diagnosis.

Ben Benjamin, 39, is separated from his wife, Janet, after a terrible accident claimed the lives of their two children, Piper and Jodi, more than two years ago.

Ben blames himself for the tragedy, forever changing his perspective on life: “Who wants to live in a world where suffering is the only thing that lasts, a place where everything the world ever meant to you can be lost?” be despoiled in an instant?

Struggling to regain direction in his life, Ben enrolls in and graduates from a 28-hour evening course for caregivers at Abundant Life Foursquare Church.

Trevor and Ben bond when Ben applies to be Trevor’s day carer, allowing his mother to work on the farm.

Ben aspires to help Trevor transcend the routine of his life, which includes flaxseed waffles, three hours a day of the Weather Channel, and a Thursday matinee at the mall.

A super enlarged Triple A map, inspired by a show on the travel channel “American Back Roads,” is posted on a wall in Conklin’s living room. There, Ben places thumbtacks on North American roadside attractions that Trevor can only dream of experiencing.

Bob Conklin travels sporadically from Salt Lake City, Utah to see his son; and his unannounced visits upset Elsa and Trevor. Although, deep down, Trevor still loves his father: “Trevor will build the advantage of him until the end, hiding the only evidence that could absolve his father, namely that he still loves him.”

Driving through the desert, Bob crashes, typical of his unlucky life. Ironically, he temporarily becomes wheelchair dependent; and Trevor can’t help but gloat.

Trevor and Ben convince Elsa to allow them to travel to see how Bob is doing; and so she begins her journey to the southwestern United States.

Enjoy the duo’s tour vicariously as they visit popular landmarks, including Yellowstone National Park.

Along their journey, Ben and Trevor meet some interesting people, including Dot.

Dot is also a teenager who hitchhikes to get to Denver; and her daring and free-spirited ways attract Trevor. Despite Trevor’s physical limitations, Dot also finds him attractive. Dot joins Ben and Trevor as they continue their travels.

The newly discovered trio spots an Isuzu beatnik on the shoulder while riding through a downpour. There, they befriend a very pregnant young woman named Peaches who is changing a tire, while her loser boyfriend Elton is sitting in the passenger seat smoking a cigarette.

“Elton has back problems,” he explains. “That’s why I’m changing the tire.”

Meeting the young adults along the way, Ben naturally wonders what might have been if his children had survived.

Adding mystery to the entourage’s journey is a dilapidated brown Skylark with crooked license plates, visibly behind their truck.

Throughout the story, Evison deftly captures the bittersweet moments we’ve all experienced in life.

The phrase “Don’t judge a book by its cover” applies to “The Basics of Caring Revised”. Look beyond its cluttered psychedelic cover to discover a rich narrative, sure to complement your reading in 2013.

To discover your next great book, check out the Book Page. Book Page is published monthly and is available both online and in print. Many libraries offer the publication for free distribution. For more information, visit: http://bookpage.com.