"So much for being a professional
dog walker.
Thanks, by the way, for getting all
the little kids home earlier. And for
coming back and going to Miss
Patty's with me.
No problem.
I guess I was sorta helpful ...
for someone you hate."
Avery is a young girl trying desperately to find her own space in a house filled with children. She is 11, and is the second oldest of 7 children who live in a small, quiet town in Maryland. In the hustle and bustle of living in a large family, she tries to find time for the art she loves, to spend time with her two best friends, and to wait for the annual fair that ends the summer before school begins again.
It's fifth grade graduation, and the whole family is there. Embarrassing? It can be and is, when her toddler brother is so excited about seeing his big sister on stage that he runs straight down the aisle toward her while losing his pants along the way. Poor Avery! Her constant lack of privacy has her wanting a room of her own. Nope, her older brother is the lucky one. Apparently, he needs it more than she does.
She does her best to find ways to earn money that might help with cleaning up the basement and offering her a room of her own. Nothing is successful. Then comes the real surprise. Her older brother Theo lets it slip that her parents are considering a move across the country to Oregon, where her mother has an opportunity for a new job. Avery is heartbroken and furious that she has not been told, or considered in such a big change.
This excellent graphic novel for middle graders provides an authentic look at life in a large, loving family. The relationships are full of tenderness and welcome experiences. Each character is well drawn, and has a role in daily exchanges between the parents and siblings. Kids in large families will recognize themselves in many scenarios so realistically shared.
This is a family worthy of admiration. Their story is both heartwarming and humorous, and definitely worth reading.
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