B
en Mitchell’s philosophy that “some things in life are all right and some things are not all right” holds true in this slice-of-life novel, as Rodowsky (That Fernhill Summer
) comically depicts how the world of her 10-year-old protagonist is turned upside down when he becomes part of a “sudden, too big” family. Ben, whose birth mother died when he was a baby, thinks it is “cool” that his father is marrying Casey, the proprietor of a bakeshop, but that’s before he realizes how many new people are destined to disrupt his contentedly quiet life. Ben is soon overwhelmed by the aunts, uncles and cousins who are now part of his family. And to make things more complicated, his father and Casey decide to adopt a baby from China. Some events—like traveling overseas to pick up baby Maudie Mingmei—turn out to be exciting for Ben, while other occurrences (such as having to vacation with his new relatives instead of attending soccer camp) are not as fun. Ben’s misgivings about being embraced (figuratively and literally) by relatives whom he barely knows will draw sympathy from readers, as will his misfortune at getting stuck having to entertain the least appealing member of his new family—gloomy Great Aunt Nora—at a family reunion. Encapsulating the noise, chaos, mess and love that are all parts of being in a large family, this novel shows how some “not all right” predicaments turn out “all right” in the end. Ages 10-up. (Apr.)
