Nekomah Creek

Robby Hummer loves his family, even if they are somewhat unusual. His father stays home with the twins while his mother works, and the house is always messy, frenzied and full of laughter. Robby has never questioned his home life until the new school guidance counselor, Mrs. Van Gent, starts to inquire about it. When one of Robby's classmates is placed in a foster home, the boy begins to worry that he, too, might be separated from his family. Worst of all, Robby fears that Mrs. Van Gent's impending visit for dinner is actually an occasion to spy; he hopes he can visit order upon the chaos before she arrives. The author of Children of the River adroitly employs vibrant characters and believable predicaments to create an animated and true-to-life tale of a dynamic household. Robby is a sensitive, painfully honest protagonist whose fears and concerns will especially inspire those readers who live in unconventional homes. Ages 9-12. (Nov.)