RV There Yet?

In this raucous comedy by Nelson (A Batch Made in Heaven), a newly blended family navigates growing pains while embarking on a “familymoon.” Twelve-year-old writer Cricket, 11-year-old aspiring naturist Flossie, and quiet seven-year-old Parker Merrivale are just getting used to living with their new stepbrothers, eight-year-old survival guide aficionado Darwin and mischievous six-year-old Newt Buckfort, when their parents announce that the whole family is driving to Yellowstone National Park on a vacation that will “fuse us with some great forever glue.” It turns out, however, that piling two adults, five children, and a very large dog into an ancient motor home (affectionately dubbed Titan) makes for cramped quarters. And as they set off, the road trip soon devolves into chaos, with the forced proximity providing ample opportunity for hijinks, emotional friction, and—hopefully—familial bonding. Alternating third-person narration primarily centers Cricket, who chafes against eldest-child responsibilities and fears that the trip will do more harm than good. Lush prose depicts the natural wonders of Yellowstone, against which the white-cued family members endeavor to come together despite their disparate interests and personalities. Partially based on Nelson’s own childhood experiences, per an endnote, it’s a funny and frenetic summertime romp brimming with heart. Ages 8–12. Agent: Ammi-Joan Paquette, Aevitas Creative Management. (May)