It's
Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
at
at
and #IMWAYR day
at
May 12, 2026 by Knopf Books for Young Readers
E ARC provided by Netgalley
When Mae Merrivale and Arthur Buckfort marry, they find themselves with a large family. Cricket (12), Flossie (11), and Parker (7) Merrivale miss their father, who travels with his rock band, The Flying Subs, but Darwin (8) and Newt (6) Buckfort don't really remember their mother, since she left when they were small. The parents think it will be a good idea for the family to bond by renting a ramshackle RV and spending three weeks traveling on a "familymoon" to Yellowstone National Park. Considering that the trip also includes a sheepdog named Archimedes, it's not surprising that things don't follow Arthur detailed itinerary. Cricket is upset that she won't be going to her usual summer camp, and knows that she won't get much writing done. Flossie, who is always investigating nature, insists on bringing a metal detector, specimen case, and microscope. Mae thinks that she will be able to finish three paintings she needs to submit to a gallery at the end of the family's vacation. Parker is a bit overwhelmed by his two new brothers, since Newt is a whirlwind who has brought a long a snake that gets loose in the RV, and Darwin is worried and concerned about bears, a fear that is not helped by reading a book about them. There are typical disasters, like the RV not having air conditioning and occasionally breaking down, and unfortunate ones like Cricket's cassette tape of her father's band accidentally getting recorded over. Once settled at the campground, there are plenty of adventures, and Cricket meets Ecko, who is staying nearby with his mothers. Ecko saves the Day by giving the family a spare tire so they can continue their explorations. Darwin is scared of the stuffed bear at the Old Faithful Inn, and doesn't want to leave the camper. Flossie is determined to get to an archaeological dig, but scheduling this proves challenging. There is plenty of bad cooking, Lego mishaps, and mud... lots of mud. There are also tough times when getting used to other family members, especially in such small quarters. Cricket can see that Darwin and Newt are not used to having a mom, even though her mother wants to take care of them, but can't see how Flossie feels ignored, since she is processing her own feelings. Things blow up, and there is an incident where a bear gets in the RV that unsettles everyone, but when the parents decide to "turn the RV around" and go back home, the kids realize that they are enjoying being together even though it is sometimes difficult, and encourage their parents to continue traveling with the "Merribuck" clan.
Strengths: I've said time and again that my students are much more likely to experience blended families than they are likely to deal with the death of a parent, but middle grade literature would have us believe otherwise. The combined Merrivale/Buckford family has a wide array of interests and talents, and seeing them struggle to get along while in an RV, eating undercooked pancakes and not changing their socks enough, is completely amusing to read about. We see the perspective of all of the members, so understand that Darwin is struggling with some real fears, Flossie has a lot of ideas and energy, and Cricket is struggling with the lack of quiet. We even see that blended families can be hard for adults, too, as no one seems to appreciate Arthur's detailed schedule or Mae's attempts at mothering. Young readers will love this for the funny adventures, as well as the very cute and understanding Ecko. Even the cover by Macky Pamintuan is sunny and happy, despite the terror on the children's faces. Highly recommended for all elementary and middle school libraries.
Weaknesses: Having just read an adult book before picking this up, I was a little torn. There wasn't as much of a developed plot, since the family is just traveling and learning to get along, so I almost wanted this to be more character focused, like an adult novel. Since Cricket is the oldest, and this book is based on Nelson's own childhood experience, I almost wanted this to be a first person narrator. Cricket's insights about a blended family, and a little more of a romance with Ecko, would have been quite interesting, but of course would have been a completely different book. As it is, RV There Yet will appeal to more readers, but twelve year old me wanted more about Cricket's inner thoughts, since I never had to deal with stepsiblings.
What I really think: This is a perfect, humorous adventure book for summer reading! No one dies, and there are realistic problems that are overcome with understanding and patience. This is a great choice for readers who enjoyed Burke's An Occasionally Happy Family or Reardon's Dad Rock Dragon Quest. I will definitely buy a copy, and it will be very popular with my students, especially fans of Nelson's WISH books.
Weaknesses: Having just read an adult book before picking this up, I was a little torn. There wasn't as much of a developed plot, since the family is just traveling and learning to get along, so I almost wanted this to be more character focused, like an adult novel. Since Cricket is the oldest, and this book is based on Nelson's own childhood experience, I almost wanted this to be a first person narrator. Cricket's insights about a blended family, and a little more of a romance with Ecko, would have been quite interesting, but of course would have been a completely different book. As it is, RV There Yet will appeal to more readers, but twelve year old me wanted more about Cricket's inner thoughts, since I never had to deal with stepsiblings.
What I really think: This is a perfect, humorous adventure book for summer reading! No one dies, and there are realistic problems that are overcome with understanding and patience. This is a great choice for readers who enjoyed Burke's An Occasionally Happy Family or Reardon's Dad Rock Dragon Quest. I will definitely buy a copy, and it will be very popular with my students, especially fans of Nelson's WISH books.
May 12, 2026 by Lonely Planet
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
I've been enthralled by travel book ever since I picked up the original 1984 Let's Go: Greece before I spent a year living in Athens for college. Even if you never get the chance to go to a country, reading about it can be fascinating. Of course, back in the 1980s, there were only tiny black and white illustrations, so you had to use your imagination a lot more. These Lonely Planet Kid's Guides are not meant to be used to find hostels and places for cheap food, but are more of a glimpse into all of the wonders that countries have to offer.
Starting with a map is especially important to a guide to Japan, since young readers might not be aware that there are so many islands to this Asian country. There's a nice spotlight on Tokyo, followed with the variety of types of travel one might encounter, from bullet trains to ferries to subways. I loved the detail that between trips a cleaning crew performs a "seven minute miracle" to get trains clean, and also the descriptions of the behaviors on public transport.
In addition to the many urban and natural sites, there is a good deal of culture presented, from an explanation of Kawaii culture and Harajuku fashion to different celebrations and religious and historical monuments. Of course, the information about food is always interesting, and fish, noodles, and tea all get coverage.The best part about the book is the wealth of photographs of different sights. The only quibble I have with this one is an introduction to Sanrio products that refers to Hello Kitty as a cat; I will agree with the company that she is a little girl!
Like the guides to Paris and New York City, this is formatted in a predictable way, and I can imagine a young reader who is interested in travel wanting to read all of these books and compare the different cities in countries. My daughter and her husband may end up living in Japan for a few years for work, so I would definitely buy a copy for them to have on hand!
May 12, 2026 by Lonely Planet
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
It's good to see the Lonely Planet guide including books on countries in their series, and not just cities. The format remains mostly the same as books like the guides to London and Rome, but gives a better feel for other areas in the region. This shows up in sections on travel, which includes not only trains that travel the country and the ubiquitous scooters and motorcycles, but the vaporettos the are used in Venice.
There's a wide array of activities and sights depicted, equally divided into urban and natural ones. There is a good section on food in Italy, and I learned some things about making pasta that I had never heard before! Shopping and art, as well as historical sights, are included as well.
Rome certainly gets a lot of coverage, as do areas around it like Herculaneum and Ostia Antica, which I highly recommend. These guides do not offer information about hours or admission rates like other travel guides, but let me just remind everyone that the Villa Borghese grounds are still closed on Mondays, just like they were back in 1985 when my college roommate and I tried to visit. Plan ahead!
Other fun facts include information on Medeival Tuscany, gardens, and languages that are spoken in far flung areas of the country by very few people. The beautiful pictures and fast paced text will give young readers a taste for travel, and are a great choice for cold winter days when one is stuck inside reading!
No comments:
Post a Comment