Our Fair Share

Jette, Sarah Marie. Our Fair Share

May 12, 2026 by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Serafina, Cassi, James, and Avory usually hang out during the duration of the Knox County, Maine fair. This year, however, they are all dealing with a number of family and personal issues that are interfering with their enjoyment of this yearly event. Cassi's father was supposed to be the fair manager, but was accused of cheating. He's back, but the two aren't staying in their trailer, which Cassi uses as a museum of oddities. He has to volunteer his services, and Cassi goes to the trailer alone. Serafina was in a bad car accident with her mother Patty, a kindergarten teacher who runs the ferris wheel that her father constructed. Cassi is now anxious about all dangers in the world, and isn't sure that she will be able to put the paper fortunes she writes on the seats of the ferris wheel for riders to find. James has changed schools, and has been given a lot of trouble by Luke, who shows up at the fair. He has always made the ribbons for the craft competitions, but the new manager, the evil Mike Mercier, now wants participation ribbons for everyone, which is a lot of work. James sews his own clothes and is very particular about what he wears, but doesn't want to enter a sweater he knit to the fiber arts competition, preferring to keep the sweater with it's hidden rainbow pattern to himself. Avory frets about being small; they haven't grown very much. Every year, they have set a Power Tower record for amount of force applied to the fair attraction run by Darryl, but now that they are twelve, it's getting harder. The friends do get together to write out their goals, but there are many obstacles this year. Mr. Mercier bans flashlight tag, helping with the animals, and even Serafina's fortunes, which he says are littering the grounds. Each consumed by their own problems, the children don't reach out to each other for help very much until a devastating storm destroys Cassi's trailer. They all manage to save what they can, and are able to move forward after sharing their problems with each other. 

Strengths: There are thousands of county fairs that take place across the US, and very, very few middle grade books about them. Tweens are involved in 4 H, livestock, and all manner of family businesses, so the possibilities for books set during the fair could be endless. My best friend's family always showed cows, so they had a stall at the fair grounds, and we spent many happy hours wandering about. Serafina's ferris wheel is very cool, and James' involvement at the competition barn made me jealous! There's even a bit of Midway interest with the High Striker that Avory is determined to master. Even Cassi's museum of oddities isn't that unusual. I love that the families are involved, and Mr. Mercier, who is changing things, is the perfect villain. 
Weaknesses: Cassi's museum of oddities sounded unkempt and gross. After the trailer is damaged, she starts putting a mosaic on the walls with all the broken bits. This sounded like a health hazard. The fair ground sounded rather small, so it seems unlikely that such a decrepit vehicle would have been allowed to remain. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed Torres' Flora and Miranda Steal the Show but want a heaping helping of problems with their county fair. I would love to see a happy and humorous fair adventure book along the lines of Shang's The Best Worst Summer of Esme Sun or Holms' Sunny Makes a Splash. I get that writers want to make the school year full of problems, but can't we at least have happy summers?