Monday, July 29, 2013

Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday - Family Reunion Edition!

I'm out of town for hubby's family reunion so no review from me this week. But please check out the other great bloggers and reviewers!

ALTHOUGH! My all-time favorite book about families and family reunions is this one. Love. This. Book! Believe me, the synopsis below does not do it justice. The characters are so real and funny and flawed you'd think they were part of your own family.


When the invitation to the Preffyn family reunion arrives interrupting a perfectly decent summer vacation, 15-year-old Shelley Wollcott is anything but enthusiastic. It’s not that Shelley has anything against her relatives, she just can’t stand it when they give her that “what a pity” look. It’s not her fault that her real mother walked out on the family or that her father has remarried yet again. With Dad away on business and her older sister visiting their mother in Paris, Shelley must face the “perfect” Preffyns’ reunion with only her prankster younger brother and her insecure new stepmother at her side. It’s an opportunity to uncover the family’s secrets, but Shelley isn’t sure whether, when she discovers the truth, she’ll laugh or cry.

In this funny and poignant novel by Caroline B. Cooney, Shelley learns to appreciate all the members of her unusual family—including herself!—in ways she never anticipated. And she discovers things are often not as perfect as they seem.

You may be able to find this book in your local library, too, with this original cover.




Enjoy!

xo,
Kimberley

P.S. I'm in the *wilds* of Arizona, outrunning heat and fires and thunderstorms galore. . . :-)  



- Jess from Reading Nook Reviews joins the MMGM fun with a feature on MY BASMATI BAT MITZVAH! Click HERE to welcome her to the group. 
- Laurel Holman also joins the MMGM fun with a feature on THE BOOK OF STORY BEGINNINGS. Click HERE to welcome her to the group.
- 11-year-old Xander is gushing about KEEPING SAFE THE STARS. Click HERE to see what he thought.   
- Joni Patterson is back with a feature on THE WIG IN THE WINDOW. Click HERE to see her review.  
- Mariah Lyons is cheering for THE FALSE PRINCE. Click HERE to see why. 
- Rosi Hollinbeck has two features, WHISTLING PAST THE GRAVEYARD and PRINCESS ACADEMY--with a GIVEAWAY. Click HERE for all the fun. 
- Alex Baugh is spreading the word for ROMEO BLUE. Click HERE to see why. 
- Heidi Grange is raving about CLONEWARD BOUND. Click HERE to see what she thought. 
- Flash, the Feline Extraordinaire, (and Professional Mews to Cindy Strandvold) recommends THE EVOLUTION OF CALPURNIA TATE. Click HERE to see what that's all about.   
- Jennifer Rumberger has chills for DEAD END. Click HERE to see what she thought.
- Natalie Lorenzi is interviewing Ammi-Joan Paquette about RULES FOR GHOSTING. Click HERE for all the fun 
- Maria Selke is championing ZERO TOLERANCE. Click HERE to see her review. 
- Medeia Sharif is sharing some love for ANASTASIA, ASK YOUR ANALYST. Click HERE to read her review. 
- Michelle Mason is totally addicted to ONCE UPON THE END. Click HERE to see her review.  
- Kimberley Griffiths Little also has an MMGM feature. Click HERE to see what it is.
- Barbara Watson has a double feature this week: HATTIE BIG SKY and HATTIE EVER AFTER. Click HERE for both reviews.
- Dorine White has a review of NATHANIEL FLOOD, BEASTOLOGIST: FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX. Click HERE to read more. 
- Joanne Fritz always has an MMGM for you. Click HERE to see what she's talking about this week. 
- The Mundie Moms are always part of the MMGM fun (YAY!). Click HERE to see their newest recommendations. And if you aren't also following their Mundie Kids site, get thee over THERE and check out all the awesome!    
- The lovely Shannon O'Donnell always has an MMGM ready for you! Click HERE to see what she's featuring this week!
- Karen Yingling also always has some awesome MMGM recommendations for you. Click HERE to which ones she picked this time!
- Pam Torres always has an MMGM up on her blog. Click HERE to see what she's spotlighting this week.
- Deb Marshall is an MMGM regular. Click HERE to see what she's featuring this week. 
If you would like to join in the MMGM fun, all you have to do is blog about a middle grade book you love (contests, author interviews and whatnot also count--but are most definitely not required) and email me the title of the book you're featuring and a link to your blog at SWMessenger (at) hotmail (dot) com. (Make sure you put MMGM or Marvelous Middle Grade Monday in the subject line so I see it)
NOTE: I used to not have a cut-off time for adding links to the post, but with how insane my schedule is right now, if you don't email me by Sunday evening (usually around 11pm PST is when I put the links together) I can't guarantee I'll have a chance to add you. BUT, you are welcome to add your link in the comments on this post so people can find you!

*Please note: these posts are not a reflection of my own opinions on the books featured. Each blogger is responsible for their own MMGM content and I do not pre-screen posts ahead of time, nor do I control what books they choose. I simply assemble the list based on the links that are emailed to me ahead of time

6 comments:

Natalie Aguirre said...

Have fun at your reunion. Hadn't heard of this. Great choice considering where you are this week.

Kimberley Griffiths Little said...

Thank you, Natalie! BAD thunderstorms in Arizona and the power was out in our hotel Saturday night! Wild stuff.

If you ever get a chance to read this book, hope you enjoy it! And I hope you're well and having a great summer!

Urdu Novels said...

I was very pleased to find this site.I wanted to thank you for this great read I definitely enjoying every little bit of it and I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you post.

Barbara Watson said...

Enjoy your time with family! I haven't heard of this book, so thanks. Also, I've been off the MMGM grid for awhile but want to welcome you!!

DMS said...

Have a wonderful time with your family and I hope Arizona is good to you. :)

Thanks for the recommendation!
~Jess

Kimberley Griffiths Little said...

Hi Barbara, so fun to see you here! It *has* been awhile since I've seen you in the neighborhood! Thank you for the welcome, too!

And Jess, thanks so much for the good wishes! Hope you enjoy the book!

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