Description

When ten-year-old Adine's mother has a new baby, eccentric Aunt Irene comes to stay and shares Adine's bedroom—events that require a great deal of adjustment.

The Vorlob family is making preparations. Preparations for the new baby, soon to arrive.

Getting ready includes painting a mural in the baby's nursery and making a list of possible names. Adine, age ten, is used to the routine in her big family—she has four sisters already: Bernice, Carla, Dot, and Effie.

This time, however, the routine is broken. In more ways than one. Most significantly, Aunt Irene will be staying with the Vorlobs until Mrs. Vorlob is rested and back on her feet.

Aunt Irene arrives, as does the baby, but nothing goes quite as expected in this classic sibling story. Especially for Adine.

Multiple award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Kevin Henkes brings his insightful, gentle, real-world insight to middle grade novels, including:

  • Billy Miller Makes a Wish
  • Bird Lake Moon
  • The Birthday Room
  • Junonia
  • Olive's Ocean
  • Protecting Marie
  • Sun & Spoon
  • Sweeping Up the Heart
  • Two Under Par
  • Words of Stone
  • The Year of Billy Miller
  • The Zebra Wall

About the author(s)

Kevin Henkes has been praised both as a writer and as an illustrator and is the recipient of the Children’s Literature Legacy Award for his lasting contribution to literature for children. He received the Caldecott Medal for Kitten’s First Full Moon; Caldecott Honors for Waiting and Owen; Newbery Honors for Olive’s Ocean and The Year of Billy Miller; and Geisel Honors for Waiting and Penny and Her Marble. His other books include Is It Spring?, The World and Everything in It, A House, A Parade of Elephants, Chrysanthemum, and the beloved Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse. Kevin Henkes lives with his family in Madison, Wisconsin.

Reviews

“This is not another new-baby story; Henkes knows that every worry in a child’s life has many layers. He depicts Adine’s concerns with depth and sweetly persuasive touches of compassion, treating the thoughts and feelings of a 10-year-old with uncanny justice.” - Publishers Weekly

“Fans of Beverly Cleary and Betsy Byars will enjoy this Henkes selection.” - School Library Journal

“Henkes’s tale of antipathy and accommodation has offbeat humor and realistic moments. It will be best appreciated by those who like their family stories with spice rather than sugar.” - ALA Booklist

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