AUGUST 2016 - AudioFile
Four loosely related kids share different combinations of absent mothers and fathers as they quite capably raise themselves on the beach of a desert island. Narrator Caitlin Kelly enthusiastically recounts their adventures and misadventures as they try to find a house to replace the too small car they’ve been living in. Kim, Kimo, Peppa, and Toby each are given unique voices that mirror their personalities. Kelly’s delivery is full of energy and expert pacing, adding nuance to the humor and giving the listener plenty of reasons to cheer for these quick-witted, resilient kids. The PDF file of a map and illustrations enhances the listening experience, letting listeners fully enter the world of the amazing Fitzgerald-Trout family. N.E.M. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine
From the Publisher
"These kids are witty, full of heart and genuinely fun to read about."—The New York Times Book Review
"Have you ever wanted to live on an island filled with selfish grownups and blood-sucking iguanas hiding in a dark and mysterious forest? Me neither. But the brave and inventive Fitzgerald-Trouts have such fascinating lives that I just might reconsideras soon as I read this glorious book again, at least twice. I salute thee, Fitzgerald-Trouts!"
—Lemony Snicket, author of the bestselling series A Series of Unfortunate Events and All the Wrong Questions
"Spalding's playful tone takes the edge off the neglectful parents and dire circumstances, largely thanks to the plucky, self-reliant kids who know (rightly) they are better off on their own."—Booklist
"The Boxcar Children meet Dahl in a Hawaii-like setting here and it's all sorts of fun, with just enough snarkiness to add edge to the charm and wonder. A clever but subtle twist at the end adds even more amusement, and the overall effect is as pleasing as a tropical breeze."—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
School Library Journal
05/01/2016
Gr 4–6—Author and screenwriter Spalding ventures for the first time into middle grade literature with this tale of a hodgepodge family of kids (think the Boxcar Children) thrown together by a mix of DNA, circumstance, and absentee parents. The Fitzgerald-Trouts, led by oldest sibling Kim, start life with daily lists—at the top, finding a house. The siblings live in a car and occasionally get grocery and gas money from an assorted set of oddball parents (none of whom want to actually care for the kids full-time). Despite the sad circumstances, the kids are cheerful and the novel is amusing. Kim is warmhearted and motivated, and readers will root for the spunky youngsters. Upper-elementary and lower-middle school readers will relate to the kids' simple desires for a normal life, complete with goldfish in bowls and room to sleep. VERDICT Recommended for most middle grade collections, especially where light humor is needed.—Sarah Knutson, American Canyon Middle School, CA
AUGUST 2016 - AudioFile
Four loosely related kids share different combinations of absent mothers and fathers as they quite capably raise themselves on the beach of a desert island. Narrator Caitlin Kelly enthusiastically recounts their adventures and misadventures as they try to find a house to replace the too small car they’ve been living in. Kim, Kimo, Peppa, and Toby each are given unique voices that mirror their personalities. Kelly’s delivery is full of energy and expert pacing, adding nuance to the humor and giving the listener plenty of reasons to cheer for these quick-witted, resilient kids. The PDF file of a map and illustrations enhances the listening experience, letting listeners fully enter the world of the amazing Fitzgerald-Trout family. N.E.M. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
2016-03-30
Four children of complicated parentage live in a car on a tropical island and hunt for a place to call home. Kim, the oldest at 11, and Kimo, Toby, and Pippa have lived in the car since Kim was in first grade. Dr. Fitzgerald, father of all but Kimo, moved them into it to facilitate their work as his forced research assistants. After teaching Kim to drive—cans taped to her shoes help her reach the pedals—he abandoned them. They're relieved he's gone. Days, they attend school; nights, they sleep in the car, parked at the beach. The forest harboring deadly, blood-sucking iguanas excepted, the island's a stereotypical tourist destination. The boys' mother, Tina, a vain, selfish country singer, drops off money occasionally; the girls' mother, Maya, a miserly, crooked stockbroker, gives less. The children view both with mild dislike. Harsh circumstances and their own lack of affect make the children's adventures more grueling than enjoyable, more improbable than imaginative. Child abandonment, homelessness, and cruelty are portrayed as trivial yet rendered in fairly realistic detail by a Dahl-esque narrator whose whimsical tone is out of step with events. Misplaced humor, often adult-oriented, leaves a sour aftertaste, as when, played for laughs, Maya's sent to jail. The plot feels at war with itself, fantasy clashing with realism unsuccessfully. Here's hoping subsequent volumes find a better balance. (Fantasy. 8-12)