The New York Times Book Review - Raphael Simon
…delightful…Donoghue is the author, most famously, of Room, the claustrophobic best seller for grown-ups about an imprisoned mother and son. While her new book, her first for children, could hardly be more of a departure, fans will recognize not only her gift for representing a child's point of view, but also her knack for showing how a family, no matter how small or large, develops its own language, even its own culture…I can only imagine what Donoghue's expansive vision of family would have meant to me when I was a lonely middle-school student wondering where I fit in. Or for that matter, when I was a newly out college student wondering whether I'd ever have a family of my own. Alas, aside from the two dads, the family I wound up with isn't exactly the Lotterys. I look forward to rereading this warm and funny book with my daughters, and hearing about how boring we are in comparison.
Publishers Weekly
★ 12/19/2016
One of the most diverse families readers are likely to meet, the Lotterys—whose name was inspired by the winning lottery ticket that made a dream for a family come true—are four longtime friends turned coparents (a lesbian couple and a gay one) and seven homeschooled children of various racial backgrounds, quirks, and talents. The family enjoys a harmoniously unconventional existence in its 32-room Toronto mansion until the estranged father of one of the Lottery parents arrives for a visit of undetermined length. The change in dynamics caused by the elderly man’s stubbornness and conservatism is especially hard on nine-year-old Sumac, who is assigned to be his personal guide. In a drily funny story about adjusting to new situations, Donoghue (Room) vividly captures the Lotterys’ chaotic but always loving home through a flurry of inside jokes, banter, and nicknames. If some readers have difficulty keeping the members of the large family straight, Hadilaksono’s lively David Roberts–esque illustrations, not all seen by PW, provide a colorful guide to the Lotterys’ wonderfully offbeat home. Ages 8–12. Author’s agent: Kathleen Anderson, Anderson Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Rebecca Sherman, Writers House. (Mar.)
From the Publisher
A Kirkus Best Book of the YearA Publishers Weekly Best Book of the YearA Shelf Awareness Best Book of the Year"[Donoghue's] fans will recognize not only her gift for representing a child's point of view, but also her knack for showing how a family, no matter how small or large, develops its own language, even its own culture." — The New York Times* "A family very much of our century... Most refreshing is that the Lotterys' many differences... are simply part of their own normal. Full of clever names and wordplay, this engaging tale... will resonate with readers from all backgrounds." — Kirkus Reviews, starred review* "Donoghue (Room) vividly captures the Lotterys' chaotic but always loving home through a flurry of inside jokes, banter, and nicknames. If some readers have difficulty keeping the members of the large family straight, Hadilaksono's lively David Roberts–esque illustrations... provide a colorful guide to the Lotterys' wonderfully offbeat home." — Publishers Weekly, starred review
CM Magazine
A big, boisterous book with a lot of heart that speaks to the possibility and necessity of seeing diversity in stories. Highly Recommended.
New York Times
[Donoghue’s] fans will recognize not only her gift for representing a child’s point of view, but also her knack for showing how a family, no matter how small or large, develops its own language, even its own culture.
School Library Journal
02/01/2017
Gr 4–6—Sumac Lottery has a pretty sweet life. Four parents (in two loving couples), six siblings, five pets, and a big old house in Toronto. Her world is turned upside down when Grumps, an estranged grandparent, comes to stay. Grumps, who has dementia and is often disoriented, doesn't approve of anything he sees at the Lotterys' house, and Sumac doesn't approve of him one bit. Grumps is, well, grumpy and set in his somewhat bigoted ways, and the Lotterys are a lot to take in. Donoghue is the author of many acclaimed books for adults, and her first title for young readers is a kind of realistic fantasy, a warmhearted, deeply improbable, emotionally alert jumble of ancient Sumerian, lottery winnings, elaborate family rituals, gelato, and acceptance. Many issues are touched upon in this novel, including homeschooling, gender fluidity, and diverse cultural traditions; in Donoghue's capable hands, they are treated with a cheerful self-awareness that lends itself to a timely and funny reading experience. At its core, this is a classic family disruption story, complete with a slow approachment of understanding between the intruder and various family members, and an uplifting if imperfect conclusion. VERDICT An ideal option for "Penderwicks" fans, lovers of Ellen Airgood's Prairie Evers, and those who enjoy series about big, loving families.—Katya Schapiro, Brooklyn Public Library
JUNE 2017 - AudioFile
Thérèse Plummer energetically introduces this large multicultural, diverse family: two gay dads, two lesbian moms, and seven biological and adopted kids, each named after a tree. After winning Toronto's lottery, they change their last names to Lottery, buy a massive house, and decide to live a home-schooled, off-the-grid lifestyle, engagingly described by Plummer. She deftly creates varied personalities and accents—for example, MaxiMum's lilting Jamaican accent, PapaDum's Indian accent, and adorable kid and teen voices. Listeners will immediately hear their lives change again when PopCorn's father—called Grumps by the kids—comes to live with them. Plummer's standout creations are Grumps, with his wit and Scottish brogue, and 9-year-old Sumac, who tells this story and is at once charming and cunning. Audio is the perfect vehicle to capture this bevy of delightful characters. S.G.B. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2016-11-23
The Lotterys, a family very much of our century, star in this story about the true meaning of acceptance and belonging. A riotously, exuberantly loving clan of four parents and seven home-schooled children (all named for trees), plus assorted pets, inhabit a sprawling house in an urban Toronto neighborhood. Having won the lottery, the parents—composed of two same-sex couples, one male and one female—retired and started a family through birth and adoption. Precocious Sumac, a biracial Filipina-German 9-year-old, is the sensitive, observant sibling and hence the most deeply affected when their prickly, conservative Scottish grandfather, suffering from dementia, is transported against his will from the Yukon wilderness into their cheerful chaos, upsetting the balance of family life. Grumps, as he is christened by the children, struggles to understand 4-year-old Brian's (formerly Briar) fluid gender identity, not to mention the family's greener-than-thou lifestyle. With a large cast of characters, cultural expression (the parents alone are of Scottish, Indian, Mohawk, and Jamaican descent) is primarily conveyed via food and celebrations. Most refreshing is that the Lotterys' many differences, from 10-year-old Aspen's challenges to toddler Oak's developmental delays, are simply part of their own normal. Full of clever names and wordplay, this engaging tale is moving without veering into sentimentality. For all the Lotterys' apparent eccentricity, the novel delves into universal themes of family relationships that will resonate with readers from all backgrounds. (Fiction. 8-12)
