THE QUIGLEYS IN A SPIN

Mum, Dad, Will and Lucy Quigley, are back in all their hilarity. These five related stories are impossible to read without making loud guffaws as each storyline veers off the beaten path, yet seems utterly realistic. Who hasn’t been forced to make a big effort to get along with a person whose every word and action is selfish and revolting? How about the special party that goes wrong? And who has not stood, pale and sweaty, next to a carnival ride praying that her stomach’s contents would stay inside? That’s the glory of Mason’s joyful, realistic family. These stories read like tales families tell—years later— that usually start with a sibling saying one phrase (say, “Robinson Potts” or “Mum and Fatbrain on the roof”) and everyone chiming in with part of the tale until everyone is doubled over with hysteria. These vignettes make fantastic read-alouds and will appeal to Louis Sachar fans. British phrases add to the fun. Bring on the Quigleys—a real family! (Fiction. 7-12)