Family Game Night and Other Catastrophes

Gr 4-7--Annabelle's family seems to be slowly slipping out of control. In order to establish a sense of order for herself, Annabelle creates a few self-imposed rules. First, nobody from school is allowed within five miles of her house. This is pretty easy, since her family's increasingly run-down abode is miles outside of town. Second, no unnecessary items are allowed in her room, and she checks for this daily. Finally, and most important, nobody outside of Annabelle's family can know what really goes on at home. She does not want anyone to know that her mom collects things. In fact, she hoards them. Room after room has been taken over by items like newspapers (arranged by weather forecast), canned goods, items purchased from infomercials, Beanie Babies, and egg cartons. As a result, Annabelle's little sister has nightmares, her brother spends as little time at the house as possible, and her father throws himself into his work. After an incident with one of her mother's stacks of newspapers, Annabelle's parents have a fight that threatens to tear the family apart. Can Annabelle's overbearing, bossy grandmother step in and save the day, or will she do more harm than good? Will her mother ever be able to function without hoarding? This poignant tale with an authentic and memorable narrator will resonate with many young readers--whether they have personal experiences with hoarding or not. VERDICT Move this to the top of the realistic fiction purchase list in libraries serving middle graders.--Carli Sauer, Carmel Middle School, IN

Lambert's gutsy and affecting first novel tackles a topic not frequently discussed in middle grade fiction: living with a parent who's a hoarder. At 12, Annabelle copes with her mother's obsession with her "collections"--old newspapers, milk jugs, canned vegetables--that are stacked throughout the house. Annabelle largely shoulders the burden alone: her father leaves on a business trip, her teenage brother routinely escapes to friends' houses, and her younger sister's nightmares about death-by-hoarding are making her physically ill. Intensifying Annabelle's isolation is her "Five-Mile-Radius Rule," which she uses to keep friends at a distance. Her caustic, self-protecting humor will endear her to readers: after her grandmother arrives to spearhead a de-cluttering effort, Annabelle observes, "Rearranging the mess does not a cleanup make." She also adds humor to a strained family game night, narrating the doomed evening as an Elizabethan tragedy. A believably hopeful ending reinforces the story's call to face problems rather than hide or run from them, and to ask for help from others--especially family. Ages 8-12. Agent: Linda Camacho, Prospect Agency. (Feb.)

"Annabelle's smart, perceptive voice is fresh and realistic. Well-drawn and sympathetic characters (even, eventually, Annabelle's parents) drive this immersive tale. This debut story is a standout." — Kirkus Reviews

"This poignant tale with an authentic and memorable narrator will resonate with many young readers — whether they have personal experiences with hoarding or not. Move this to the top of the realistic fiction purchase list in libraries serving middle graders." — School Library Journal

"Gutsy and affecting. A believably hopeful ending reinforces the story's call to face problems rather than hide or run from them, and to ask for help from others — especially family." — Publishers Weekly

"Family Game Night and Other Catastrophes is a heartfelt exploration of family and friendship, adolescence and sisterhood; it is a touching and real portrait of the beautiful mess that love and life can sometimes be." — Dan Gemeinhart, author of The Honest Truth

"Brave, honest and heartfelt. With grace and humor, the author tackles the overlooked subject of hoarding and gives us a loving portrait of a family in the process of healing." — Phoebe Stone, author of The Boy on Cinnamon Street