See You at Harry's

See You at Harry's by Jo Knowles

Published: Candlewick Press, May 2012

Recommended Age: 10 & up

In a Nutshell: Twelve-year-old Fern is feeling anything but the love. Her three-year-old nuisance of a brother Charlie will not leaver her alone. Older brother, Holden, a freshman in high school, is having a hard time at school and keeps running off, refusing to talk to anyone (even Fern) about it. Sarah, the eldest has been aggravated since her friends went off to college, leaving everyone else in the house to cope with her grumpiness.

On top of that, their father devotes most of his time and "creativity" into running their family-operated restaurant, Harry's; of which some of his entrepreneurial marketing idea's involve the whole family. Yikes! This means Fern's mother is always trying to keep the peace. The only person in Fern's life who gives her a little relief is her friend Ran, a friend she's  growing to like in a 'more-than-a-friend' way.

With the entire family submerged in their own agendas and issues, one event turns everything they know upside down and it's up to them to mend the pieces back together - even if the  picture doesn't look exactly how it looked before.

I read some fantastic middle grade literature over the summer, and really, this entire year thus far. See You At Harry's joins the ranks. An unbelievable, stay-up-all-night must-read.

Perfect For: Tweens with a knack for realistic fiction.

Don't Take My Word For It: Kids Indie Next Summer 2012 Pick, Welcome to my Tweendom,