The Tiny Mansion

July 1, 2020
Dagmar's dad, Trent, couldn't sell--or pay for--the tiny house he built in Oakland; now relocated next to a redwood forest, it's the tiny family home. The cramped household also includes Dagmar's artist stepmom, Leya, and younger half brother, Santi. Trent's a skilled repurposer, but despite support from Dagmar's corporate-executive mom, family finances are precarious. Dagmar, 12, who misses her friends, loathes Leya's vegetarian cuisine, and resents being tailed by Santi, works surreptitiously to engineer the family's return to Oakland and combats boredom exploring the forest. Ignoring the "no trespassing" sign, she encounters surveillance cameras, barking mastiffs, and traps set by the landowners--a tech billionaire and his warring adult siblings--and meets the billionaire's competitive son, Blake, also 12. Blake shows off his family's gizmo-heavy domicile and invites Dagmar (equally competitive) and Santi along on a mall trip escorted by Vladimir, his bodyguard, where they enjoy real (i.e., junk) food and an exciting mall chase that includes escalator surfing. While the kids' friendship grows, Blake's dad, uncle, and aunt remain at odds. With the long, hot summer nearing fire season, Graff's signature, over-the-top plotting builds to a thrilling climax. The whimsically drawn characters are good company, especially resourceful Dagmar, a droll tour guide whose tart commentary is a highlight. This smart, hilarious mashup of off-the-grid minimalism and smart-home consumerism adds up to a quirky treat. (Fiction. 8-12)

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September 1, 2020
Grades 4-6 Dagmar's summer plans did not include leaving her friends and home behind to live in a tiny house among the redwoods. As she plans to sabotage summer and return home, she discovers that the woods house an eccentric billionaire and his unusual family. When a dangerous wildfire threatens to destroy everything both families have, they must each find a way to come together. Graff takes readers on an emotional journey as Dagmar struggles through an abrupt move and goes from sabotaging summer to rallying everyone together. The characters surrounding her are larger-than-life, lending to the whimsical tone and leading her into various high jinks alongside Blake, the billionaire's son. The two families' dynamics foil one another?one has lost everything, and the other is divided despite their wealth?helping Dagmar open her eyes and learn to appreciate her own situation. A compelling coming-of-age journey?sometimes carefree, sometimes emotional?of family, reconciliation, and finding yourself.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)