Out of Order

Starred review from October 3, 2005
Through four distinct voices, Hicks (Busted!
) crafts an endearing portrait of a newly blended family that includes Eric and his sister V, who have moved with their father from Chicago to North Carolina to live with Lily, her brother, Parker, and their mother. Bookish Eric records his observations in his journal; a third-person narrative reveals ingenuous Parker's thoughts, and stunning, strong-willed V and introspective Lily speak in the first person. The interplay of their individual chapters makes readers privy to information that the characters withhold from one another. Eric's plight is perhaps the most poignant, as he is now the oldest since his and V's older brother died of leukemia, after which their mother "split" for "L.A.—Land of Amnesia," he writes. Believing that he cannot live up to his father's expectations, the teen finds solace in reading novels and in his close bond with Parker. Parker, the youngest, is consumed by guilt at his failure to confess that he inadvertently destroyed the sunflower Lily lovingly grew in the garden and has let V take the blame. In retaliation, Lily destroys the tomatoes V is growing to raise money to buy soccer balls for children in Iraq. But the siblings find another way to raise the funds which, quite satisfyingly, also succeeds in bringing them together as a family. Humorous and insightful moments in Hicks's novel leaven subtle and affecting messages about communication, identity, honesty and forgiveness. Ages 8-12.

October 1, 2005
Gr 4-6 -Hicks provides readers with a fresh look at blended families, offering much food for thought and several multilayered characters. Chapters alternate among each distinct voice and point of view, much like in Wendelin Van Draanen's "Flipped "(Knopf, 2001) and Carl Hiassen's "Hoot "(HarperCollins, 2002).The novel begins and ends with sixth-grader Lily, who is not only jealous of her -perfect - new stepsister, V, but feels ill-treated and verbally abused by her as well. Prior to the remarriage, she was the oldest, somewhat bossy, and always the -idea - person. While Lily can't think of an idea for a science project, V wants to grow tomatoes to sell in order to buy soccer balls to send to kids in Iraq. Existential Eric reads Hemingway, lives like a Spartan, and plays Rock-Paper-Scissors with Parker, the youngest. Plots interlace with characters as their goals and problems blend. False accusations, creative moneymaking schemes, edible cicadas, and "Old Man of the Sea" references all make this a worthwhile read. The tidy conclusion not only gives Lily the science-fair project she needs, but handily explains the title as well: she does research on birth order and what can happen when it becomes rearranged. A captivating and timely novel." -Debbie Whitbeck, West Ottawa Public Schools, Holland, MI"

Copyright 2005 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2005
Gr. 4-7. Before her mom remarried, Lily was the eldest; now she has dropped to second from the bottom. Her 13-year-old stepsister, V, is brilliant, popular, and seriously beautiful, but "lately she's been toxic waste." That, however, is only Lily's viewpoint. Hicks tells her uproarious story in fast, alternating narratives from the four stepsiblings, who suddenly find themselves together in a blended family. Along with all the jealousy and hurt, they still have fun, as when they hold a rock-paper-scissors competition for a neighborhood fund-raiser. There's also a little puzzle. Who has destroyed the tomatoes that V has been growing to raise money to send soccer balls to kids in Iraq? Without heavy message, the switching viewpoints make readers privy to the family secrets and the lies, as the combination of farce and tenderness in daily life brings home both the struggle and the fun. A great choice for readers' theater.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2005, American Library Association.)