Eat, Read, and Be Mommy

I got way more sleep at Girls’ Camp as a young woman than I do as a leader, but I need it more now–which is why, even though we got back on Wednesday, I’m just now coming back online. It went well and I’m very glad I went, but oh, the tired!

Anyway.

Tonight I finished reading Audrey Couloumbis’ Lexie aloud to my tween, and she and I both quite liked it. It’s not a book with heroes or villains or mysteries, but rather a quiet slice of family life, sensitively presented. Lexie is headed to the shore for time with her dad, but when they arrive, he drops a bomb in her lap; enter Vicky (his “friend”) and her two sons, Ben and Harris. (The latter prefers ‘Mack’. As in the truck.) What follows is, of course, quite a different shore experience than Lexie is expecting. There are adjustments, there is frustration, there are unexpected moments of joy–and, ultimately, there is open communication. This isn’t a read for kids who love adventure stories, but it’s an excellent option for members of blended (or looking at blending) families. Couloumbis (yes, that’s really how you spell her last name) excels at emotional insight, which is likely why her Getting Near to Baby is a Newbery Honor book; she’s an author well worth your time.