Eat, Read, and Be Mommy

My nephew is getting married tomorrow, friends, and so after today it’s going to be radio silence (so to speak) for the holiday weekend; at the moment, however, you get a review. (NOT the review I was going to do Monday night, though, because I want to take more time than I currently have with that one.) I finished listening to Rob Buyea’s newest middle grade novel yesterday, and the sooner I review it, the sooner I can pass it off to my kiddos, right? If you’ve read his Mr. Terupt and The Perfect ________ novels, you’re familiar with Buyea’s style; he favors multiple viewpoints, latter elementary or middle school protagonists, and situations that require both assistance and emotional effort to resolve. The Daredevils, unsurprisingly, is no exception. Told by fraternal twins Waylon and Loretta–whose father is a big fan of classic country music–it chronicles the summer before they start middle school. They’ll be apart for much of the day for the first time, and tough Loretta is worried about her brother surviving without her while Waylon wants to prove his ability to do just that. After a summer filled with fire ceremonies, a surprise new friend, relationship adjustments, and more than one unexpected revelation, they both find themselves more able to make their own way.

I did think their journey felt ever-so-slightly rushed, to be honest with you; nothing was missing, but wow, it moved right along. On the other hand, Buyea’s target audience may appreciate that, and this latest offering delivers much of what we’ve come to expect from him while managing NOT to be overly similar to his previous works. Waylon’s passion for woodsmansy things (yes, I’m doing that with the English language today) might not be as easily relatable to readers as his school stories are, but Buyea’s style still delivers plenty of appeal. Take a look at this one!