Quagmire Tiarello Couldn't Be Better

by Mylisa Larsen

A fiercely independent nonconformist, Quagmire must recalibrate his formidable survival skills when his mother’s unstable mental health forces him to build a new life and forge ties with found family.

Quagmire Tiarello is a boy who prides himself on not needing anything from anybody. Sure, his mom is skipping work again and showing signs of going into one of her full-out spins, but it’s nothing he can’t handle. He’s used to her up-and-down moods, even if this time it feels a little different.

Then his mom disappears, and Quag is forced to find shelter with an uncle he didn't know he had. Should he come clean about his mother’s unstable mental health? Or can he bluff long enough to find his mom and get home?

Genres: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Mental Health, Audiobook, Fiction, Mental Illness, Family

240 pages, Hardcover

Published September 17, 2024

About the author

Mylisa Larsen has been telling stories for a long time. This has caused her to get gimlet-eyed looks from her parents, her siblings and, later, her own children when they felt that certain stories had been embellished beyond acceptable limits. She now writes children’s books where her talents for hyperbole are actually rewarded.

She is the author of the middle grade novels Quagmire Tiarello Couldn't Be Better and Playing Through The Turnaround and the picture books All Of Those Babies, If I Were A Kangaroo, How To Put Your Parents To Bed and Ho Ho Homework.

She has lived in eight states and two countries and has loved things about all of them. The first place she always finds is the library.

You can visit her online at http://mylisalarsen.com

Reviews

[Nilo0 · Rating 5 out of 5]

یه کتاب زیبا و دوست‌داشتنی و آگاهی‌دهنده درباره پسری به اسم کواگمایر که مادرش گاهی حالت فرفره‌ای آشفته‌ای پیدا می‌کند (اختلال دوقطبی تشخیص‌داده‌نشده) و رفتارهای غیرمنتظره عجیبی از مادرش سر می‌زند تا اینکه روزی راهی ایالتی دیگر می‌شوند و وسط راه اتفاقی می‌افتد و...
موضوع بیماری روانی مادر کواگ داستان اصلی کتابه که باعث می‌شه کواگ مدتی تنها بمونه و به داییش که از وجودش خبر نداشته متوسل شه و پیش اون بمونه تا مادرش خوب بود. در‌حالی‌که کواگ در مدرسه مسئولیتی در گروه تئاتر داشته و ناگهان از ایالت دیگه‌ای سر درآورده و زندگیش دگرگون شده.
درک نادرستی که از بیماری‌های روانی هست و بچه‌های چنین والدینی نمی‌تونن و نمی‌دونن با کی حرف بزنن و از کی کمک بخوان، دغدغه اصلی نویسنده بوده. با داستان کواگ به درک بهتری از بیماری‌های روانی و برخورد باهاش و کمک گرفتن از اطرافیان می‌رسیم.
لحن کتاب طنز هوشمندانه و ظریف خفیفی داشت که خوندنش رو لذت‌بخش کرده بود و شخصیت کواگ، دوستش کاساندرا و دایی جی و مگی خیلی قشنگ و دوست‌داشتنی بودن.

[DaNae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quag’s summer is nothing like he expects when suddenly he is thrown in with a bunch of Drama Geeks in an Art Camp at the YMCA in his small upstate New York town. But then, his mother, in a full manic spin, barrels her car up on the sidewalk and absorbs Quag into her fevered ride west - across most of the plain states - landing him on the side of the Interstate with nothing but his mother’s big yellow purse - and no mother in sight.

With echoes of Gary Schmidt in both the writing style and character arcs, I kept trying to remember the full title of this book and kept coming up with, Quagmire Tiarello is Ok for Now. Larsen is not Schmidt, no one is, but she is an author, I will seek out from now on. I don’t remember Schmidt ever covering mental illness. I like to say that my least favorite types of books are kids dealing the with fallout from their parents issues, but then a book like this comes along that is exactly that. It is also so much more. Quagmire feels so genuine - his anger, his evasiveness, his humor. While frustrating, I couldn’t help but root for him.

[Leonard Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book's plot variously brought to mind Choldenko's The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman, DiCamillo's Louisiana's Way Home, and MacLachlan's Arthur, For the Very First Time, but as I mentioned in my previous update, this book's lodestar is Schmidt's Okay For Now. Once I realized that, it was so hard to ignore, that I have to think it was intentional. I mean, birds. And even "Couldn't Be Better" from the title is basically a side-eyed way of saying "Okay for Now."

It's of course impossible to say any book is better or even as good as Okay For Now, but Larsen does a cracking Schmidt impersonation. I will also say that I brought this book to work today to read on the sly, because I didn't want to leave it. The only other time I've done that was with The Penderwicks in Spring.

Another similarity to both Louisiana and Okay for Now is that this book is a follow-up that focuses on a character introduced in the previous book. So I hope more books will follow about the other kids we met in Playing Through the Turnaround.

With all the influences, one trait that is Larsen-specific is the sharp midway pivot from one kind of genre book to another. Playing Through the Turnaround starts as an inspirational teacher book but then becomes a student activism book. This one starts like a Schmidt small town New York book before changing gears with the bad news mom (a la Hank Hooperman) and the shift to rural life.

[Shella · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was another dysfunctional mother story for 2024. The author did a great job describing her mental health status. I was disappointed that the author did not write deeper character development and give us a glimpse into Quag’s future. I think the book could have been about a 100 pages more. I liked it, but wanted to like it more.

[Krissi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Goodreads for allowing me to win this book in a Goodreads giveaway. This is a book about a teenager Quagmire with his mother who is struggling with Bipolar Disorder and Quagmire having to grow up quickly to help his mother with this and navigate through life with a parent struggling with mental illness. It also highlights the importance of not being ashamed of having a mental illness and seeking help when needed or concerned for a loved one. I thought this was well done and brought a good message to young readers.

[Amelia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a surprise winner for me. I like the quick pace of the book, and the wild, world-upending twist in the middle. The prose felt accessible to me, like a middle schooler would get this book without having to say "huh? what's that word?" (lol, beside the main characters' name - but rest assured, he does explain that too!). This felt like another true middle school book, but for the 7th/8th grade crowd.

Once again, we have a parent struggling with mental illness, and while they never quite seem to name what she has (bi-polar? manic episodes? not sure if it matters, but it's always nice to have a name for something - it can help kids recognize this stuff in their own lives), it's clear that Quag has had to take care of himself for a long time. I think what happened, though, is the most shocking thing for me. I just couldn't get over what his mom did to him. It was almost worse than if she hit him, because they typically have such a wonderful relationship, even though he's been taking care of her for so long too. No kid should have to take care of their parent, especially alone.

I love the surprise family that comes out of this tragedy, and the weird facts about birds. I hate birds, but because I dislike them I know a lot about them (know your enemy, lol), and the author really picked some great facts to share. Not entirely sure how well the birds fit and how the birds got tied in (simply from him making up a lie about being a birder?) but I liked the add ins despite all of that.

I's say this is a solid realistic fiction for middle schoolers, 7th/8th specifically. There are some pretty relatively minor things happening to Quag in this story, at the beginning (mom can flake on her job, or the bills, or move them around a lot, or not know when to stop talking in public) and while the first half of the book does a great job building up Quag and his summer plans and his new found friends and sound ideas - when his mom pulls the rug out from under him half way through, it's like a completely different book. But I guess for Quag, he's got the same feeling, like it's a whole new life because his mom had never acted like THAT before. You can tell how Quag compartmentalizes and puts away his friends in his mind and just goes, "whelp, I'm not there and so they don't have to exist in my mind" and since he didn't have his phone and no one memorized numbers anymore (take note kids! memorize your friends numbers!) he can and does completely ignore them.

Recommend this book to anyone who likes realistic fiction and kids dealing with parental mental health issues. another great read would be And Then, Boom! by Lisa Fipps and Shark Teeth by Sherri Winston.

[Katy O. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet another teenager with a parent who can’t parent and who has to decide how to survive and who they can trust. The thing that stands out for me about this one is the bipolar representation and how scary it can be for a child to witness, and the rural setting of the latter part of the book. We need more teens in the country in stories!

Source: Sora audio via WSDLC

[Carli · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. This is one of those books whose characters capture your heart. Fourteen-year-old Quagmire has been living life on edge since… always. He never knows who he’ll get with his mom, or when she’ll be around. When one of her episodes takes them on the road, he finds refuge living with his uncle in Nebraska. It is there where he learns to accept that maybe his best place isn’t with his mom, but rather with his found family. Hand to readers in grades 6+.

[Becky B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quag is looking forward to summer break, when he can sleep in and relax, and figure out when the new pizza place owner throws out the old pies. But all his plans fly out the window when his mom starts to go into one of her spins and then disappears, and the girl he likes invites him to join their live radio production at a summer camp. Quag thought he'd get to run the sound board and is excited, he's missed it since he got kicked off at school. But then they assign him to be a foley, and with all that's going on at home, he doesn't exactly feel like playing along...and he doesn't feel like telling this girl what all is going on and causing him to act up. And when his mom shows up again and takes him on a road trip he didn't plan for and abandons him on the side of a freeway many, many states away from home...it will take all of Quag's skills of making things be ok to be ok. Only, what if he's not ok?

Wow, your heart totally breaks for Quag. He's pretty much the adult in his house. He pays the bills, makes the food, and he's just finished 8th grade. He's afraid to tell anyone else what is going on, and keeps telling himself he and his mom are fine. After the abandonment, Quag ends up with an uncle he didn't even know existed on a farm in the Great Plains. Being on the farm is a completely foreign experience for this boy from New York, but it turns out to be really good for him. He's built up so many walls it takes forever for Quag to admit he and his mom need help, and there's miraculous change at the end of the book, but there are steps to a healthier future for both of them. It was a realistic happy-ish conclusion. Quag's uncle and the older teen girl who works around the farm are both incredible people for Quag to have in his corner. They love on him even when he tries to push them away. This story is a great reminder for middle graders/young adults and adults alike that we often only see the surface of people, and frequently we have no idea what all they are dealing with. It is an encouragement to respond in compassion to others. It will also provide a window into what it can be like for a teen living with someone with mental health issues, or a mirror for readers who understand all too well what Quag is experiencing, and maybe learn from him how to get some hope and help. I like that the audiobook (and I assume the physical copies) includes resources at the back for where to get help if you or someone you know needs help or someone to listen.

Notes on content:
Language: None
Sexual content: None
Violence: Quag loses it at one point and pushes his mom and she falls and hits her head. There's a little bit of blood. He also punches the wall at one point and breaks his hand. He eventually gets help for this issue, and both medical issues are addressed.
Ethnic diversity: Quag and his family are white. Kids at the camp are a variety of ethnicities.
LGBTQ+ content: None specified that I remember.
Other: Mental health and neglect are huge topics in this book. In the back of the book it clarifies that Quag's mom has untreated bipolar disorder. By the end of the book she is under treatment. Quag learns to drive in the book as the driver's permit age is younger in farm country.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since I've read two "complicated mother" books in a row, it's hard not to compare them! This one hits a little differently than The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman, and it didn't make me sob, but I found Quag to be a really endearing, relatable character in his own way. He both is and feels older than Hank and while Hank is someone working really hard to be polite and good, Quag is a lot more sarcastic and less worried about being good. He's funny--this book with all of its hard moments is also very funny. The birder stuff is hilarious and I love how it works itself into the narrative. The narrative voice is super strong and compelling. I thought the way it looked at mental illness (and I LOVED the author's note) was really well done. I was rooting for Quag, while also seeing all of the ways in which he could get in his own way. I also thought the length of this (around 220 pages) was perfect--it's a book you could hand to a middle schooler who is a reluctant reader as well as kids/young teens who like school or family stories. Another one I'm considering for school visits to booktalk to 5th graders.

[Jessica Schwartz · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is so much to love about this book. It's beautifully written, and does a good job of capturing the unpredictability and frustration of loving someone with bipolar disorder (and I say this from experience). It's impossible not to be moved by Quag and the lengths he goes to to protect his mother. The author does a great job of capturing what it means to be 14, in that in-between space between middle and high school. That liminal space is underscored for Quag who is a kid who has to literally Adult a lot of the time, making sure bills get paid, that his mom gets to work, etc. His exhaustion at keeping up the charade is palpable and he acts out a lot as a result. Despite the heavy subject matter, there was also a ton of humor, and the plot really moves. With the birding element, it reminded me a lot of Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt. I can see this appealing to a wide range of readers. I held back a star only because I really wanted a little more backstory (especially about Quag's mom and uncle).

[Haley Durfee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid middle grade novel dealing with the topic of mental illness. Recommended.

Content note:
Brief mild language (p*ss, h*ll), a few uses of "frick" and "friggin"
Mental illness of a parent & parental abandonment

[Gabrielle Stoller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review forthcoming in the morning

[Avonlea Gal · Rating 5 out of 5]

very gary schmidt, highest compliment ever btw

“Maybe everyone in the world is scared of something. Maybe everyone in the world is pretending they're not.”

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quagmire Tiarello Couldn't Be Better is one of the best books I have read this year. What a voice and what a story.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one hits close to home.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this up because I needed an audiobook I could listen to at work on my phone that was school appropriate. I was scrolling through Libby for the more recent audiobooks and this popped up. I was intrigued by the cover and gave it a go. I'm so glad I did! I later discovered that this has been buzzed about in my Heavy Medal mock Newbery group.

I've read a few that people are talking about for the Newbery and this one is my favorite.

It's the summer after 8th grade and there's a long summer stretching out ahead of Quag. His plans involved dumpster diving for the thrown out pizza from the local pizza parlor and doing a bunch on nothing. When is secret crush, Cassie, asks him to join her radio team at the Rec Center he agrees. He's been itching to get his hands on a sound board again. He loves operating one but was banned from the school's after involving himself in a soundboard take over/protest. But then he discovers he's not going to be the sound guy. Instead, he's picked to be the foley guy--the one in charge of sound effects. He's not pleased. He's also stuck in a lie that he glibly told Cassie--that he into birds--so now he has to spend a lot of time researching them so he doesn't look like a numbskull in front her her. But, while juggling it all, Quag is keeping a big secret--his mom "spins" sometimes where she does some wild things that cause her to lose her jobs, things that involve Quag not seeing her for a day or two. Quag has spent his whole life covering for his mother but it's getting to be harder and harder to do that.

--

I thought this book was going to be one thing (Quag covering for his mom while falling harder and harder for his crush all while doing a radio play). It turns out that is about 1/3 of the book. I don't really want to say what the other 2/3 of the book was about but it definitely took a turn that I wasn't expecting!

I also found it very funny and laughed out loud a few times. A lot of middle grade books dealing with serious topics are not funny so this was refreshing. Quag felt like a real middle school boy to me. Larsen really nailed his character development.

Content Notes: There is nothing to prevent this from going into a middle school library and/or a 6th grader reading it. Younger readers might also enjoy it but it will be more relatable to older students with the crush element.

--

Book Talk: When Quagmire's principal asks what he plans on doing this summer before his freshman year in high school, he definitely doesn't tell him his actual plan: set up a camera in front of a local pizza parlor's dumpster so he can figure out when they throw out the old pizza so he can grab it. When he's in the middle of this stellar plan, he's caught by his crush. Thinking fast, he explains he is bird watching. Unfortunately for Quagmire, she has an aunt who is SUPER into bird watching. Soon, he's roped into a plan of hers and, reader, I know what you are thinking. You are thinking "I know where this is heading. They fall for each other, start dating, and wind up bonding over this summer project together." But reader, you are so, so wrong. This book has some epic twists!

[Ann]

Great! The characters were strong, and while I had to roll my eyes a little that Quag had managed to get everyone (even teachers?) to call him Quagmire out of spite, I willing to play along. (It's much, much harder to give yourself a nickname than books seem to think it is. *Other people* can give you a nickname. You can move somewhere new and introduce yourself as the nickname. But just declaring that this is your nickname now generally doesn't work.)

I loved that the birding happened by accident/lies but then the bird facts throughout the book were able to weave thematically into what was happening, even if sometimes it was a little too obvious. I liked the sound files too, but at the same time it wasn't obvious why Quag was making them. The first few were after he'd been told that he wasn't going to run the sound board, that all sound effects will be live, and we know that he has no access to a sound board otherwise, so why was he making them? We never see him make one, only listen to them, so the motives are unclear. (And yes, later they use the sounds on the sound board, but the first few were when that definitely was not the plan.)

Another reviewer said the book had a "major plot twist" and I was surprised when I read that, because I usually think of plot twists as something that is a surprising development that makes you re-think other parts of the story (omg, they were actually twins! she was lying about x the whole time! etc) but I can see where they were coming from. The first half of the book is telling a different story than the second half of the book. Stuff in the first part lead directly to the second part, so it's not really a "twist" but it is a sharp departure, which I think adds strength to the story. Quag's life has taken a sharp departure, and it's not going in the direction he though any more than the story is going where the read thought it was either.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

First sentence: When Principal Deming asked Quagmire Tiarello what he was planning on doing with the first day of his summer vacation, Quag did not tell him that he planned on sleeping in until at least noon.

Premise/plot: Quagmire (Quag) is NOT having the best summer ever, or even a decent summer--not really. His mom's mental health is spiraling out of control [again] and Quag is barely holding the family together. He is spending some time with the girl of his dreams at art camp, all the while pretending to have a great interest in birds. But for the most part, he's dreading the ultimate crash that will come. Will he get the help he needs when it does?

My thoughts: I don't know that every library has a division of just two categories--a book is either J for juvenile or Teen for teen. I do wish there was an MG section. I can see why teens might not want to read about an eighth grader [almost ninth grader]. But the main character seems WAY too old for juvenile. Does it matter where it's filed? Maybe. Maybe not. Probably not. Just that this is definitely a book with teen characters dealing with hard life issues. That might be appealing for younger readers. I don't think the main "problem" is exclusively a problem that only teens deal with. Quagmire's mom's mental health is a MESS and it is really effecting Quagmire on every level. This is a coming of age story of sorts about how he finds the help he needs even if it isn't easy or natural to ask for help and be honest about how awful things are at home.

[Jamie Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quentin "QUagmire" Tiarello (14) keeps things secret when his mom, with undiagnosed bipolar disorder, goes on a 'spin'. Sometimes, she can be gone for days, but he has learned how to survive by paying the bills, knowing when the pizza parlor tosses out the uneaten pizzas. He has no plans for summer vaction until his crush Cassie asks him to join her group at the Y Art Camp to make a radio drama where he is the Foley guy - making the realisic sounds. He's just getting used to everything and making friends with the other members of the group when he mom disappears for a week then shows up at the Y, still spinning, and whisks him away from central New York all the way to Iowa before she abandons him. Needing help, Quag calls his Uncle Jay - that he didn't know he had - and goes to live with him on his ranch as they look for his mom. Quag's emoions are palpable - his anger, his frustration, the love he has for his mother with the insights of when she's in a good place, and his fears. The characterizations of all the characters are very on point thrown in with compassion and emotional journeys that follow the path Quag is going through. Information about birds which follow Quag's emotional and mental journey break up the narrative without pulling the reader from the story. A thoughtful look at young teens dealing with a parent with issues and trying to handle more than they are ready to shoulder.

[Sally Kruger]

Quagmire "Quag" keeps to himself. Life at home is pretty unpredictable so he has to stay on his toes and be ready for just about anything. It has been a bit of surprise that he has connected with a small group of kids involved in the drama department. Summer break might be interesting.

Quag is getting to know Cassie who invited him to join the drama group at the Y. He isn't sure if he can commit since his mother has started what he calls "spinning." He's sure she isn't going to work. That is definite when she packs them both in the car and heads off on a wild cross-country trek.

When she leaves Quag on the side of the road and speeds away, Quag knows she is out of control. He ends up connecting with an uncle he didn't know he had. Now he has to figure out how much he should reveal about his mother's ups and downs. Will his uncle understand? Will this be a safe place until he can figure things out?

Author Mylisa Larsen explores mental health and the effects on family members. Grit and humor help Quag exist in an up-ended world. QUAGMIRE TIARELLO COULDN'T BE BETTER is a perfect read for those looking to understand more about the effects of mental illness.

[SOYAMRG · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quagmire Tiarello Couldn’t be Better by MyLisa Larsen is realistic fiction for fourth through eighth grade boys or girls.

Quag’s mom is bipolar; of course, they do not share this information. As Quag is beginning to feel comfortable contributing to and being part of a summer art camp group, she starts to spin out of control. Eventually, Mom leaves with Quag and heads west from New York to Nebraska where Mom abandons Quag on the side of the road. Fortunately, Quag has his mom’s purse with a name of an uncle in Nebraska. Quag begins a new life with the uncle until Mom shows up in crisis.

Mental health issues often isolate children and fracture family bonds. Of course, most children are not fortunate enough to fall into the caring arms of an uncle. Larsen has crafted a next-level novel about an important issue and provides information about www.988lifeline.org in the Author’s Note.

I’ve read and reviewed so many mediocre novels for young people, I'm thrilled to have read several books recently that I can highly recommend for purchase!

C.S.
Ret. HS English Teacher

[Christie Kaaland · Rating 5 out of 5]

When fourteen-year-old Quagmire Tiarello's life spins out of control because of his mom's undiagnosed bipolar disorder, he uses all the inner strength and survival skills he has developed over the years to both try to help his mom and keep their world from falling apart. But when the "spin out" ~~ Quag's mom's high ~~ spins out of control and she disappears, it becomes too complicated even for him.

Quag assumes the role of the adult in their relationship, paying the bills, keeping the apartment life held together, and he has told no one about his crazy survivalist life. He knows the spin out will not last and he knows... or hopes... that she will return and their lives of an assumption of "normal" will continue. The pattern is deeply engrained in Quag's life.

When she shows up at the one safe and friendly place Quag has finally made for himself, he has no idea how far she will spinout. He is forced to just go along for the ride.

What a fantastic book to recommend to upper elementary to middle grade kids who suffer the agony of living with a parent with mental illness.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another day, another middle grade novel that leaves me sobbing.

I absolutely loved Mylisa Larsen's Playing Through the Turnaround and was thrilled when I heard she was writing another novel with these characters. Quagmire Tiarello is a fiercely independent 14 year old boy, known for being obstinate to teachers and a knack for causing trouble. But when his mom's latest mental health spin leaves him stranded in rural middle-America, his independence isn't doing him any favors.

This is a book connections - the importance of telling others what is happening and what you need. It's okay to ask for help. It's okay to not be okay. We all need friends. It's beautifully written and is sure to touch your soul, but Larsen also does a fabulous job at bringing in humor and a protagonist that reluctant readers will likely identify with right off the bat. This is an important novel to start conversations about mental health and includes a great author's letter for students about how to help yourself or others who are struggling.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quagmire Tiarello may be a 14-year-old boy but most of the time, he has to act like an adult. His mom has undiagnosed bipolar disorder and goes on "spins" where she may disappear for days at a time, leaving Quag to fend for himself. He has to pay bills, find food, and convince the landlord that his mom is in control even when she's not. This time around Quag's mom has been MIA for several days. When she finally returns, she takes Quag for a fast food run that turns into a road trip that spans several states and then leaves him stranded on the side of the road. What happens from there is pretty far-fetched, but I don't think the target audience of middle-grade readers will mind. I had a hard time getting into the story, but I think it still is valuable for classroom and school libraries due to its focus on mental illness. This is a very real concern for many children and I'm a firm believer that representation matters, especially in children's books.

Thanks to HarperCollins Children's Books, Clarion Books, and NetGalley for a review copy of this book.

[Murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quag has just started his summer break and can't wait to hang out with his friend Cassie at the YMCA ArtCamp when he gets to create sound effects, but Quag's mother has disappear, which Quag admits happens from time to time because in Quag's words she "spins." An older reader may realize that Quag mother's suffers from Bi-Polar disorder, but it is revealed later in the book. His mother reappears one day and picks him at the Y in front of his friends to much his embarrassment. Quag soon discovers that his mother is taking him on a road trip half way across the country and she ends up leaving him on the side of the road along with her purse and phone. The last half of the book has Quag on his uncle's ranch in Nebraska and his coming to terms with not only with his mother's illness but how he has let it control his life as well. Well done middle grade fiction book that takes an honest look at how a parent's illness effects a young teen's life. Recommended for middle grade readers who like realistic fiction.

[Dr. T Loves Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 - An enjoyable & engaging story that zigs when you think it will zag. Great story about a 14 y.o. trying to keep his world together with a mother who has an undiagnosed mental health issue that frequently interferes with living a normal life. Quag is a hard kid, because that's been his outlet for all he"s had to shoulder since childhood. He's turned his fear into anger, and turned his anger on the world around him. But he still has sparks of humor, and is a clever kid. When he gets pulled into a situation he didn't expect, he rolls with it, and starts to see there's maybe some good stuff that could be part of his life. When his mother's actions blow that up, Quag is left to figure out how to deal with a radical change in his life. He copes with it better than many might. And he eventually sees that he doesn't have to deal with problems on his own - that it's easier to get help when we need it than to try to take on the world alone.

[Donna Metler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recieved a free eARC of this book, Thank you for the opportunity to read it.

No 14 yr old should be the person responsible for holding things together at home, unfortunately, that's what Quag is facing. His mother spirals up and down, and he's left holding the pieces,

This book is one of the best portrayals of a manic episode I've seen, Quag actually is connecting with a group at a summer art camp and having a good time...and also trying to cover for his mother, who is spiraling badly. That falls apart when his mother decides to go get hot dogs, and ends up leaving Quag in a different state, unable to get to Art camp with the promised donuts, to save his mother,,,or to save himself. Quag has to make hard decisions as to what to do and who to trust.


This book is needed and valuable. It deserves to be shelved in libraries and read.

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a jewel. I loved the character of Quag with his resilience and insight. He remained upright while his mother spiraled around him. With a history of mental illness, Quag knew his mother, so he knew the signs. His mother would slowly start to lose control, and gradually, she would start spinning. Not physically spinning but spinning internally. Quag knew where his mother would eventually land, and this is what he feared. This was his mother, this was his life, this was the life that he was trying to hide.

It was during one of mom’s spin that Quag finds himself on his uncle’s farm. Not a place he wants to be but one that will change his life forever. A time for Quag.

This book was more than I anticipated. The characters were fantastic, and I enjoyed how this book transitioned. I’m glad I picked this one up. 5 stars

[Susan Dunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this headstrong yet vulnerable character so much! (and must admit I was relieved that Quagmire isn't his given name). For as long as he can remember, Quag has been struggling to hide his mother's mental health issues from the rest of the world. It's meant calling in sick for her when she can't get out of bed, logging into her bank account to pay the bills, making a lot of his own meals, and moving more times than he can count. But now they're living in a town where Quag has made some friends, and even better - found a girl that he likes - and he is finally a little bit happy. So when his mom goes off the rails again, it's harder than ever before. And a desperate Quag finally has to ask for help. Which may be the smartest thing he's ever done. Heartwarming and fun.