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The Problim Children #1
The Problim Children
When the Problim children’s ramshackle bungalow in the Swampy Woods goes kaboom, the seven siblings and their pet pig have no choice but to move into their Grandpa’s abandoned old mansion in Lost Cove. No problem! For the Problim children, every problem is a gift.
Wendell and Thea—twins born two minutes apart on a Wednesday and a Thursday—see the move as a chance to make new friends in time for their birthday cake smash. But the neighbors find the Problims’ return problematic—what with Sal’s foggy garden full of Wrangling Ivy, toddler Toot’s 365 stanktastic fart varieties, and Mona’s human catapult.
Truth be told, rumors are flying about the Problims! Rumors of a bitter feud, a treasure, and a certain kind of magic lingering in the halls of #7 Main Street. And the neighbors will do anything to get their hands on those secrets—including sending the Problim children to seven different homes on seven different continents!
Wendell and Thea—twins born two minutes apart on a Wednesday and a Thursday—see the move as a chance to make new friends in time for their birthday cake smash. But the neighbors find the Problims’ return problematic—what with Sal’s foggy garden full of Wrangling Ivy, toddler Toot’s 365 stanktastic fart varieties, and Mona’s human catapult.
Truth be told, rumors are flying about the Problims! Rumors of a bitter feud, a treasure, and a certain kind of magic lingering in the halls of #7 Main Street. And the neighbors will do anything to get their hands on those secrets—including sending the Problim children to seven different homes on seven different continents!
304 pages, Hardcover
First published February 6, 2018
128 people are currently reading
3567 people want to read
About the author
Natalie Lloyd
13 books534 followersNatalie Lloyd is the New York Times Bestselling Author of novels for young readers (and the young at heart).
Her first novel, A Snicker of Magic (2014), was an ALA Notable Book, a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice, a top 10 Kids Indie Next Pick and an NPR, iBooks and Parents Magazine best book of the year for children. The book has been optioned for television by Sony Tristar. Natalie’s other novels include The Key to Extraordinary (Scholastic 2016), The Problim Children series (HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen 2017), and Over the Moon (Scholastic 2019). These novels have won accolades from Entertainment Weekly, Junior Library Guild, SIBA, Amazon and Bank Street College of Education, among others. Silverswift, her first Audible Original, was published in 2020. Hummingbird, her seventh (and most personal) novel for kids, was published in August 2022. In January 2023, it was awarded a Schneider Family Honor Award by the American Library Association. Her next novel, The Witching Wind, will be available in Fall 2024.
Natalie writes in the shadows beside a sunny window in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She loves adventuring with her husband, Justin, and their dogs.
Her first novel, A Snicker of Magic (2014), was an ALA Notable Book, a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice, a top 10 Kids Indie Next Pick and an NPR, iBooks and Parents Magazine best book of the year for children. The book has been optioned for television by Sony Tristar. Natalie’s other novels include The Key to Extraordinary (Scholastic 2016), The Problim Children series (HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen 2017), and Over the Moon (Scholastic 2019). These novels have won accolades from Entertainment Weekly, Junior Library Guild, SIBA, Amazon and Bank Street College of Education, among others. Silverswift, her first Audible Original, was published in 2020. Hummingbird, her seventh (and most personal) novel for kids, was published in August 2022. In January 2023, it was awarded a Schneider Family Honor Award by the American Library Association. Her next novel, The Witching Wind, will be available in Fall 2024.
Natalie writes in the shadows beside a sunny window in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She loves adventuring with her husband, Justin, and their dogs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 224 reviews
May 17, 2018
This quirky, endearing, magical middle grade book is about 7 siblings whose house on a swamp suddenly explodes. They must come up with a plan as their parents are unreachable on an archaeological site in Angorra. Through songs, they remember a box that was buried in the yard which contains a deed to their grandfather’s mansion. Their grandfather has been missing and presumed deceased for 7 years. Before disappearing he visited them often, however, they have never been to his mansion which is only 7 miles from where they live. The Problim children arrive in Lost Cove to claim his house just as the mayor is about to put the Problim mansion up for auction with one very eager buyer, a Desdemona O’Pinion.
Upon arriving in Lost Cove, Desdemona O’Pinion threatens to split up the 7 siblings and send them each to a different continent as they have no documentation to prove who they are. She has even formed the Society for the Protection of Unwanted Children who are ready to take the children away. The children are given one month to either provide legal documentation that they are the Problim children or their parents must arrive. In the meantime they are allowed to stay in the mansion. They spend this time trying to work out clues from a rhyme that was also left behind for them by their grandfather. They also try to befriend the neighbors who seem both afraid and intrigued by them.
These Problim children had no idea they were magical or different until moving into Frank Problim’s mansion. The circus spiders carrying rumors, the fog surrounding their home in the shape of animals and objects, and the countless other anomalies that are part of the Problim’s daily life have never seemed extraordinary until now. The book will entrance and delight readers. There are riddles and mysteries to solve aplenty. There are characters to love and cheer for. The book is full of interesting characters whose names are clues to their personalities. The book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, leaving the reader awaiting a sequel… I’m guessing there might be 7 in this series.
Upon arriving in Lost Cove, Desdemona O’Pinion threatens to split up the 7 siblings and send them each to a different continent as they have no documentation to prove who they are. She has even formed the Society for the Protection of Unwanted Children who are ready to take the children away. The children are given one month to either provide legal documentation that they are the Problim children or their parents must arrive. In the meantime they are allowed to stay in the mansion. They spend this time trying to work out clues from a rhyme that was also left behind for them by their grandfather. They also try to befriend the neighbors who seem both afraid and intrigued by them.
These Problim children had no idea they were magical or different until moving into Frank Problim’s mansion. The circus spiders carrying rumors, the fog surrounding their home in the shape of animals and objects, and the countless other anomalies that are part of the Problim’s daily life have never seemed extraordinary until now. The book will entrance and delight readers. There are riddles and mysteries to solve aplenty. There are characters to love and cheer for. The book is full of interesting characters whose names are clues to their personalities. The book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, leaving the reader awaiting a sequel… I’m guessing there might be 7 in this series.
March 30, 2018
this book was like...if the boxcar children were clinically insane and also there was a random extra boxcar child who randomly tried to kill the other ones and also whoever else happens to be around. (no one seems the least bit concerned about this.) also, a fart joke LITERALLY every page and '' ' lessons ' ''' about family and living 'heart first'.
this book can't seem to make up it's mind whether or not it wants to be a zany, off the wall, quirky feel-good adventure or an actual mystery with a point to it and a dark undertone, and the plot and tone definitely suffer for it.
this book can't seem to make up it's mind whether or not it wants to be a zany, off the wall, quirky feel-good adventure or an actual mystery with a point to it and a dark undertone, and the plot and tone definitely suffer for it.
April 29, 2020
We’re just gonna go right to the review 👉
Likes:
Seven Problim children. Seven characters. You think it would be suuuuper confusing to keep them all straight. But no! It was so refreshing to find that each one was clearly distinguishable and all had different enough personalities to make clear distinctions.
Family bonds. I have seven siblings. No, we aren’t as crazy as the Problims. But still. This was seeet. I liked the siblings, and how they fought at times, but ultimately they were there for each other.
It was creative! I can give the author that for sure. The craziness was fun at times but at a few points it was a little much, even for me.
The party scene. I’m sorry, that was the craziest, funniest, most wild thing I’ve read in a while.
There were good messages! There were also a few mixed ones... so the messages were definitely mixed in general.
Dislikes:
The beginning was so... ugh. Boring. It really took a while to actually get into the plot.
There was a lot of crude humor (mostly fart jokes) especially at the beginning. There was some other humor tho! And later in the book the fart jokes kind of... disappeared? Well, more like weren’t as present.
It was decently cheesy. And not cheesy in a cute funny way. Cheesy in an annoying bleh kind of way. (Especially Frida’s poetry *shudders*)
80% of the time I read mg to laugh or to go ‘awww’. And yeah. That didn’t really happen. The humor wasn’t very funny (one or two parts were actually pretty good but other than that). And it wasn’t really heartwarming? So yeah. Ultimately... it didn’t do much for me.
There was a tiny bit of witchcraft and numerology was... highly suggested at the beginning.
THE ENDING WAS SOOOOOO UNSATISFYING!!! I demand a refund... on my time. Cause if you think I’m about to go waste more time on the second and third book, then you’re dead wrong. I’m done with series already.
Content:
Crude humor. Very light language. Light violence.
Happy reading guys!!
Likes:
Seven Problim children. Seven characters. You think it would be suuuuper confusing to keep them all straight. But no! It was so refreshing to find that each one was clearly distinguishable and all had different enough personalities to make clear distinctions.
Family bonds. I have seven siblings. No, we aren’t as crazy as the Problims. But still. This was seeet. I liked the siblings, and how they fought at times, but ultimately they were there for each other.
It was creative! I can give the author that for sure. The craziness was fun at times but at a few points it was a little much, even for me.
The party scene. I’m sorry, that was the craziest, funniest, most wild thing I’ve read in a while.
There were good messages! There were also a few mixed ones... so the messages were definitely mixed in general.
Dislikes:
The beginning was so... ugh. Boring. It really took a while to actually get into the plot.
There was a lot of crude humor (mostly fart jokes) especially at the beginning. There was some other humor tho! And later in the book the fart jokes kind of... disappeared? Well, more like weren’t as present.
It was decently cheesy. And not cheesy in a cute funny way. Cheesy in an annoying bleh kind of way. (Especially Frida’s poetry *shudders*)
80% of the time I read mg to laugh or to go ‘awww’. And yeah. That didn’t really happen. The humor wasn’t very funny (one or two parts were actually pretty good but other than that). And it wasn’t really heartwarming? So yeah. Ultimately... it didn’t do much for me.
There was a tiny bit of witchcraft and numerology was... highly suggested at the beginning.
THE ENDING WAS SOOOOOO UNSATISFYING!!! I demand a refund... on my time. Cause if you think I’m about to go waste more time on the second and third book, then you’re dead wrong. I’m done with series already.
Content:
Crude humor. Very light language. Light violence.
Happy reading guys!!
March 6, 2018
I loved everything about this book, but the ending seemed abrupt. Looking forward to the sequel, so the main plot line is resolved.
December 2, 2023
Love the siblings so much!
Frustrated with average and hyped books?
Or are you done with books that do not live up to your expectations?
Or are you looking for a book that’s different from your usual picks?
Here’s one book called “The Problim Children” by Natalie Llyod which is a fantastical middle grade fiction with amazing but, yes, naughty siblings who are trying to get back to their original home when their home gets destroyed to dust!
The writing is quite accessible and the story is really adventurous!
Will they get a happy ending?!
You bet 😊🥰
Frustrated with average and hyped books?
Or are you done with books that do not live up to your expectations?
Or are you looking for a book that’s different from your usual picks?
Here’s one book called “The Problim Children” by Natalie Llyod which is a fantastical middle grade fiction with amazing but, yes, naughty siblings who are trying to get back to their original home when their home gets destroyed to dust!
The writing is quite accessible and the story is really adventurous!
Will they get a happy ending?!
You bet 😊🥰
November 16, 2020
I really loved this! It was so quirky & humorous & unique. This was heartwarming, whimsical, & amazing. Very much focused on family & friendship, & the importance of both. There’s also a lot of humor, & it was the best lol the farting was a bit much in the beginning lol but it settled down as you read on😆 The 7 Problim children live in the swamp until their house blows up. They have the deed to their grandpas house in town, so they go there. An evil woman is about to buy it when they show up. She’s the neighbor & the daughter to their grandpas enemy. Their grandpa has a hidden treasure in the house, & the daughter & the dad next door feel like he stole it from them-& they want it back. The whole towns scared of the Problim family b/c of the past. The kids have to prove they are who they say they are or they’ll be shipped off separately to 7 different continents. Lol the #7 has special meaning in the story. The kids are trying to get in touch w/their parents to come home(they’re archeologists), trying to find the treasure, trying to keep the neighbor lady away, & also trying to make friends w/the people in town. It’s a charming mystery adventure, w/a lot of humor & heart. A beautiful cover, w/amazing illustrations sprinkled throughout too!😍 Highly recommend!!💜💜
January 30, 2018
Thank you, HarperCollins and Edelweiss for an ARC of this book.
So many things to love about this book: seven engaging siblings, a mystery to solve about hidden treasure, nosy neighbors, Ichabod the pig and more. The book ends with a cliffhanger. Looking forward to future installments in the Problim Children saga.
Little Toot does just that--lots of tooting. The author very creatively gave each toot its own footnote with a title and description including the particular aroma for each. As an adult I may be underestimating how much this might appeal to middle grade readers. It bogged down the story a bit for me.
So many things to love about this book: seven engaging siblings, a mystery to solve about hidden treasure, nosy neighbors, Ichabod the pig and more. The book ends with a cliffhanger. Looking forward to future installments in the Problim Children saga.
Little Toot does just that--lots of tooting. The author very creatively gave each toot its own footnote with a title and description including the particular aroma for each. As an adult I may be underestimating how much this might appeal to middle grade readers. It bogged down the story a bit for me.
May 19, 2018
This is a story about seven Problim children, all born on different days of the week, managing to live on their own because their parents are off on some adventure. I found the story to be extremely boring. There was somehow no or very little plot, it was just a set-up for the next books in the series. There was no resolution, everything was left hanging at the end. Too many characters made it hard to keep track of them all, and I never did get any good idea of each kid. I went 3/4 of the way through, and started skipping pages to the end. Massive disappointment.
July 16, 2020
An even worse version of Series of Unfortunate Events, plus toot jokes on every page. Too many ongoing unnecessary themes to drive the story forward (characters based on week days, elements of nature, special abilities, etc.), without actually developing an interesting or cohesive plot line.
November 26, 2017
You know 2018 is going to be a great reading year when you have a new Natalie Lloyd book to look forward to!
December 20, 2017
The Fine Line Between Love and Hate
This is a classic "close knit family of siblings threatened by outside forces" book, but crossed with a slightly fey magical realism style that can delight and grate in equal measure. You know, sometimes you can press a book into someone's hands and enthusiastically urge them to give it a try. And sometimes you close a book, sigh, and walk away. This book struck me as more plus than minus, but at lots of places it walks a very narrow line.
The setup is that we have seven siblings. Each was born on a different day, is named after the day, (Mona, Sundae), and has the attributes of the children from that old folk poem, ("Monday's child is fair of face..."). So far so good. The kids are living alone, (the eldest, Sundae, is 16), because their parents are off on some magical adventure/quest. Then their house blows up and they have to leave their cozy hidden homestead in the mystical woods and move into the shuttered house of their absent grandfather, which is an unwelcome eyesore in the middle of an uptight and unfriendly town. The siblings are threatened and stink-eyed by an evil neighbor and her gang of nasty pals, even though the kids are goodnatured and fun loving. Again, so far so good.
The thing is, though, that the clever and magical angle, at the start, is unrelenting. You don't have spiders, you have circus spiders. You don't have a squirrel watching the action, you have a robot squirrel. The Tuesday child doesn't speak, he just unleashes one of over 200 different farts, each of which has a different meaning. There's a pet pig. At some point this feels like a dessert made entirely of sugar and you start to get a little queasy.
Happily, once the kids move into grandpa's house they settle down and a plot, (a search for grandpa's secret), starts to form. Also, while the neighbor adults are all pills the neighbor kids, who are at least relatively normal, start to come around. This dilutes the antic excess of the Problim children and gives the plot, and the book, some direction.
The upshot for me was that this was interesting but sort of exhausting. It's the first book in a trilogy and everything is left hanging at the end so if you are a reader who requires closure be aware that you're signing up for a three book deal.
(Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
This is a classic "close knit family of siblings threatened by outside forces" book, but crossed with a slightly fey magical realism style that can delight and grate in equal measure. You know, sometimes you can press a book into someone's hands and enthusiastically urge them to give it a try. And sometimes you close a book, sigh, and walk away. This book struck me as more plus than minus, but at lots of places it walks a very narrow line.
The setup is that we have seven siblings. Each was born on a different day, is named after the day, (Mona, Sundae), and has the attributes of the children from that old folk poem, ("Monday's child is fair of face..."). So far so good. The kids are living alone, (the eldest, Sundae, is 16), because their parents are off on some magical adventure/quest. Then their house blows up and they have to leave their cozy hidden homestead in the mystical woods and move into the shuttered house of their absent grandfather, which is an unwelcome eyesore in the middle of an uptight and unfriendly town. The siblings are threatened and stink-eyed by an evil neighbor and her gang of nasty pals, even though the kids are goodnatured and fun loving. Again, so far so good.
The thing is, though, that the clever and magical angle, at the start, is unrelenting. You don't have spiders, you have circus spiders. You don't have a squirrel watching the action, you have a robot squirrel. The Tuesday child doesn't speak, he just unleashes one of over 200 different farts, each of which has a different meaning. There's a pet pig. At some point this feels like a dessert made entirely of sugar and you start to get a little queasy.
Happily, once the kids move into grandpa's house they settle down and a plot, (a search for grandpa's secret), starts to form. Also, while the neighbor adults are all pills the neighbor kids, who are at least relatively normal, start to come around. This dilutes the antic excess of the Problim children and gives the plot, and the book, some direction.
The upshot for me was that this was interesting but sort of exhausting. It's the first book in a trilogy and everything is left hanging at the end so if you are a reader who requires closure be aware that you're signing up for a three book deal.
(Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
November 18, 2017
From the New York Times bestselling author of A Snicker of Magic and The Key to Extraordinary comes a new middle grade series about seven strange siblings all born on a different day of the week and the neighbors who keep trying to tear their family apart.
Wendell and Thea—twins born two minutes apart on a Wednesday and a Thursday—see the move as a chance to make new friends in time for their birthday cake smash. But the neighbors find the Problims’ return problematic—what with Sal’s foggy garden full of Wrangling Ivy, toddler Toot’s 365 stanktastic fart varieties, and Mona’s human catapult.
Truth be told, rumors are flying about the Problims! Rumors of a bitter feud, a treasure, and a certain kind of magic lingering in the halls of #7 Main Street. And the neighbors will do anything to get their hands on those secrets—including sending the Problim children to seven different homes on seven different continents!
With a snicker of Lemony Snicket, a dollop of the Addams Family, and a healthy dose of charm, The Problim Children is an unforgettable tale about adventure, family, and finding the courage to tackle any problem heart-first.
From Goodreads
MY BOOK REVIEW!
My thanks to Harper Collins for this ARC to review and leave my honest review!
This is such a fun book! The characters, the Problim kids, are unique, mischievous, adventurous and so lovable. For this book, Thea and Wendell, the twins, seem to be the focus, although you do get to know the other children as the book progresses.
The villain reminds me of Cruella De Vil without the colorful hair. Instead of hating dogs, the villain in Lloyd’s book hates the Problims. You’ll have to read why.
There’s something mysterious about the home the Problim children inherited from their grandfather. In fact, the whole story behind their grandfather, the house, their parents is so intriguing you want to keep reading in order to discover what’s going on.
I found myself eagerly reading to discover what the Problim children were getting into next. Their ability to land in trouble and how they work their way out of it, is amusing. The characters develop nicely as the story progresses. The plot moves along with surprising twists and turns that keep the story steadily heading toward the climax at a great pace. I love the author’s voice. The Problim Children is a quick read. I recommend this book, because it’s perfect for all middle-graders (and adults) out there! I can’t wait for the next book of the series!
Wendell and Thea—twins born two minutes apart on a Wednesday and a Thursday—see the move as a chance to make new friends in time for their birthday cake smash. But the neighbors find the Problims’ return problematic—what with Sal’s foggy garden full of Wrangling Ivy, toddler Toot’s 365 stanktastic fart varieties, and Mona’s human catapult.
Truth be told, rumors are flying about the Problims! Rumors of a bitter feud, a treasure, and a certain kind of magic lingering in the halls of #7 Main Street. And the neighbors will do anything to get their hands on those secrets—including sending the Problim children to seven different homes on seven different continents!
With a snicker of Lemony Snicket, a dollop of the Addams Family, and a healthy dose of charm, The Problim Children is an unforgettable tale about adventure, family, and finding the courage to tackle any problem heart-first.
From Goodreads
MY BOOK REVIEW!
My thanks to Harper Collins for this ARC to review and leave my honest review!
This is such a fun book! The characters, the Problim kids, are unique, mischievous, adventurous and so lovable. For this book, Thea and Wendell, the twins, seem to be the focus, although you do get to know the other children as the book progresses.
The villain reminds me of Cruella De Vil without the colorful hair. Instead of hating dogs, the villain in Lloyd’s book hates the Problims. You’ll have to read why.
There’s something mysterious about the home the Problim children inherited from their grandfather. In fact, the whole story behind their grandfather, the house, their parents is so intriguing you want to keep reading in order to discover what’s going on.
I found myself eagerly reading to discover what the Problim children were getting into next. Their ability to land in trouble and how they work their way out of it, is amusing. The characters develop nicely as the story progresses. The plot moves along with surprising twists and turns that keep the story steadily heading toward the climax at a great pace. I love the author’s voice. The Problim Children is a quick read. I recommend this book, because it’s perfect for all middle-graders (and adults) out there! I can’t wait for the next book of the series!
February 17, 2018
I had the opportunity to read an Advanced copy of this book that was shared with me by my #BookRelays group. I loved Natalie Lloyd’s book, A Snicker of Magic, so I was excited to get a chance to read her latest middle grade novel. This book is the first in a series that follows the treasure-hunting adventures of a peculiar family of seven siblings. Each child was born on a different day of the week, and has a unique personality to match their birth day.
When disaster strikes their home in the swamp, they show up in the town of Lost Cove to claim their grandfather’s abandoned mansion. There is a next door neighbor who wants the place for herself and works tirelessly to see that these children are forced to leave. There are clues throughout the house that lead to a treasure, and the race is on to see who finds it first.
The family in the book reminds me of a cross between the Herdmans in Barbara Robinson’s The Best Christmas Pageant Ever and the title character in Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren. I love that middle grade kids have a quirky, fun group of kids that, for the most part, try to see people “heart first.” One of the attendees of Wendell and Thea’s birthday party describes them as “Funny and really weird but in a good way. And when you’re around them, you feel like it’s okay to be weird too.”
I really enjoyed this book. Fans of Natalie Lloyd will also appreciate the cameo appearance her own dog, Biscuit, makes in the story. This book would be appropriate for kids in grades 3-7.
When disaster strikes their home in the swamp, they show up in the town of Lost Cove to claim their grandfather’s abandoned mansion. There is a next door neighbor who wants the place for herself and works tirelessly to see that these children are forced to leave. There are clues throughout the house that lead to a treasure, and the race is on to see who finds it first.
The family in the book reminds me of a cross between the Herdmans in Barbara Robinson’s The Best Christmas Pageant Ever and the title character in Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren. I love that middle grade kids have a quirky, fun group of kids that, for the most part, try to see people “heart first.” One of the attendees of Wendell and Thea’s birthday party describes them as “Funny and really weird but in a good way. And when you’re around them, you feel like it’s okay to be weird too.”
I really enjoyed this book. Fans of Natalie Lloyd will also appreciate the cameo appearance her own dog, Biscuit, makes in the story. This book would be appropriate for kids in grades 3-7.
February 25, 2018
Totally unexpected beginning, and I thought I didn't like it at first. But as the story unfolds, it has the quintessential quirk of Natalie Lloyd and my love for this book bloomed like one of Toot's farts. I can't wait to read the next one! If you haven't fallen in love with Lloyd's prose and wordsmithing, you will.
January 28, 2018
LOVE LOVE LOVED THIS. As per usual with Natalie's books, it was quirky and fabulous and full of heart. I read this in a day. That's how good it was. A really fun adventure with a cast of characters that you will instantly fall in love with. I am VERY excited for book #2!
June 18, 2018
This is the story of the seven Problim siblings, each born on a different day of the week: Sundae (Sunday), Mona (Monday), Toot (Tuesday), the twins Wendell (Wednesday) and Thea (Thursday), Frida (Friday), and Sal (Saturday). Their parents are brilliant archaeologists who have raised their children to be independent, open-minded, and free-range learners. This means that while mom and dad are away on an important dig, their children are unschooled, solving problems on their own with only their oldest sibling (Sundae, age 16) left in charge at home.
The story begins with the destruction of their home. Uh oh! But soon after, they discover that their grandfather left his home to the seven children. So the children load up and travel to their grandfather’s town to show proof of deed ownership. Luckily, they interrupt the start of an auction for the home and they’re granted 21 days to live there before they must either (1) prove their ownership by birth certificate (which were destroyed with their house), or (2) have their parents arrive to claim them. In the meantime, they discover a mystery involving hidden treasure and clues their grandfather left behind for them.
It’s an incredibly unique and mysterious story. If you’re accustomed to straight-forward reads, I suggest you try not to overthink anything in the first few chapters. Once I resolved to simply go with it, this story was quite fun! 🙂 Aaaand it looks like book #2 is scheduled to come out in February 2019.
For more kidlit, MGlit, and YAlit book reviews, please visit my book review blog: The Miller Memo.
The story begins with the destruction of their home. Uh oh! But soon after, they discover that their grandfather left his home to the seven children. So the children load up and travel to their grandfather’s town to show proof of deed ownership. Luckily, they interrupt the start of an auction for the home and they’re granted 21 days to live there before they must either (1) prove their ownership by birth certificate (which were destroyed with their house), or (2) have their parents arrive to claim them. In the meantime, they discover a mystery involving hidden treasure and clues their grandfather left behind for them.
It’s an incredibly unique and mysterious story. If you’re accustomed to straight-forward reads, I suggest you try not to overthink anything in the first few chapters. Once I resolved to simply go with it, this story was quite fun! 🙂 Aaaand it looks like book #2 is scheduled to come out in February 2019.
For more kidlit, MGlit, and YAlit book reviews, please visit my book review blog: The Miller Memo.
March 24, 2018
The Problim Children
By
Natalie Lloyd
What it's all about...
Oh my...there are seven Problim children happily living in their swampy house in the swampy woods until it blows up. The children are alone...Sundae...the eldest...is in charge and each Problim has a special skill. Oh...Toot...the baby...has a flatulence problem. So...after the swampy explosion they are off to the next town to live in their grandfather’s house...little did they know just how unwelcome they would be there. The loudest mouth in the neighborhood...Mrs. O’Pinion...wants their house and wants them gone...all seven Problim children scattered to seven different faraway places.
Why I wanted to read it...
I loved the cover, loved the story and loved the humor in this awesome middle school book.
What made me truly enjoy this book...
Again..the humor...subtle...the storyline...clever...and the way this book just came together.
Why you should read it, too...
Readers who love fantasy and humor and an imaginative story...will love this book. It will help if you learn to love numbered flatulence incidents...thanks to Baby Toot!
I received an advance reader’s copy of this book from the publisher through Edelweiss and Amazon. It was my choice to read it and review it.
By
Natalie Lloyd
What it's all about...
Oh my...there are seven Problim children happily living in their swampy house in the swampy woods until it blows up. The children are alone...Sundae...the eldest...is in charge and each Problim has a special skill. Oh...Toot...the baby...has a flatulence problem. So...after the swampy explosion they are off to the next town to live in their grandfather’s house...little did they know just how unwelcome they would be there. The loudest mouth in the neighborhood...Mrs. O’Pinion...wants their house and wants them gone...all seven Problim children scattered to seven different faraway places.
Why I wanted to read it...
I loved the cover, loved the story and loved the humor in this awesome middle school book.
What made me truly enjoy this book...
Again..the humor...subtle...the storyline...clever...and the way this book just came together.
Why you should read it, too...
Readers who love fantasy and humor and an imaginative story...will love this book. It will help if you learn to love numbered flatulence incidents...thanks to Baby Toot!
I received an advance reader’s copy of this book from the publisher through Edelweiss and Amazon. It was my choice to read it and review it.
February 4, 2018
Natalie's books are always so sweet and charming! I love the worlds she creates and her quirky characters. This one was no exception. After a little confusion at the very beginning because of how nonchalant the children were about their house being blown up, I quickly got sucked into the story. I loved the emphasis on family (though at first I had a little trouble keeping all the kids straight!). The mystery is intriguing and even though it isn't completely solved here (this is the first in a trilogy), I didn't feel frustrated about that because she gives you enough information to satisfy you for now. :)
It just now hit me that Desdemona totally reminded me of the evil lady in the Casper movie. No wonder she was disturbing, ha.
My favorite sibling was probably Thea. I also liked Frida a lot though! Her rhyming felt a little forced at times, but the idea of her creeping around and referring to herself as the Fox was hilarious. My only real complaint about the book was Toot's farting. I'm not a fan of potty humor and it just got a little repetitive.
I enjoyed this book so much and can't wait for the next one!
It just now hit me that Desdemona totally reminded me of the evil lady in the Casper movie. No wonder she was disturbing, ha.
My favorite sibling was probably Thea. I also liked Frida a lot though! Her rhyming felt a little forced at times, but the idea of her creeping around and referring to herself as the Fox was hilarious. My only real complaint about the book was Toot's farting. I'm not a fan of potty humor and it just got a little repetitive.
I enjoyed this book so much and can't wait for the next one!
February 8, 2018
This book started a bit slow for me. I had a hard time keeping the characters straight and I wasn’t as drawn to the story as I’ve been by Natalie Lloyd’s other books. But as I got further along, I couldn’t wait to read each chapter. Loved these seven Problim children with their special abilities, their quirky charms, and their love for each other. I’m betting my kids will think the classified toots are hilarious and the way the Problim children know how to have fun will make students wish they had neighbors like this. This book shouts sequel! Hope to learn more about the parents and to meet the mom in the next installment.
dnf-2025
May 6, 2025DNF at 15%
A true example of "this book is not for me".
I love Natalie! Her books are fantastic and wonderful and I love all of the heart she puts into them.
But this book has a fart joke on every page and I'm sorry, but I can't. If I were in the actual age bracket of the suggested reader I would probably think it was hilarious but... fart jokes just take me out of the story every time. I kept reading hoping they would lessen over time but they really didn't.
A true example of "this book is not for me".
I love Natalie! Her books are fantastic and wonderful and I love all of the heart she puts into them.
But this book has a fart joke on every page and I'm sorry, but I can't. If I were in the actual age bracket of the suggested reader I would probably think it was hilarious but... fart jokes just take me out of the story every time. I kept reading hoping they would lessen over time but they really didn't.
March 12, 2018
This was an entertaining story and I enjoyed getting to know the seven siblings. I’m not a big fan of A Series of Unfortunate Events (I need closure!), and this was much more cheery and fun in my opinion.
I found baby Toot and his fart communication hilarious. Call me a fart-humor lover.
Even with its quirkiness, there were deeper layers. Thea especially explored those layers. Twins with Wendell, she has to think about who she could be, all on her own, while Wendell seems to be less interested in the super-close-twins life.
Mona’s devious ways were funny, with the way her siblings reacted to her too. The kids want friends, but Mona isn’t into the whole “be nice” idea.
I would have given 5 stars if there had been more closure at the end of the book (first book in a planned series, so will have to wait until next year to read what happens next), and if there had been a more compelling reason for a 16 year old to be in charge of six younger siblings while their parents were off on an archeology expedition. That situation will just have to be tucked away into the “it doesn’t always have to make sense to grownups! It’s just fun!” category.
I found baby Toot and his fart communication hilarious. Call me a fart-humor lover.
Even with its quirkiness, there were deeper layers. Thea especially explored those layers. Twins with Wendell, she has to think about who she could be, all on her own, while Wendell seems to be less interested in the super-close-twins life.
Mona’s devious ways were funny, with the way her siblings reacted to her too. The kids want friends, but Mona isn’t into the whole “be nice” idea.
I would have given 5 stars if there had been more closure at the end of the book (first book in a planned series, so will have to wait until next year to read what happens next), and if there had been a more compelling reason for a 16 year old to be in charge of six younger siblings while their parents were off on an archeology expedition. That situation will just have to be tucked away into the “it doesn’t always have to make sense to grownups! It’s just fun!” category.
February 14, 2018
A delightful, quirky, clever story of family, friendship and the quirkiest cast of creatures and ne’er do wells I’ve read in awhile. Fun and can’t wait for book 2!
March 11, 2018
The Problim Children by Natalie Lloyd is the start of a new middle grade series about seven children, each named for and born on a different day of the week. As their parents are super special archeologists, they spend a lot of time at home alone.
The children live in a house behind a bunch of magical fog, away from society where they are their own mini community. That is until the end of chapter one when one of them accidentally blows up the house. In the rubble they find the deed to their grandfather's mansion in the next town over. With no parents to help with the current situation they decide to move.
http://pussreboots.com/blog/2018/comm...
The children live in a house behind a bunch of magical fog, away from society where they are their own mini community. That is until the end of chapter one when one of them accidentally blows up the house. In the rubble they find the deed to their grandfather's mansion in the next town over. With no parents to help with the current situation they decide to move.
http://pussreboots.com/blog/2018/comm...
May 18, 2018
I didn't realize when we began this story that it was a brand new book. My daughters and I are both anxious to continue the story and we will NOT be patiently waiting for the rest of the series!
September 19, 2018
Holy cliffhanger!!!!
July 7, 2020
Delightful.
October 1, 2024
Natalie Lloyd is such an amazing author and her books don’t disappoint! This book is not disappoint either! The suspense from the kaboom to them working together, I loved every moment of this book. I definitely wanted to read the second book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
October 28, 2024@ tay
this was very cute! the book about the days of the week children i was telling u about
this was very cute! the book about the days of the week children i was telling u about
February 3, 2018
3.5 / 5
While I didn't enjoy this as much as Natalie Lloyd's previous two novels, The Problim Children is still a solid middle grade novel! Full of humour, heart, and mystery, this is definitely one to check out if you are a fan of Lemony Snicker or The Mysterious Benedict Society.
While I didn't enjoy this as much as Natalie Lloyd's previous two novels, The Problim Children is still a solid middle grade novel! Full of humour, heart, and mystery, this is definitely one to check out if you are a fan of Lemony Snicker or The Mysterious Benedict Society.
March 20, 2018
Originally posted at Log Cabin Library
The seven Problim children's names and character traits come from a rhyme about which day of the week they were born on. "Monday's child is fair of face (Mona), Tuesday's child is full of grace (Toot), Wednesday's child is full of woe (Wendell), Thursday's child has far to go (Thea), Friday's child is loving and giving (Frida), Saturday's child works hard for a living (Sal) but the child who's born on the Sabbath day is good and wise in every way (Sundae)." I absolutely adored these siblings, they're all so unique and have such varied likes and abilities. Sundae is the oldest, followed by Sal. Thea and Wendell are twins who are starting to branch out from sharing everything together. Toot is just as his names describes, the youngest of the bunch who is prone to farts that have their own unique smell, it's how he communicates with the other children and they've begun cataloging them (their probably up to #200 by now). Frida is stealthy, refers to herself as the Fox and talks in rhymes. My favorites are Thea and Mona. Thea is fearful and not at ease around the children in the neighborhood, her special bond with her brother is really sweet and it's sad when she gets jealous when Wendell starts to become friends with their next-door neighbor, Violet O'Pinion. Mona, she's something special, she's slightly scary, smart, secretive and imaginative and made me think of Wednesday from the Addams Family. The Problim's reminded me a bit of them, in a none spooky or creepy way. They both are a tight-knit family and have interests that other people might think are slightly strange. Morticia had carnivorous plants that could wrap themselves around you, and Sal engineers flowers that have a particular smell, keeps a foggy garden of Wrangling Ivy and carries his gardening tools on his sleeve ala Edward Scissorhands. Wednesday had her spiders, and Mona has a Venus flytrap and circus spiders that she can send out to deliver messages. Both had neighbors who were curious yet also slightly scared of them. Yet both are totally fine with who they are, they aren't changing their personality to fit in. One very fun example is how at Thea and Wendell's birthday party they celebrate with the Problim family traditional "smash cake" (just like it sounds smashing your face into your cake). Despite the initial lukewarm welcome they receive from their neighbors, the siblings still reach out and try to make friends. Always conveying the important, beautiful message of "look at someone heart-first," that "there's never an excuse to be cruel. When you meet someone new, think first about all the good and the sad and wonder and worry that's probably blooming in their heart. Just like yours." If you've read The Key to Extraordinary or A Snicker of Magic, then you certainly will enjoy The Problim Children it has the same quirky magical feel to it with the bonus of a mystery based on rumors about a family feud, a riddle involving a prophecy of sevens and a treasure hunt for something that might be hidden somewhere in the house. There are even mechanical animals like a squirrel with a purple tail, brass rabbit's and who could miss out on circus spiders?
Favorite lines:
"Tell me a tale worth telling back."
"Any treasure worth finding is worth seeking. And you seek with your head and your heart-not just your dusty sneakers."
The seven Problim children's names and character traits come from a rhyme about which day of the week they were born on. "Monday's child is fair of face (Mona), Tuesday's child is full of grace (Toot), Wednesday's child is full of woe (Wendell), Thursday's child has far to go (Thea), Friday's child is loving and giving (Frida), Saturday's child works hard for a living (Sal) but the child who's born on the Sabbath day is good and wise in every way (Sundae)." I absolutely adored these siblings, they're all so unique and have such varied likes and abilities. Sundae is the oldest, followed by Sal. Thea and Wendell are twins who are starting to branch out from sharing everything together. Toot is just as his names describes, the youngest of the bunch who is prone to farts that have their own unique smell, it's how he communicates with the other children and they've begun cataloging them (their probably up to #200 by now). Frida is stealthy, refers to herself as the Fox and talks in rhymes. My favorites are Thea and Mona. Thea is fearful and not at ease around the children in the neighborhood, her special bond with her brother is really sweet and it's sad when she gets jealous when Wendell starts to become friends with their next-door neighbor, Violet O'Pinion. Mona, she's something special, she's slightly scary, smart, secretive and imaginative and made me think of Wednesday from the Addams Family. The Problim's reminded me a bit of them, in a none spooky or creepy way. They both are a tight-knit family and have interests that other people might think are slightly strange. Morticia had carnivorous plants that could wrap themselves around you, and Sal engineers flowers that have a particular smell, keeps a foggy garden of Wrangling Ivy and carries his gardening tools on his sleeve ala Edward Scissorhands. Wednesday had her spiders, and Mona has a Venus flytrap and circus spiders that she can send out to deliver messages. Both had neighbors who were curious yet also slightly scared of them. Yet both are totally fine with who they are, they aren't changing their personality to fit in. One very fun example is how at Thea and Wendell's birthday party they celebrate with the Problim family traditional "smash cake" (just like it sounds smashing your face into your cake). Despite the initial lukewarm welcome they receive from their neighbors, the siblings still reach out and try to make friends. Always conveying the important, beautiful message of "look at someone heart-first," that "there's never an excuse to be cruel. When you meet someone new, think first about all the good and the sad and wonder and worry that's probably blooming in their heart. Just like yours." If you've read The Key to Extraordinary or A Snicker of Magic, then you certainly will enjoy The Problim Children it has the same quirky magical feel to it with the bonus of a mystery based on rumors about a family feud, a riddle involving a prophecy of sevens and a treasure hunt for something that might be hidden somewhere in the house. There are even mechanical animals like a squirrel with a purple tail, brass rabbit's and who could miss out on circus spiders?
Favorite lines:
"Tell me a tale worth telling back."
"Any treasure worth finding is worth seeking. And you seek with your head and your heart-not just your dusty sneakers."
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