The Not-Just-Anybody Family

Blossom Family #1

by Betsy Byars, Jacqueline Rogers (Illustrator)

Book by Betsy Byars

Genres: Childrens, Fiction, Middle Grade, Humor, Juvenile, Realistic Fiction, Family

149 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1986

About the author

Betsy Byars was an American author of children's books. She wrote over sixty books for young people. Her first novel was published in 1962. Her novel Summer of the Swans won the 1971 Newbery Medal. She also received a National Book Award for Young People's Literature for The Night Swimmers and an Edgar Award for Wanted ... Mud Blossom!!

Daughters Betsy Duffey and Laurie Myers are also writers.

Reviews

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are planning a family road trip, add this to your play list. There is something for everyone. A boy who tries to fly, a jail break-IN, a lost dog named Mud, a hospital escape, an exciting trial, and so much more. Even simple things like Maggie's reasons for having braids will give you all a good laugh. The Blossom family lives in a classic dimension similar to the Beverly Cleary, Homer Price, or Clementine. G-rated and highly recommended.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been looking for this book for a while. All I could remember was one scene. But it was a very memorable scene.

In 4th grade (circa 1989), my teacher would read to us at the end of class while we sat with our eyes closed. I remember him reading a scene where the teacher in the book had the students close their eyes, but the main character didn't, and he saw his teacher use the moment to adjust her bra straps. My teacher made a comment before he read this scene to the effect of: "Well, if you were starting to fall asleep this will wake you up."

For a long time I thought the book was "A Wrinkle in Time" but I just re-read it and this scene was not included. Thanks to some folks from the "What's The Name of That Book???", I discovered that this was the book I remember, and this is the passage:

"One time, in first grade, the teacher had said, 'Now boys and girls, I want you all to close your eyes because I want you to imagine something.' Dutifully Junior had closed his eyes and he had, through his eyelids — he was willing to swear this on a stack of bibles — through his eyelids he had seen Mrs Hodges adjust her brassiere."

[Sheri S. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an entertaining but kind of strange book with fairly quirky characters, though I suppose that's what people like about it. The Blossom family are pretty unique with a boy trying to fly, another attempting a jail break-in and a girl who insists on wearing cowboy boots at all times. The kids are left to fend for themselves while the adults are working out their own challenges.

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting, surprising, beautifully written. Loved this little book.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

First time re-reading this as an adult, and I liked it. I remember liking it as a kid, too, and I think kids are a better target audience. As an adult I was too aware of the white privilege in the story (if police showed up and a black man was holding a shotgun, they would kill him) and that the grandpa would probably be super racist in real life. The kids are very relatable and believably written, and there will be a whole class of rural poor white kids who will find them extra relatable. Urban or black kids probably shouldn’t bother reading this as they may just find the differences from their own lives off-putting.

My lawyer husband pointed out that although the legal generosity shown in this book might seem unrealistic to modern readers, it is in fact how the judicial system is supposed to work. Someone who made a mistake that didn’t actually hurt anyone, and has young dependents at home, should be sent home to take care of them rather than locked up and penalized in a way that helps no one and harms the family.

[Sue.the.very.busy.reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read The Not-Just-Anybody Family for the Battle of the Books at school. It is the story of three children who are being raised by their grandfather because their mom is traveling with the rodeo. When the grandfather is arrested, the kids are left to figure things out on their own.

Junior finds himself in the hospital with two broken legs, Vern breaks into jail to help his grandfather and Maggie is left to sort it all out.

Kids will find this book humorous and fun. One of the things I disliked about this book is that it portrays adults (police, nurses, and the mother) as people who are not as smart as the kids.

[Lena · Rating 4 out of 5]

My mom read this series to my siblings and me when we were younger and I am honestly in impressed with how well it has held up. The Blossoms are a very tight knit family that comes through for each other. It is a fast paced story with high stakes that keeps you engaged and the switch in POVs is great!

-The gender roles are pretty stereotypical and there was at least one ableist comment about Ralphie.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

A while back we read the 5th book in this series as part of my son’s Battle of the Books competition. It’s a funny little story about a quirky family. We liked the 5th one better than this one, but plan to keep reading through the series. It was definitely easier to start at the actual beginning and find out who all the characters are.

[Melissa Allen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hoopla bonus borrow book - very cute story about 3 kids being basically raised by their grandpa - who don't seem to know much about life and how to ask for help from adults. They also don't seem to have much supervision. -- but when grandpa gets into trouble and one of the kids ends up in the hospital - they come together for each other in a very unique way!

[Nell · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story perfectly captures tight bonds among family members, and child passions such as being able to fly, within a dramatic, quirky plot and setting. The pace of the story is great - events seem to tumble along quickly, one after the other after the other like toys falling out of a bag.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Again, rating for my children. I didn't mind it, either, but I doubt I would read it again and they now want to read more about the Blossom family! It's fun to read aloud these books that all my children (ages 6, 8 & 9) enjoy.

[Anna Greene · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gave it 3 stars because my kids enjoyed it and thought it was funny. For me the writing was fine and the storyline was fine. The characters are very good. My kids want to read the rest of the series, so we’ll be doing that.

[Allison Turkish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Odd but endearing. The characters are definitely unique.

I had a difficult time getting into this book but about halfway through the humor and storyline won me over.

The Blossom family members love each other and stick by each other no matter what. I like that a lot.

[Jason · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book because it's very interesting and hard to stop reading. Even though it doesn't seem like it will, everything works out in the end. Soon, I will probably start the next book in the series.

[Derelict Space Sheep · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cleverly executed MG novel. Things mostly go wrong for the protagonists—a seven-year-old boy, his 11-year-old brother and sister, their grandpa and his dog—but their travails are told with humour and they come away with a deeper appreciation of family.

[Kylie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A friend recommended this book, saying it was one of her favorites when she was young. She was right. It's one of the cutest children's books I've read!

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a bed time book with the boys- there were some laugh out loud moments for both me and the kids. A fun little read.

[Sky_23 · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5 ☆
It was okay but also kinda weird or something. I don't know exactly😅

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review also appears on my blog, Read-at-Home Mom.

The Blossom kids know better than to hang around when the police show up, so when the cops come looking for their grandfather, Pap, both Maggie and Vern run off into the woods and hide. Unfortunately, Junior, their brother, is on the roof of the barn attempting to fly with cloth wings, and his getaway is thwarted when he falls and breaks both his legs. With their mom away with the rodeo, their dog, Mud, missing, Pap in jail and Junior in the hospital, Maggie and Vern are left to their own devices, and they must rely on their own ingenuity to bring everyone back together again, whatever it takes.

In this book, as she does in The Pinballs (1977), Betsy Byars explores the lives of realistic kids in a difficult, but entirely plausible, situation. She does not shy away from the negative emotions Maggie, Vern, and Junior each feel as things crash down around them, but she doesn’t allow them to wallow in negativity either. Rather, she focuses on the ways in which kids themselves can be empowered to make their own good fortune, and to fight against life’s problems by relying on each other. Readers will be delighted when Vern manages to break into jail, and they will be equally thrilled by Junior’s hospital roommate, Ralphie, whose spunky attitude and outrageous lies help him cope with the loss of his legs. Animal lovers, too, will be pleased to follow Mud as he, too, tries to track down his master and get back to the warmth and comfort of home.

The Not-Just-Anybody Family is a great family story about sticking together in times of trouble. Though some of the subject matter is quite serious, the kids’ adventures in jail, in the hospital, and in the courtroom provide a lot of laughs that make readers fall in love with the Blossoms and want to be a part of their family, however dysfunctional it might be. Kids who have quirky families of their own, or who are sick of sugary-sweet stories about typically happy families will get a kick out of this book, and will undoubtedly look forward to its four sequels: The Blossoms Meet the Vulture Lady, The Blossoms and the Green Phantom, A Blossom Promise, and Wanted… Mud Blossom.

[Nikki in Niagara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reason for Reading: Betsy Byars is one of my absolute favourite MG/YA authors. I've read a lot of her books and have been anxiously awaiting for my ds to be ready for this series in particular, as it is my favourite by her. I read this aloud to him. I've collected the whole set so we will be continuing with it this coming year.

The Blossom Family books are absolutely hilarious! This first book in the series had us laughing out loud from chapter one straight through to the end. DS just loved it and I hand a grand time reading it aloud! The Blossoms, I suppose could be called a dysfunctional family, in the fact that they are not well-off and their family circumstances could be construed as a bit neglectful from today's viewpoint. However, this is a family that loves each other dearly and they make the best with what they have. Junior is a daredevil, coming up with all sorts of ideas while his older brother and sister encourage him. Maggie is the eldest yet smaller than her slighter younger brother Vern, wears his hand-me downs so is always dressed like a boy. They are mostly looked after by their grandfather "Pap" who often leaves them to their own devices and has spent time in jail before. In fact the family procedure when the police come to the house is to run away as fast as you can and hide. The father is dead and the mother is a rodeo star who travels all summer. Not the ideal family situation, but make no mistake about it, there is love aplenty here and one member will stick up for the others come what may.

The crazy antics and hilarious quips begin in chapter one and never let up. This is a quick book to read especially since the chapters are usually 3-4 pages long making it so easy to say "just one more chapter". Along with being funny, there are a few tense moments and others more poignant as we see the Blossoms deal with the ups and downs of their far from easy life. Highly recommended!

[Books Kids Like · Rating 5 out of 5]

Junior Blossom, wearing a pair of long white wings, stands at the edge of the barn roof. His sister, Maggie, and brother, Vern, shout encouragement from the ground. Just then, a police car drives up. Maggie and Vern hightail it to their hiding place in the woods and don't see Junior fall from the roof. He wakes up in the hospital with both legs in casts. Maggie and Vern return home after dark to find crumpled wings lying beside the barn. Figuring that Pap is in trouble with the police, they walk to town. Vern walks up and down outside the city jail sounding his special bobwhite call. Hearing Pap's answering call and locating his cell window, Vern breaks into Pap's cell. He finds out that Pap was arrested for shooting his gun in a public place, and that Junior broke both of his legs. While Vern stays with Pap, Maggie goes to be with Junior. Junior's hospital roommate, Ralphie, helps Maggie break Junior out of the hospital so they can attend Pap's court hearing. Then the Blossoms search for their dog, Mud, who ran off when Pap was arrested.
©2024 Kathy Maxwell at https://bookskidslike.com

[Ionia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was fun and even as an adult, I was able to enjoy it. The way this is written reminded me of the children's novels I used to red as a youngster.

The characters are enjoyable and lively and of the variety that make you laugh as you grow to love them. I particularly enjoyed the humor strewn throughout this book. Betsy Byars has a brilliant grasp on how to write a story for her intended age group.

I find it more and more difficult to locate books that are appropriate for younger children while still offering them entertainment and this does just that.

I liked the plot and thought the story progressed at an even pace with excitement thrown in at the perfect times. The conversations between the characters were often funny and had a very nice quality, making me feel like I was amongst them.

If you are looking for a book for your child or grandchild this would be a wonderful choice.

[Brett Jonas · Rating 3 out of 5]

From a kid trying to fly (and really hurting himself) to another kid breaking into jail to be with his Grandfather, this is a wonderful story about family and how they would do anything to be together again.

The characters were lovable, and the conflict was mostly family friendly. The grandfather does go to jail, so you may want to read this book with your child to explain it to him/her. It does leave you plenty of opportunities for discussing things with children.

There were several things didn't make much sense: Why were they afraid of the police? How did Maggie and Ralphie get Junior to Pap's hearing without an adult stopping them? And yes, I know that kids can fit through tiny spaces - my siblings go through our chicken doors all the time. But Vern fitting through the vent is stretching it a bit.

This was a good read and I would definitely recommend it to my siblings and their friends.

*I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Kris (My Novelesque Life) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 STARS

"When Junior Blossom wakes up in the hospital, his last memory is of crouching on the barn roof with cloth wings tied to his arms, and of Maggie and Vern in the yard below, urging him to fly. That had been just before Junior spotted a police car approaching the farm in a cloud of dust.

Meanwhile Pap, the children's grandfather, sits in disgrace in the city jail. He was arrested for disturbing the peace after his pickup truck accidentally dumped 2,147 beer and soda cans (worth $107.35) on Spring Street.

With their mother away on the rodeo circuit, it's up to Maggie and Vern to find a way to rescue Pap and Junior. How will they solve their family problems?" (From Amazon)

I loved the Blossom family as they were crazier than my own family. I still remember reading this series one summer outside on the deck. I would start reading after lunch and chores until it became too dark to read anymore.

[Shaha · Rating 3 out of 5]

At first I thought there was going to be some sort of magic involved, and there is, the magic of the story being a completely heartwarming one and making me feel all happy.

Junior, Maggie and Vern are Blossoms and they are not just anybody family! From attempts to fly, breaking into jails and dogs gone missing, this is a tale for all ages. I loved the story line and how completely beautiful everything was. There was happiness, suspense and lots of laughter. Small details that just made this story one to remember!

The writing style is extremely fun. The small chapters, I'm sure would make the kids want to read it easily and the changing of people and places were done in a way that it felt natural but some parts I felt were a bit too rushed.

However, it was definitely a good story and I can't wait to read more of the Blossom family!

[A.E. Shaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book I remember really liking as a child, but this is one of the first books I've revisited that seems completely different to me now. Perhaps it's because I knew virtually nothing about America when I was however old I was when I read this - five or six - and it seemed to me that this odd, isolated, fascinating family might very well be representative of a nation. I had some very odd cross-purposed memories of this. Also the chapters with the dog I found extremely moving this time, where before I was all, yay, cool dog! Definitely one of those times I felt perspective had a big effect on the book. I've a couple more in this series to read, so it'll be interesting to see how much of those I remember.

[Loonyhiker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was a great book! It was fun to read and I believe children would enjoy this. They can either read this book to themselves or an adult can read it aloud. There were great opportunities for discussions such as: Safety when playing, situations that scare you, stranger danger, family issues, fear, loneliness, siblings, pets, abandonment issues, the court system. Many children feel like they belong to a family that may be very different from their peers. These are just a few ideas but many students experience many of these situations and using a novel such as this makes it more impersonal and easier for students to share their feelings and thoughts. I would recommend this for a school library, classroom, or even in the home.

[Sunnyvale Librarian]

Their little brother Junior is in the hospital with two broken legs because he tried to fly off their barn. Their grandfather, Pap, is in jail because of a traffic accident, $107 worth of aluminum cans and a gun. And their mother is out working the rodeo circuit, and they can't seem to contact her. Oh, and Mud, their dog, has run off. It falls to Maggie Blossom and her older brother Vern to straighten everything out. Read this old favorite and find out about a family who, as Maggie says, "have never been just 'anybody.'"

[Duane · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fun book for the beginning reader to try. It involves a family of three kids and a grandpa who finds himself arrested for dumping cans in the middle of the street. The youngest ends up in the hospital with two broken legs and soon finds himself enjoying the pampering he recieves. The other two kids end up trying to bust into jail to rescue their grandpa. A fun clean book that keeps you interested from beginning to end.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I first heard of this series because I bought a used book on tape from a garage sale. The kids and I listened to it and loved it, and when I realized it was one of a series, I wanted to read the rest.

This is a funny and quick read, with really interesting characters. There is a lot of love and loyalty in this family, and they have unique adventures. Kids should love it.