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This Would Make a Good Story Someday
From the author of The Misadventures of the Family Fletcher comes an epic cross-country train trip for fans of Dan Santat’s Are We There Yet? and Geoff Rodkey’s The Tapper Twins . Pack your suitcase and climb on board with the Johnston-Fischer family.
Sara Johnston-Fischer loves her family, of course. But that doesn’t mean she’s thrilled when her summer plans are upended for a surprise cross-country train trip with her two moms, Mimi and Carol; her younger sister, Ladybug; her older sister, Laurel; and Laurel’s poncho-wearing activist boyfriend, Root. And to make matters worse, one of her moms is writing a tell-all book about the trip . . . and that means allllll, every ridiculous and embarrassing moment of Sara’s life.
Sara finds herself crisscrossing the country with a gaggle of wild Texans. As they travel from New Orleans to Chicago to the Grand Canyon and beyond, Sara finds herself changing along with the landscape outside the train windows. And she realizes that she just might go home reinvented.
Sara Johnston-Fischer loves her family, of course. But that doesn’t mean she’s thrilled when her summer plans are upended for a surprise cross-country train trip with her two moms, Mimi and Carol; her younger sister, Ladybug; her older sister, Laurel; and Laurel’s poncho-wearing activist boyfriend, Root. And to make matters worse, one of her moms is writing a tell-all book about the trip . . . and that means allllll, every ridiculous and embarrassing moment of Sara’s life.
Sara finds herself crisscrossing the country with a gaggle of wild Texans. As they travel from New Orleans to Chicago to the Grand Canyon and beyond, Sara finds herself changing along with the landscape outside the train windows. And she realizes that she just might go home reinvented.
320 pages, Library Binding
First published May 16, 2017
18 people are currently reading
532 people want to read
About the author
Dana Alison Levy
10 books115 followersDana Alison Levy was raised by pirates but escaped at a young age and went on to earn a degree in aeronautics and puppetry. Actually, that’s not true—she just likes to make things up. That’s why she always wanted to write books. She was born and raised in New England and studied English literature before going to graduate school for business. While there is value in all learning, had she known she would end up writing for a living, she might not have struggled through all those statistics and finance classes. The Misadventures of the Family Fletcher is her first published novel, but she has a trunk full of other attempts, which vary in degrees of awfulness.
Her first book for young adults, Above All Else, comes out in October 2020. In addition to The Misadventures of the Family Fletcher, she has also written The Family Fletcher Takes Rock Island, This Would Make a Good Story, and It Wasn't me. All her books have garnered starred reviews, multiple Best Of lists and state reading lists, and are Junior Library Guild selections. Also her kids like them.
Her first book for young adults, Above All Else, comes out in October 2020. In addition to The Misadventures of the Family Fletcher, she has also written The Family Fletcher Takes Rock Island, This Would Make a Good Story, and It Wasn't me. All her books have garnered starred reviews, multiple Best Of lists and state reading lists, and are Junior Library Guild selections. Also her kids like them.
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March 14, 2017This book...oh, this book.
First of all, disclaimer, in case you aren't paying attention. I wrote it, so be warned that I clearly have a subjective viewpoint. Second of all, it tried to kill me, metaphorically speaking. This is the third book I've published, probably the seventh full novel I've completed, and wow, did it fight back. For the longest time I circled this story, poking warily at it and trying to figure out how to subdue it into a funny, slice-of-life, honest family story. No idea was too bad while I was brainstorming...robbers attacking the train, a treasure hunt for a million dollars, a traveling convention of Harry Potter fanatics...if you can think of it, I tried to put it in this novel. But no dice. Like feeding peas to a toddler, they came back faster than I could shovel them in.
And there was no eureka moment, no epiphany when I knew how it would all turn out. Instead I managed to cram my fingernails into a crack between chapters, and, with sheer force of will, inch by inch, push it open until it let me in. Never have I been so unsure whether what I was writing was working or not.
When I finally finished a draft and sent it to my unlucky first readers, I was convinced the best course of action was to light it on fire and walk away.
But I was forgetting what I tell every group of school kids, what I tell my own kids, what I tell my writing partners: it's revision where the magic happens.
I talked it over with my critique partners and my editor and my agent, and dove back in. Again. And again. And gradually, I grew to love it. I loved how Sara grows up during the journey. I loved that she didn't have words to describe the extraordinary landscapes she was seeing, landscapes so different from her New England home that she could have been on another continent. I loved the relationship between sisters, because my sister has been a touchstone my whole life. And I loved that she returned home different, even without a robbery, a treasure hunt, or a roving band of Harry Potter fans.
Since I can't review it objectively, I'll just tell you what I wanted to write. I wanted to write a funny story. I wanted to write about the frustration of being twelve, and knowing you're being unreasonable but not being able to change how you feel. I wanted to write about sisters and social justice and seeing the world from a new perspective. I wanted to write about new friendships, and judging people before you know them. I wanted to write about a diverse family having an all-American vacation. I wanted to write a story that captures how it feels to be walking on that thin line between kid and teenager, and how that walk can be exhilarating, frustrating, and misery-inducing all in the same day.
Did I succeed? Who knows? But let me tell you, while I was writing this book all I kept thinking, as I banged my head against the keyboard, was "well, I guess this really will make a good story someday." Here's hoping.
First of all, disclaimer, in case you aren't paying attention. I wrote it, so be warned that I clearly have a subjective viewpoint. Second of all, it tried to kill me, metaphorically speaking. This is the third book I've published, probably the seventh full novel I've completed, and wow, did it fight back. For the longest time I circled this story, poking warily at it and trying to figure out how to subdue it into a funny, slice-of-life, honest family story. No idea was too bad while I was brainstorming...robbers attacking the train, a treasure hunt for a million dollars, a traveling convention of Harry Potter fanatics...if you can think of it, I tried to put it in this novel. But no dice. Like feeding peas to a toddler, they came back faster than I could shovel them in.
And there was no eureka moment, no epiphany when I knew how it would all turn out. Instead I managed to cram my fingernails into a crack between chapters, and, with sheer force of will, inch by inch, push it open until it let me in. Never have I been so unsure whether what I was writing was working or not.
When I finally finished a draft and sent it to my unlucky first readers, I was convinced the best course of action was to light it on fire and walk away.
But I was forgetting what I tell every group of school kids, what I tell my own kids, what I tell my writing partners: it's revision where the magic happens.
I talked it over with my critique partners and my editor and my agent, and dove back in. Again. And again. And gradually, I grew to love it. I loved how Sara grows up during the journey. I loved that she didn't have words to describe the extraordinary landscapes she was seeing, landscapes so different from her New England home that she could have been on another continent. I loved the relationship between sisters, because my sister has been a touchstone my whole life. And I loved that she returned home different, even without a robbery, a treasure hunt, or a roving band of Harry Potter fans.
Since I can't review it objectively, I'll just tell you what I wanted to write. I wanted to write a funny story. I wanted to write about the frustration of being twelve, and knowing you're being unreasonable but not being able to change how you feel. I wanted to write about sisters and social justice and seeing the world from a new perspective. I wanted to write about new friendships, and judging people before you know them. I wanted to write about a diverse family having an all-American vacation. I wanted to write a story that captures how it feels to be walking on that thin line between kid and teenager, and how that walk can be exhilarating, frustrating, and misery-inducing all in the same day.
Did I succeed? Who knows? But let me tell you, while I was writing this book all I kept thinking, as I banged my head against the keyboard, was "well, I guess this really will make a good story someday." Here's hoping.
January 1, 2017
This is such a sweet, fun and genuinely *likable* book with characters and situations that feel so real and relatable. When 12-year-old Sara's mother wins a writing fellowship to ride the rails for a month, their whole family - Sara's two moms, her rambunctious little sister, her activist older sister and her older sister's irritatingly sanctimonious boyfriend - ends up traveling around the US by train along with a second family they've never met before. Sara is desperately embarrassed by the whole spectacle of their traveling group, horrified to be stuck in such close quarters with her family for so long, and determined NOT to be written about in her mom Mimi's planned book about the experience...but she chronicles all of the details in her own private journal, which is combined in this book with blog entries from both Mimi and Sara's older sister, as well as postcards from Sara's little sister and notes from the boy who's determined to become Sara's friend along the way.
All of the different voices are spot-on, and all the characters felt completely real. I kept remembering my own twelve-year-old diaries as I read this book, and I really felt for Sara in her paralyzing self-consciousness (which I definitely remember from my own experiences at that age!) as she tried to figure out how to reinvent herself in the midst of her loud, attention-grabbing family...which of course she finds just as embarrassing as every other 12-year-old in the world finds their own family...but one of my favorite parts of the book is the way that she starts to see them past her own preconceptions as the whole group is stuck together over the course of that month. (The older sister's boyfriend, for instance, seemed SO irritating to me as well at the beginning of the book, but turned out to be one of my favorite characters by the end! And I loved how beautifully that transformation occurred, as Sara - and I as a reader - got to see more and more facets of his character gradually revealed.)
This book doesn't have the laugh-out-loud zaniness of Dana Levy's Family Fletcher books, but it is SO sweet and fun, so easy to sink into and enjoy, and I closed it with a happy sigh at the end. I would have happily read on for another 300 pages about this whole traveling group!
All of the different voices are spot-on, and all the characters felt completely real. I kept remembering my own twelve-year-old diaries as I read this book, and I really felt for Sara in her paralyzing self-consciousness (which I definitely remember from my own experiences at that age!) as she tried to figure out how to reinvent herself in the midst of her loud, attention-grabbing family...which of course she finds just as embarrassing as every other 12-year-old in the world finds their own family...but one of my favorite parts of the book is the way that she starts to see them past her own preconceptions as the whole group is stuck together over the course of that month. (The older sister's boyfriend, for instance, seemed SO irritating to me as well at the beginning of the book, but turned out to be one of my favorite characters by the end! And I loved how beautifully that transformation occurred, as Sara - and I as a reader - got to see more and more facets of his character gradually revealed.)
This book doesn't have the laugh-out-loud zaniness of Dana Levy's Family Fletcher books, but it is SO sweet and fun, so easy to sink into and enjoy, and I closed it with a happy sigh at the end. I would have happily read on for another 300 pages about this whole traveling group!
October 5, 2023
Sara Johnston-Fischer plans to spend her summer working on her reinvention project with her best friends Em and Vi. Instead, she has to go on a cross-country train trip with her entire embarrassing family just so her Mimi (mom) can write about it. No way is Sara going to participate. She does NOT want her voice added to Mimi's book. It's bad enough all her childish utterings are forever immortalized on Mimi's blog! Sara is just going to scribble away in her journal and work on reinventing herself. Soon they're joined by another family including a boy near Sara's age. She's determined not to talk to Travis AT ALL. Is he really as friendly as he seems or is he being snarky? Sara can't wait for this trip to be over. Yet, when her older sister clashes with their mom, Sara can't help but stand by her sister's side. Then she overhears some surprising information and feels super guilty about succumbing to her own tween angst.
This was another fun story. The first few chapters were really slow and boring. They were episodic and there was too much tween angst. Don't get me wrong- Sara is totally realistic! I would have behaved exactly the same way. I absolutely remember being that age and torn between wanting to be cool and wanting everything to stay the same. I just don't necessarily want to read about it. I liked the inclusion of the fun facts but some of the not so fun facts pushed my buttons. The Pilgrims and Thanksgiving story is told very well at Plimoth Pawtuxet and I'm certain Sara's school would have gone there. If mine did and we're in a different state, I know hers would have too. Not every stop needed a reminder of all the bad stuff that happened. Let kids figure that out on their own by reading about history. I don't like being told what to think even if I happen to agree with a lot of what Laurel had to say. There are some continuity errors. Ladybug sends hysterically funny postcards to Frog Fletcher to his house in Shipton, yet we know from The Family Fletcher Takes Rock Island the family spends August on Rock Island. Ladybug's postcard that appears in the second Fletcher volume is not in this book at all.
The most developed character is Sara. Her voice sounds so real and I cringed for her every time Mimi opened her mouth to ask for a sound bite. I don't blame Sara for wanting to be silent. My nieces don't talk as much as they used to, probably for the same reason. Grammie and Queen Pooh Bear will just tell everyone what they said. Sara is trying to find herself before middle school, totally logical. Her list is pretty silly and superficial though. Why should she have to do what her friends tell her? They should choose one or two things to work on individually and maybe one or two to do together. Sara's attempts to work on her reinvention project are so funny. I kind of saw the hair thing coming but it was so funny to read about. Sara's journey is touching but a little unrealistic. At the end her voice sounds too mature for 12/13.
Ladybug is cute but exhausting. Of course she cheats at cards. She's only 6! Adults have probably let her win for so long, she's used to it. She may still cheat when she's older and that's a problem that needs to be addressed while she's young, just not on a train trip when everyone needs her to be preoccupied and quiet. I can see why Ladybug and Frog Fletcher are best friends. They're both very energetic children. Ladybug takes the cake though. Yikes. She's always damp- snotty, crying, throwing up. The gag got old. They shouldn't have gone if they can't manage her allergies. Poor kid. Her postcards to Frog cracked me up but Carol's notes were not necessary. I love Ladybug bringing along her Roman Centurion figurine on the trip. Everyone gets in on taking pictures with Bruce. I've done that and even men get excited about posing Flat Stanley! There is or was a whole blog about that concept of traveling toys. I'd love to see Bruce's photos.
I really enjoyed Sara's older sister Laurel and her "partner" (boyfriend is like sexist, man) Root. Laurel wants to change the world and good for her! Gen. Z takes no prisoners and they don't take no for an answer. I can see my niece being just like that when she's older. Laurel, at 20, is an adult but her mom treats her like a child. Surprise Surprise. I'm around Mom or Mimi's age and my parents say the same things to me too. Laurel is pretty cool and a good big sister. She wants her younger sisters to see the truth about the world so they can get involved in changing it. I think there's a time and a place for that and a family trip is not the time and place. Be nice, spend time with your family and go off and change the world at night. Sara is old enough to participate in some protests too but her mom won't let her. Laurel's hippie boyfriend Root was super annoying at first but he grew to be my favorite character. He's good people, Laurel, and a keeper. He'll mature and become less annoying when he's older. He'll learn to pick and choose which battles to fight and when to get on his soap box. He's incredibly sweet with Ladybug and that speaks volumes about his character.
The two moms are very different. Carol is Laurel and Sara's biological mom. (They don't like being asked that question). Carol is a judge and all about law and order. She's kind of uptight and doesn't want to give her elder daughter the freedom to find her path. It leads to a huge blow up and I'm on Laurel's side. (Unless she has a scholarship or loans to pay off). Carol can't see the world through Laurel's eyes. The law is not working. The system is broken and Laurel feels protesting is the only way to get attention, much like the British suffragettes in the 1910s. Deeds not words. Carol also feels the need to clarify matters on her daughter's postcards to a friend! Can't that wait for later or not at all? Let Ladybug tell her own story. Mimi, who seems to be a little younger (Team *N SYNC all the way! They weren't the only college students stalking *N SYNC in the 90s LOL! Carol must be one of my friends.) Mimi seems to be struggling with her role in raising the older two girls. They're not her biological daughters but they've been living together since Sara was 2 so essentially Mimi is mom. Mimi tries to act cool and fun and like Sara's tween angst doesn't bother her. I do agree with Sara that Mimi should have asked and gotten a family consensus before accepting the fellowship. It's cute to share everything your toddlers and preschoolers say and do, but once they get into real school and make friends, it's embarrassing. Mimi just doesn't get it. Doesn't she remember what it was like to be a girl Sara's age? It must have been extra hard for her not to fit in and be different.
The moms seem to be hippish parents for all Carol's strict rules. The girls are not allowed to drink Coke (high-fructose corn syrup) yet Sara drinks a lemonade at World of Coke, which is also made with high fructose corn syrup! Sara has no idea how to use the internet and other things tweens these days usually know. It's cool the family doesn't value those things but kids have peers and not letting them do something everyone else does will set them back socially.
Another family comes on board. Gavin, an engineer who moonlights as a mystery writer; his son Travis and two elderly aunts. Gavin is a non-entity. He has some weird ideas of fun but is otherwise OK. He seems to be a hands-off parent. Travis is a good kid, crazy smart for his age and a future engineer - no a current engineer, like his dad. Travis is friendly, fun and kind. He adores his great-aunts, Miss Ruby and Miss Georgia. The lifelong friends are on this trip with a cutout of Elvis and giggling like school girls. Aww! I miss my grandmother and great-aunt. They would have argued the whole way and not giggled like school girls but I know how special these two old ladies are to Travis. Miss Georgia seems to be the silly one while Miss Ruby raised Travis so sometimes she has to be more tough. This pair has the best trip of a lifetime. I couldn't put the book down to see if they made it all the way to the Grand Canyon. I got the impression this trip was a likely last hurrah and the end of a bucket list. It's amazing they still have their memories and though their physical health is not robust, they're sassy and mentally tough. I want to be them when I get old!
This was another fun entry in the Fletchers series.
This was another fun story. The first few chapters were really slow and boring. They were episodic and there was too much tween angst. Don't get me wrong- Sara is totally realistic! I would have behaved exactly the same way. I absolutely remember being that age and torn between wanting to be cool and wanting everything to stay the same. I just don't necessarily want to read about it. I liked the inclusion of the fun facts but some of the not so fun facts pushed my buttons. The Pilgrims and Thanksgiving story is told very well at Plimoth Pawtuxet and I'm certain Sara's school would have gone there. If mine did and we're in a different state, I know hers would have too. Not every stop needed a reminder of all the bad stuff that happened. Let kids figure that out on their own by reading about history. I don't like being told what to think even if I happen to agree with a lot of what Laurel had to say. There are some continuity errors. Ladybug sends hysterically funny postcards to Frog Fletcher to his house in Shipton, yet we know from The Family Fletcher Takes Rock Island the family spends August on Rock Island. Ladybug's postcard that appears in the second Fletcher volume is not in this book at all.
The most developed character is Sara. Her voice sounds so real and I cringed for her every time Mimi opened her mouth to ask for a sound bite. I don't blame Sara for wanting to be silent. My nieces don't talk as much as they used to, probably for the same reason. Grammie and Queen Pooh Bear will just tell everyone what they said. Sara is trying to find herself before middle school, totally logical. Her list is pretty silly and superficial though. Why should she have to do what her friends tell her? They should choose one or two things to work on individually and maybe one or two to do together. Sara's attempts to work on her reinvention project are so funny. I kind of saw the hair thing coming but it was so funny to read about. Sara's journey is touching but a little unrealistic. At the end her voice sounds too mature for 12/13.
Ladybug is cute but exhausting. Of course she cheats at cards. She's only 6! Adults have probably let her win for so long, she's used to it. She may still cheat when she's older and that's a problem that needs to be addressed while she's young, just not on a train trip when everyone needs her to be preoccupied and quiet. I can see why Ladybug and Frog Fletcher are best friends. They're both very energetic children. Ladybug takes the cake though. Yikes. She's always damp- snotty, crying, throwing up. The gag got old. They shouldn't have gone if they can't manage her allergies. Poor kid. Her postcards to Frog cracked me up but Carol's notes were not necessary. I love Ladybug bringing along her Roman Centurion figurine on the trip. Everyone gets in on taking pictures with Bruce. I've done that and even men get excited about posing Flat Stanley! There is or was a whole blog about that concept of traveling toys. I'd love to see Bruce's photos.
I really enjoyed Sara's older sister Laurel and her "partner" (boyfriend is like sexist, man) Root. Laurel wants to change the world and good for her! Gen. Z takes no prisoners and they don't take no for an answer. I can see my niece being just like that when she's older. Laurel, at 20, is an adult but her mom treats her like a child. Surprise Surprise. I'm around Mom or Mimi's age and my parents say the same things to me too. Laurel is pretty cool and a good big sister. She wants her younger sisters to see the truth about the world so they can get involved in changing it. I think there's a time and a place for that and a family trip is not the time and place. Be nice, spend time with your family and go off and change the world at night. Sara is old enough to participate in some protests too but her mom won't let her. Laurel's hippie boyfriend Root was super annoying at first but he grew to be my favorite character. He's good people, Laurel, and a keeper. He'll mature and become less annoying when he's older. He'll learn to pick and choose which battles to fight and when to get on his soap box. He's incredibly sweet with Ladybug and that speaks volumes about his character.
The two moms are very different. Carol is Laurel and Sara's biological mom. (They don't like being asked that question). Carol is a judge and all about law and order. She's kind of uptight and doesn't want to give her elder daughter the freedom to find her path. It leads to a huge blow up and I'm on Laurel's side. (Unless she has a scholarship or loans to pay off). Carol can't see the world through Laurel's eyes. The law is not working. The system is broken and Laurel feels protesting is the only way to get attention, much like the British suffragettes in the 1910s. Deeds not words. Carol also feels the need to clarify matters on her daughter's postcards to a friend! Can't that wait for later or not at all? Let Ladybug tell her own story. Mimi, who seems to be a little younger (Team *N SYNC all the way! They weren't the only college students stalking *N SYNC in the 90s LOL! Carol must be one of my friends.) Mimi seems to be struggling with her role in raising the older two girls. They're not her biological daughters but they've been living together since Sara was 2 so essentially Mimi is mom. Mimi tries to act cool and fun and like Sara's tween angst doesn't bother her. I do agree with Sara that Mimi should have asked and gotten a family consensus before accepting the fellowship. It's cute to share everything your toddlers and preschoolers say and do, but once they get into real school and make friends, it's embarrassing. Mimi just doesn't get it. Doesn't she remember what it was like to be a girl Sara's age? It must have been extra hard for her not to fit in and be different.
The moms seem to be hippish parents for all Carol's strict rules. The girls are not allowed to drink Coke (high-fructose corn syrup) yet Sara drinks a lemonade at World of Coke, which is also made with high fructose corn syrup! Sara has no idea how to use the internet and other things tweens these days usually know. It's cool the family doesn't value those things but kids have peers and not letting them do something everyone else does will set them back socially.
Another family comes on board. Gavin, an engineer who moonlights as a mystery writer; his son Travis and two elderly aunts. Gavin is a non-entity. He has some weird ideas of fun but is otherwise OK. He seems to be a hands-off parent. Travis is a good kid, crazy smart for his age and a future engineer - no a current engineer, like his dad. Travis is friendly, fun and kind. He adores his great-aunts, Miss Ruby and Miss Georgia. The lifelong friends are on this trip with a cutout of Elvis and giggling like school girls. Aww! I miss my grandmother and great-aunt. They would have argued the whole way and not giggled like school girls but I know how special these two old ladies are to Travis. Miss Georgia seems to be the silly one while Miss Ruby raised Travis so sometimes she has to be more tough. This pair has the best trip of a lifetime. I couldn't put the book down to see if they made it all the way to the Grand Canyon. I got the impression this trip was a likely last hurrah and the end of a bucket list. It's amazing they still have their memories and though their physical health is not robust, they're sassy and mentally tough. I want to be them when I get old!
This was another fun entry in the Fletchers series.
April 25, 2017
I'm a lucky critique partner of Dana's and I got to read this gem of a book as it developed- I am completely charmed (as always) with the way Dana puts humor on the page. Her scenarios are so believable, yet absurdly delightful at the same time. I always end up snort-laughing my way through her pages. This one will not disappoint!
June 19, 2017
Looooved it!
October 25, 2017
I had been kind, and gave this two stars. But having noticed that the author gave her own book a rating here, I have dropped this down to one star.The Yiddish word chutzpah always comes to mind when I see this. Also the English word "tacky."
Aside from the fact that the parents here are two mommies, every other typical stereotypes of a family novel is here:
1)The heroine, a typical, awkward, "I don't fit in/I'm trying to reinvent myself/I hate all this" tween, who of course is also sensitive and creative and observant.
2)A cool/hip older sibling who clashes with the parents. Plus her seeming-but-weird-yet-sweet-in-the-end boyfriend.
3)A boy who seems dweeby, but ends up being amazing and a cool friend, and his dad, a cardboard parent who appears only to show he's there. Oh, and based on the cover picture,he's African American, so that the author can get in that "diversity" buzz.
4)Several old people whom the heroine expects to be fusty, but who really are Betty White types. And I don't say that as a compliment.
5)Last but not least, the Annoying But Adorable Little Sister Who Causes Havoc. This one is even more annoying than "Batty" in The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy, known to me as The Most Overrated Children's Fiction in many a year.
(Oh, and she's adopted Chinese, so the author can score even MORE diversity points.)
Add in various travel fun, much of which strains belief after a while, and, of course, the obligatory, clearly bound to happen, Sad Twist of Events, throw in a nice happy happy ending, and you've got a standard kids book that the clueless here who haven't read enough kids books will kvell about.
And speaking of adding and subtracting, I took off an extra star for the sheer annoyance of not only the author doing the "Thank Everyone," bit at the end, but allowing her heroine to do the same.
Aside from the fact that the parents here are two mommies, every other typical stereotypes of a family novel is here:
1)The heroine, a typical, awkward, "I don't fit in/I'm trying to reinvent myself/I hate all this" tween, who of course is also sensitive and creative and observant.
2)A cool/hip older sibling who clashes with the parents. Plus her seeming-but-weird-yet-sweet-in-the-end boyfriend.
3)A boy who seems dweeby, but ends up being amazing and a cool friend, and his dad, a cardboard parent who appears only to show he's there. Oh, and based on the cover picture,he's African American, so that the author can get in that "diversity" buzz.
4)Several old people whom the heroine expects to be fusty, but who really are Betty White types. And I don't say that as a compliment.
5)Last but not least, the Annoying But Adorable Little Sister Who Causes Havoc. This one is even more annoying than "Batty" in The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy, known to me as The Most Overrated Children's Fiction in many a year.
(Oh, and she's adopted Chinese, so the author can score even MORE diversity points.)
Add in various travel fun, much of which strains belief after a while, and, of course, the obligatory, clearly bound to happen, Sad Twist of Events, throw in a nice happy happy ending, and you've got a standard kids book that the clueless here who haven't read enough kids books will kvell about.
And speaking of adding and subtracting, I took off an extra star for the sheer annoyance of not only the author doing the "Thank Everyone," bit at the end, but allowing her heroine to do the same.
October 12, 2017
From the highly acclaimed author of The Misadventures of the Family Fletcher comes the story of the wild Johnston-Fischer family, setting off on a cross-country train trip over one long, hilarious, heart-touching summer. The Johnston-Fischer’s are a blended family with two matriarchs: Mimi and Mom, a soon-to-no-longer-be teenage daughter, Laurel and her free-spirited/eco-conscious/activist boyfriend Root; our protagonist, awkward middle school student Sarah; and youngest and wildest, adopted sister Ladybug. Much to Sara’s chagrin her planned “Reinvention Project” summer with her two best friends is ruined when Mimi wins a writing workshop trip which turns out to be an all-expenses paid cross-country train expedition for the whole family. Sara has been tasked to write journal entries throughout the summer by her English teacher, which is how most of the story is formatted. Readers also get to see Ladybug’s postcards to her friend Frog Fletcher; Mom’s sticky-note reminders; Mimi’s writing examples; Laurel and Root’s innermost activist feelings; and letters from Sara’s new Texan train friend, Travis. There is much to keep middle school readers engaged, including many hilarious moments and even some heart breaking ones. The text is fast-paced and offers readers information about many historical landmarks, such as the Grand Canyon and the Chicago Skydeck. There are also many thought provoking incidents such as a wetlands Bayou tour, in which the family learns about conservation and the family’s stop in North Carolina where Sara learns about the Greensboro Four and desegregation. There is much to enjoy in this new addition, leaving it open for a follow-up in Levy’s future. Highly recommended.
August 17, 2018
Fans of The Misadventures of the Family Fletcher will enjoy this fun story of Frog's pal Ladybug and her big sister Sarah, who embark on a cross-country train trip with their two moms, their activist sister home from Berkeley and her earnest boyfriend Root. The focus is on middle-school student Sarah, who's trying to reinvent herself over the summer, and is more than annoyed, that her mom has taken on this trip as a way to write an article about family travel--and is publicly reporting WAY too much that Sarah wants to keep private. The premise of a train trip allows Levy to create both the drama and tension that occurs when families are together a bit too much in an unfamiliar place, and to share lots of great information about the United States in a way that seems authentic. As in "Fletcher" the fact that the kids have gay parents is not a particularly big deal, and accepted by all they encounter, which is just great. Kids in grades 4 and up will like this a lot and teachers who are looking to pique kids' interest in US geography and history will love it.
October 6, 2020
The narrator is fanTAStic! What a fabulous middle grade book. It would make a great read aloud!
January 9, 2017
Here's the thing: the more I think about this book, the more I love it.
Where "This Would Make a Good Story Someday" lacks some of the zippy, laugh-out-loud humor of Family Fletcher (the book that made me an undying Dana Alison Levy fan) - though, to be sure, it has plenty of funny moments - it makes up for it with great thoughtfulness, and matter-of-fact addressing of major issues. "Good Story" touches (and often really delves into) on issues of racism, the environment, class issues, activism, "non-traditional" family structure, and even privacy in a largely digital age (between Mimi's blog, and Trevor).
Sarah's activist sister, Laurel, pens occasional notes that fiercely address grim realities they encounter on their rail trip across the country, but Sarah also processes and considers these issues through her own, younger lens. As in Family Fletcher, Levy does not talk down to her audience, and the book is a million times better for it.
I could go on for quite a while, about how relateable Sarah is, how perfectly Levy captures the love and friction of a close family, how I'm pretty sure the Aunties stole my heart... but suffice to say, this book is magnificent and I can't wait to put it in the hands of readers.
Where "This Would Make a Good Story Someday" lacks some of the zippy, laugh-out-loud humor of Family Fletcher (the book that made me an undying Dana Alison Levy fan) - though, to be sure, it has plenty of funny moments - it makes up for it with great thoughtfulness, and matter-of-fact addressing of major issues. "Good Story" touches (and often really delves into) on issues of racism, the environment, class issues, activism, "non-traditional" family structure, and even privacy in a largely digital age (between Mimi's blog, and Trevor).
Sarah's activist sister, Laurel, pens occasional notes that fiercely address grim realities they encounter on their rail trip across the country, but Sarah also processes and considers these issues through her own, younger lens. As in Family Fletcher, Levy does not talk down to her audience, and the book is a million times better for it.
I could go on for quite a while, about how relateable Sarah is, how perfectly Levy captures the love and friction of a close family, how I'm pretty sure the Aunties stole my heart... but suffice to say, this book is magnificent and I can't wait to put it in the hands of readers.
May 19, 2017
Sarah is 12 years old and not very excited to go on the family rail trip with her family--which includes her two moms, two sisters, and one sister's boyfriend. But one mom wants to write a book on the experience (a reality-based book where like her blog, of which she's moderately famous, that reports on all the funny goings-on in a family) so they all get on board. Sarah's big summer project is the Transformation Project, where she's going to grow and mature and do new things. Like paint her nails gray or blue. Learn a new language (Latin). Dye a crazy color streak in her hair. But on board the many trains is another family with a son from Texas who helps her realize that she doesn't really need to transform at all. She's okay with who she is, as is.
I've not read Levy's The Family Fletcher books, but the family in This Would Make a Good Story Someday is friends with that family--their littlest girl sends postcards to "Frog Fletcher."
This is a very modern coming-of-age story--Sarah's already come to terms with her two moms (she has a dad, but he's off working in Alaska. Her mom divorced him and then married a woman), but she's working on liking herself. I thought the thread about Mimi writing about her kids on her blog, and Sarah not wanting to be shared and, I'd say, exploited a little, in her work was interesting. And timely--we moms do that a whole lot, whether on a blog or Facebook or another social media outlet of our choice.
If you've read and liked any Maria Semple books, you'll like how Levy makes her story comes to life with one main point of voice--first person, Sarah--but adds in journals and blogs and postcards and letters to bring in other first-person narratives as well. I think it's well done.
My biggest complaint of the book was how many facts and lessons Levy packed in. While on the train trip, the family stops along the way, and Levy packs in a bunch of facts about New Orleans and Chicago, to name a few. Also, while looking for images online, Sarah's new friend lectures her about internet safety and how most images can be found easily...this felt pretty heavy-handed to this (adult) reader, but I sure don't mind if my kids hear that message from someone other than me. Same goes with the Americana facts--if kids will sit to read those, they are all great and important.
Finally, this made me want to jump on a train or back in my car and travel across the country, like I did last summer. I wonder if it'll make kids want to do the same? Overall, cute book.
I've not read Levy's The Family Fletcher books, but the family in This Would Make a Good Story Someday is friends with that family--their littlest girl sends postcards to "Frog Fletcher."
This is a very modern coming-of-age story--Sarah's already come to terms with her two moms (she has a dad, but he's off working in Alaska. Her mom divorced him and then married a woman), but she's working on liking herself. I thought the thread about Mimi writing about her kids on her blog, and Sarah not wanting to be shared and, I'd say, exploited a little, in her work was interesting. And timely--we moms do that a whole lot, whether on a blog or Facebook or another social media outlet of our choice.
If you've read and liked any Maria Semple books, you'll like how Levy makes her story comes to life with one main point of voice--first person, Sarah--but adds in journals and blogs and postcards and letters to bring in other first-person narratives as well. I think it's well done.
My biggest complaint of the book was how many facts and lessons Levy packed in. While on the train trip, the family stops along the way, and Levy packs in a bunch of facts about New Orleans and Chicago, to name a few. Also, while looking for images online, Sarah's new friend lectures her about internet safety and how most images can be found easily...this felt pretty heavy-handed to this (adult) reader, but I sure don't mind if my kids hear that message from someone other than me. Same goes with the Americana facts--if kids will sit to read those, they are all great and important.
Finally, this made me want to jump on a train or back in my car and travel across the country, like I did last summer. I wonder if it'll make kids want to do the same? Overall, cute book.
May 15, 2017
Twelve-year-old Sara Johnston-Fischer figures this will be the summer during which she will remake herself. She and her best friends have great plans for their break from school before starting middle grades. But when Mimi, one of her two moms, wins a writing fellowship that pays for a train trip crisscrossing the United States, Sara is less than thrilled about having to leave her friends behind. Although she loves her family, she also is embarrassed by their behavior at times and annoyed by the possibility of her words and deeds appearing in print. Along with her two sisters, Ladybug and Laurel, and Laurel's boyfriend Root, Sara and the family set forth on their rail adventure. When they are joined by the other fellowship winner and his son from Texas, Sara is disinterested in spending any time with Travis, instead choosing to write in her journal and record thoughts about the trip. Travis has a heart of gold, and keeps making friendly overtures, which Sara rebuffs for much of the trip. When his elderly aunt and her best friend join them, Sara starts seeing Travis in a different light. The family sees all sorts of beautiful scenery, eats great food, and soaks up the culture in the various places they visit along the way, and Sara starts wondering about how important the small goals she has set for herself actually are, especially compared to Laurel's determination to do good deeds and change the world. What I liked most about this book is how the family is not perfect. They disagree, argue, and sometimes even hurt one another's feelings, but still, they love each other, not a bad example for middle grade readers to have before them. There is plenty of humor woven into the story, but the author also tackles some tough issues including death and how to say goodbye as well as issues of self-esteem, risk-taking, and having an impact on the world. I liked having post cards, notes, and journal entries being used to tell a story with which many readers can relate. I enjoyed this author's books about the Family Fletcher who know this family well, but I also found this one quite endearing, reminding readers to squeeze every drop of joy they can from their experiences. Even when things don't look so flattering, they can always provide material for a possible short story or book. Honestly, Amtrak needs to give this author a lifetime pass because of the wonderful descriptions she provides of the delights of train travel and oh, the places those trains go.
November 30, 2017
This Would Make a Good Story Someday is a contemporary story of realistic fiction. It was published in 2017 and is intended for Junior high readers. Author Dana Alison Levy has received much praise and starred reviews for this work however has not received any awards at this time. This book is the third in a series of family adventures and is a coming of age story for the main character, 12-year-old Sarah. Her summer plans are suddenly changed when the family wins a railroad trip across America. Sarah’s two mothers, older sister activist sister and hipster boyfriend and Sarah’s younger sister pack up and the adventure begins. I think that many middle school girls will relate to Sarah’s desire to remake herself for junior high. Sarah’s originals goals are a bit superficial; painting her nails a dark color, dying her hair and learning to like coffee. Growing closer to her older sister and deepening her understanding of her mother help Sarah mature in meaningful ways she didn’t count on. Opening herself up to new friendship and experiences is a lovely message in this book. Each character plays a role in how Sarah sees herself and the world around her. The book is jammed with cross country adventures and lay out of the text made it a quick and easy read. I really appreciated the varying points of view and character revelations from all in the book . The changes in the typography for each character and diary type style made it easy to follow. I also enjoyed the listing of fun facts about each state they stopped in, I want to take a train trip now too! Although Sarah has an alternative family structure, the issue hardly plays a role in this story. A teens exasperation with her family is universal, a mother’s concern about her daughter's growing independence and choices are the same and love and support looks the same in any family unit. This was a fun, adventurous story with our main character truly learning about herself and maturing. Families together will always be fun and a great read for anyone one in the middle school age group.
September 22, 2022
Forced to take a month long train trip with her family has Sara, who's trying to be called Rae, very unhappy. She sulks. She was looking forward to hanging with her friends in the summer before middle school. She has a list of changes she wants to make before school starts that includes learning Latin and changing her looks. But all she does on the train is write in her journal. Instead of bonding with her sisters she hides away as much as possible. One of her two moms has won this trip and is supposed to be writing about it. Sara doesn't want any part of it, she doesn't want her opinions or perspectives written about for the world to see. She prefers to keep her thoughts to herself much to the chagrin of Mimi who is struggling with her writing. making it worse is the fact that Sara does nothing but write.
When another family, who also won the trip, joins them Sara is doubly rude to the boy her age, Travis, who seems way to kind....is he a phony? Is he laughing at her? She doesn't want anything to do with him. Until she finds out a secret pertaining to the two "aunts" traveling with him.
This story is very humorous and witty. Sara's sarcasm, her older sister's activism and her sister's friend who's a "chill dude" but maybe the kindest person Sara has ever met....and finally her younger sister who has brought a traveling friend, a toy warrior named Bruce, that becomes a sensation. Everyone wants to get their picture taken with Bruce as he travels across the country. The train ride goes through cities where the families get off and hang out to experience the places. From wild New Orleans to the Grand Canyon we get to learn about places as we follow the families and learn about them as the experience changes each of them. There are a lot of fights, it's close quarters and tempers go wild. There's some sadness, a lot of laughter and insight into relationships.
When another family, who also won the trip, joins them Sara is doubly rude to the boy her age, Travis, who seems way to kind....is he a phony? Is he laughing at her? She doesn't want anything to do with him. Until she finds out a secret pertaining to the two "aunts" traveling with him.
This story is very humorous and witty. Sara's sarcasm, her older sister's activism and her sister's friend who's a "chill dude" but maybe the kindest person Sara has ever met....and finally her younger sister who has brought a traveling friend, a toy warrior named Bruce, that becomes a sensation. Everyone wants to get their picture taken with Bruce as he travels across the country. The train ride goes through cities where the families get off and hang out to experience the places. From wild New Orleans to the Grand Canyon we get to learn about places as we follow the families and learn about them as the experience changes each of them. There are a lot of fights, it's close quarters and tempers go wild. There's some sadness, a lot of laughter and insight into relationships.
June 28, 2017
Written by the same author as The Misadventures of the Family Fletcher, this book has similar humor about some of the odd normalcies of life. In that story, there were two dads with all sons. In this story, there are two moms with all daughters. It turns out, that both families are friends, and neighbors, and the Fletchers are referenced throughout this book. The story is told from the point of view of 12 year-old Sara, also know as "the scribe" because she writes in a journal throughout the story and has always wanted to write a book. She is heading to middle school in the fall and realizes that her family is a little different and wants to spend the summer recreating herself with her two best friends so that she can start off middle school in a new direction. Her mother, Mimi, also a writer, is awarded a fellowship to take a cross country train trip with her family and write about it. So Sara's plans are instantly changed for the final month of summer as her family travels from Boston to Los Angeles by train. What she doesn't expect are the changes that happen to her and her family on this trip are much more significant than anything she could have done on her own. She learns more about her family and the NTFs (New Train Friends) and how connecting with people can make a huge difference in ourselves.
July 23, 2018
Levy, Dana Alison. This Would Make a Good Story Someday. Delacorte Press, 2017.
Sara is all set to spend her summer with her two best friends, who together have decided to reinvent themselves before middle school. Then she finds out that her family has won a cross-country train trip, so she, her moms, her older sister and sister's boyfriend, and her younger sister are going to be on a train for practically the entire summer. Moreover, one of Sara's moms is writing a book about their trip, and Sara does NOT want every silly or funny or embarrassing thing she says or does put in this book. With her summer ruined, Sara is ready to clam up and get through the entire train ride, but she didn't expect to find friends along the way.
This book is set in the same universe as the family Fletcher stories; this story is about Frog's friend Ladybug's family, even though the narrator is the middle daughter instead of the youngest. It is a cute and fun story with plenty of hilarious moments and some parts that are sad enough that you may wish to have tissues nearby. This is a great middle grade or tween road trip story and is worth adding to every library's collection.
Recommended for: tweens, middle grade
Red Flags: none come to mind. This is a clean read.
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars
Read-Alikes: The Someday Birds, Everything I Know About You, Book Scavenger
Sara is all set to spend her summer with her two best friends, who together have decided to reinvent themselves before middle school. Then she finds out that her family has won a cross-country train trip, so she, her moms, her older sister and sister's boyfriend, and her younger sister are going to be on a train for practically the entire summer. Moreover, one of Sara's moms is writing a book about their trip, and Sara does NOT want every silly or funny or embarrassing thing she says or does put in this book. With her summer ruined, Sara is ready to clam up and get through the entire train ride, but she didn't expect to find friends along the way.
This book is set in the same universe as the family Fletcher stories; this story is about Frog's friend Ladybug's family, even though the narrator is the middle daughter instead of the youngest. It is a cute and fun story with plenty of hilarious moments and some parts that are sad enough that you may wish to have tissues nearby. This is a great middle grade or tween road trip story and is worth adding to every library's collection.
Recommended for: tweens, middle grade
Red Flags: none come to mind. This is a clean read.
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars
Read-Alikes: The Someday Birds, Everything I Know About You, Book Scavenger
July 17, 2017
All of Sara's summer plans are ruined when one of her moms wins a cross-country train trip for the entire family. Now, instead of reinventing herself with her two best friends before the start of middle school, she is stuck on a train with her younger sister Ladybug (Frog's friend from The Family Fletcher), her older sister Laurel and Laurel's boyfriend Tree, and her moms. Plus, she is supposed to be friendly with the other winning family which includes a boy her age. Not to mention that her mom wants to know her inner feelings about everything for the book she is writing. Sara finds it all unbearable, and keeps to herself, writing in her journal which becomes this book. Of course, as the journey goes on, Sara starts to learn more about herself and the people around her as well as the country she is traveling through. Because Laurel and Tree are staunch social activists (attending Berkeley, of course) there is a lot of commentary about both social and environmental issues. It may come off as didactic to adults, but it is well integrated for the intended audience. This is a really fun summer adventure book. Recommended for grades 4 & up.
February 14, 2018
So it's at least summer 2017 because they reference Cubs win in 2016, but had previously mentioned black president, so? And I'm pretty sure based on times that the train broke down around Carlinville. Thanks for the zero shout outs, book. And Ladybug, everyone in Chicago calls it the Bean. Literally no one in Chicago calls it Cloud Gate. The Texans named their fainting goats after the Raven boys???? When do these families do laundry? They're either on the train or sightseeing, so when are they washing clothes? They're traveling for a month. Also, questionable usage of Guthrie's This Land is Your Land - shouldn't Laurel speak to the colonization/disenfranchisement of Native peoples, or at least the original version of the song that was more of a protest? And what about the California drought? It was applicable last year, but has largely improved. One can only conclude that this book takes place in a parallel universe, where President Obama is still our president, the Cubs did win last year, the California drought is ongoing, and people actually call The Bean "Cloud Gate." That last is most improbable of all. Also unrealistic is that there are never any delays on the trains.
July 11, 2017
When one of Sara’s two moms wins a contest, the whole family packs up for a free month-long railroad trip. Twelve-year-old Sara is disappointed since this wrecks her plans to spend the summer working with her two best friends on a Reinvention Project to prepare for entering middle school. Each member of Sara's family -- moms, younger sister, older sister, and older sister’s boyfriend, has a distinct personality. The enforced togetherness in tiny train compartments and hotel rooms necessarily generates some friction. They travel with another family that also won the contest – a boy and his dad from Texas plus the boy’s grandmother and her best friend. The ride loosely follows the East Coast then over to New Orleans, then heads up to the Grand Canyon where the families endure a tragedy, and ends in California. This book would be great for fans of shows like “Modern Family” in which family members try to make the right choices, sometimes make mistakes, but eventually find their way guided by their genuine love for each other.
September 29, 2019
The book, This Would Make a Good Story Someday, written by Daina Alison Levy, is a good book. I enjoyed reading it. Containing adventure, humor, and having emotional attributes, this book contains the right mixture to create a nice book. The book is a diary about a girl’s experience about a long trip, going to some states in the United States. The main character, Sara, or as she wants people to call her, Rae, has a Reinvention project on her summer schedule, but unfortunately, she has to go on long train trips to go sightseeing. She tries to make as much progress on her goals as possible while suffering from the train trip, which doesn’t quite go as planned. The book is good, but 25% of the time, it was boring. I would say that the book would be more interesting if it was written in a format where each section of the book was about a different person’s point of view, but other than that, it is a great book. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves books with different emotions and humor.
July 29, 2017
Dana Levy, you did succeed! Another fabulous family filled frolicking story that had me cheering, rooting, and laughing out loud over and over again. Thank you, thank you!
Part of Dana's review is below:
"Since I can't review it objectively, I'll just tell you what I wanted to write. I wanted to write a funny story. I wanted to write about the frustration of being twelve, and knowing you're being unreasonable but not being able to change how you feel. I wanted to write about sisters and social justice and seeing the world from a new perspective. I wanted to write about new friendships, and judging people before you know them. I wanted to write about a diverse family having an all-American vacation. I wanted to write a story that captures how it feels to be walking on that thin line between kid and teenager, and how that walk can be exhilarating, frustrating, and misery-inducing all in the same day.
Did I succeed? Who knows?
..."
Part of Dana's review is below:
"Since I can't review it objectively, I'll just tell you what I wanted to write. I wanted to write a funny story. I wanted to write about the frustration of being twelve, and knowing you're being unreasonable but not being able to change how you feel. I wanted to write about sisters and social justice and seeing the world from a new perspective. I wanted to write about new friendships, and judging people before you know them. I wanted to write about a diverse family having an all-American vacation. I wanted to write a story that captures how it feels to be walking on that thin line between kid and teenager, and how that walk can be exhilarating, frustrating, and misery-inducing all in the same day.
Did I succeed? Who knows?
..."
February 26, 2021
The low end of 3 stars. Eh. I’d recommend the Fletcher family books by the same author over this one any day.
I think it might be the first-person point of view, but it’s hard to like the main character at the beginning of the story as she judges everyone. This book is also less diverse than the author’s other books. There’s a lean into expectations and stereotypes so that later those stereotypes can be broken a bit, but isn’t it strange to feature those stereotypes to begin with?
There are also a lot of odd inclusions — like at least a couple times people don’t tell a vegetarian that he’s probably eating things made with meat? I’m a lifelong vegetarian and this makes me appreciate my friends who would never dismiss my diet and let me unknowingly eat meat. I’m not sure why this was even included in the story, it’s weird.
I think it might be the first-person point of view, but it’s hard to like the main character at the beginning of the story as she judges everyone. This book is also less diverse than the author’s other books. There’s a lean into expectations and stereotypes so that later those stereotypes can be broken a bit, but isn’t it strange to feature those stereotypes to begin with?
There are also a lot of odd inclusions — like at least a couple times people don’t tell a vegetarian that he’s probably eating things made with meat? I’m a lifelong vegetarian and this makes me appreciate my friends who would never dismiss my diet and let me unknowingly eat meat. I’m not sure why this was even included in the story, it’s weird.
October 4, 2021
There were some things I genuinely enjoyed about this book (some great humor, the travel-by-train experience, the evolving relationships, etc), and other things that annoyed me so badly I wanted to close the book a few times. I mean seriously, how many times can a 12 year old girl use the word "blathered" in one book. (The answer is 8, by the way, unless I missed a few before I started keeping track.) She also used words like "dithery" and other words I think you'd be hard pressed to find a 12 year old using (prevailed, sadist) or even knowing (kudzu, caudex). And if I had to read about the boy and his "teeheehee" laugh any more I may have thrown the book across the room. Anyway, mostly a fun story, although a little over-the-top in many ways including some caricature type characters.
March 21, 2017
If I could, I would quite like to travel the country by train, even if it involved taking the whole crazy family. The premise of this book is that Sara's mother gets one of those rail grants as a writer and can take the whole family cross country for the summer in order to write about it. Sara is the 12-year-old in a family that lives near the Fletchers, you know, from The Family Fletcher. Her younger sister is Ladybug and it's a family of all girls with 2 moms, to match the Fletcher family with all boys and 2 dads. This is ostensibly Sara's journal with some notes and blogs and postcards from the other family members. It is very tween, and does almost seem like something a 12-year-old could produce...with the help of an editor and publisher, of course. That's not an insult--that's the mark of an authentic children's book. I love that it's 2017 and we can have this book with 2 moms and that is not a driving factor in the story.
September 16, 2017
Twelve year old Sara and her family (2 moms, a 20 year old sister and the sister's boyfriend, and a 6 year old sister) take a cross-country train trip when one of her mom's is awarded a rail writing fellowship. The book chronicles the trip, mostly from Sara's perspective.
At times laugh out loud funny, at times frustrating and sad, the book is a good read. At times Sara reads a bit older than 12, though she is a writer so maybe a bit more sophisticated with language. There is a definite arc to Sara, her family members and the trip as a whole. It may be a bit too easily resolved on all fronts, but on the whole this is a good book for younger readers (not too young though).
At times laugh out loud funny, at times frustrating and sad, the book is a good read. At times Sara reads a bit older than 12, though she is a writer so maybe a bit more sophisticated with language. There is a definite arc to Sara, her family members and the trip as a whole. It may be a bit too easily resolved on all fronts, but on the whole this is a good book for younger readers (not too young though).
November 1, 2017
This was a pleasant surprise! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and if my daughter was more of a reader I would highly recommend it to her.
It was cute, funny and touching. A story written from the perspective of a 12 year old during the summer before entering middle school. She and her friends have made a list of how they are going to change their personas before starting middle school, but her plans to spend her summer with her friends is derailed (pun intended) when one of her moms gets the opportunity to travel across the country on Amtrak while writing a book about their experiences.
A truly charming book.
It was cute, funny and touching. A story written from the perspective of a 12 year old during the summer before entering middle school. She and her friends have made a list of how they are going to change their personas before starting middle school, but her plans to spend her summer with her friends is derailed (pun intended) when one of her moms gets the opportunity to travel across the country on Amtrak while writing a book about their experiences.
A truly charming book.
July 9, 2017
This companion book to the Misadventures of the Family Flecther is very enjoyable. Told from the perspective of Sara Johnston Fischer, a girl entering middle school hoping to reinvent herself over the summer, Sara details her families cross-country train trip. The trip will take a month and it will be 24/7 family bonding time. The family included Ladybug, her very loud younger sister, Laurel, her college age sister who is quite the activist and Laurel's hippie boyfriend, Root, along with Sara's two moms. It is quite a story! A fun summer read for the family.
April 14, 2021
The premise of this book is good-cross country train trip, with stops along the way. Interesting tidbits about places along the way. The narrator, Sara, age 12, was engaging. What I didn’t like was the laundry list of political correctness: gay parents-check, adopted child from another country-check, sibling involved in social causes-check. All the social causes: BLM, environment, -check. Cool senior citizens-check. I felt hit over the head by it all.
It turns out I’ve read another book by the author that I don’t remember.
It turns out I’ve read another book by the author that I don’t remember.
January 6, 2018
This is so sweet and genuine! I loved literally all of the characters so much. Sara is one of the most accurate portrayals of a 12-year-old I've ever read. She reminded me of what I was like when I was 12, and also sounded exactly like my 11-year-old sister sometimes. And the book itself addresses so many things from family relationships and friendships to social and environmental causes in a thoughtful, age-appropriate way. It was great!
December 31, 2018
Levy is back again with another crazy family adventure that rings true to life. I could actually picture some of these things happening. The Johnston Fisher clan has one a cross country railroad trip where their Mimi can write about the trip but did anybody ask the kids if they wanted to go. Hyjinks and lots of famiily bonding. The postcards to Flog Fletcher are awesome compelte with Mom's lines to Frog's dads. Upper elementary
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