Publisher's Weekly Review
With her son, bestselling Christian author Kingsbury adapts her bestselling Baxter Family series for adults to suit a younger audience, bringing readers stories of the five Baxter siblings in childhood. Narrated by middle sisters Ashley, 10, and Kari, 11, the slice-of-life story begins in Ann Arbor, Mich., just before Valentine's Day. Exuberant Ashley is thrilled to be organizing her class's party. Kari, meanwhile, is dreading the holiday-her classmate has a crush on her, and she's concerned that his attentions will result in an embarrassing situation. The girls share their joys and concerns with their family because, as their mother always says, "Your very best friends are the ones around the dinner table each night." After Valentine's Day, Ashley feels left out on a family vacation and wonders if she should be more like older sister Brooke, who excels at math. And the whole family struggles with their father's announcement that they will move at the end of the school year for his new job. The Baxters pray and find solace in God while navigating relatable and realistic life changes in this slice-of-life tale. Ages 8-12. Agent: Rick Christian, Alive Literary Agency. (Feb.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Kirkus Review
When their parents announce that they are moving from their home in Michigan to Indiana, the five Baxter children react to the change in different ways. Brooke, the oldest, is quietly confident in the decision. Eight-year-old Erin is fearful, but 6-year-old Luke is too young to fully understand. Eleven-year-old Kari is calm and focused, but 10-year-old Ashley feels as though her world is going to pieces. When new friendships cause Ashley to feel left out and an offhand remark makes her feel flighty and immature, she decides to overhaul her life. She gives up art and soccer, vowing to be more studious, like her sisters. But she soon realizes that she is better off just being who God made her to be. With this children's novel, Kingsbury and co-author Russell go back in time to focus on the childhoods of some of her favorite characters from her popular series for adults. In the Baxter family, trouble is met with grace, kindness, and prayer. The admonition that "your very best friends are the ones around the dinner table each night" is more than wishful thinking here. Jealousy, sadness, and first crushes are all handled with wisdom and God's word. However, readers with less-than-idyllic lives might not feel they can simply "choose to be happy," as God advises Ashley. While God is frequently discussed, the emphasis is more on moral character and kindness. The Baxters are white and the time period unclear, although working back from the books for adults, it is probably the 1970s or '80s.A wise if occasionally saccharine look at common childhood drama. (Fiction. 8-12) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.