The Not-Just-Anybody Family
By Betsy Byars
4.5/5
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About this ebook
Newbery Award–winning author Betsy Byars’s heartwarming and timeless books about the irrepressible Blossom family are back. In this introduction to the one-of-a-kind clan, Pap, the Blossoms’ grandfather, has landed himself in jail for disturbing the peace. Even though Junior is laid up in the hospital with two broken legs after jumping off the barn roof to test his new homemade wings, he and his sister and brother, Maggie and Vern, have come up with a plan to rescue Pap. A new generation of readers will fall head over heels for this engaging, hilarious family.
Betsy Byars
Betsy Byars (1928-2020) is the author of many award-winning and popular books for children, including The Seven Treasure Haunts, Tornado and the Boo's Dinosaur series. Ms. Byars was awarded the Newbery Medal in 1971 for The Summer of the Swans, and the National Book Award in 1981 for The Night Swimmers. She collaborated with her daughters Laurie Myers and Betsy Duffey on a number of books, including My Dog, My Hero and The SOS File. She lived in South Carolina.
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Titles in the series (7)
The Not-Just-Anybody Family Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Wanted . . . Mud Blossom Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Blossom Promise Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Blossoms and the Green Phantom Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWanted . . . Mud Blossom Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Blossoms Meet the Vulture Lady Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
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Reviews for The Not-Just-Anybody Family
2 ratings2 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Reason 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!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Clever, how this plays with tropes but without calling attention to them. One keeps being led to think that bad things are going to happen, that this is going to be one of those 'therapeutic' novels for kids, one in which kids can see that other kids have worse lives than they do so they (the reader) should be able to develop coping skills just like the protagonist.
But, no, this is isn't a morality play. It's a loving portrait of a happy family having some mostly funny adventures. Bigger adventures than most of us have, but nothing bleak. Thank goodness.
They both looked honest, respectable, and miserable. They couldn't wait to get out of court and look like themselves again."
Fried shredded wheat: soften the shredded wheat in hot milk, put a scoopful on the griddle, flatten, and fry. Best with lots of syrup.
I would have loved this whole series when I was a child, so I'm rounding up from 3.5 stars."