Overview

Get to know the Casson family in this effervescent novel that ""strikes a lovely balance between humor and poignancy"" (Publishers Weekly, starred review). Cadmium Casson is twelve years old the summer that everything changes. Not only are her closest friendships in jeopardy, but her mom is expecting a baby. And when the baby arrives early, Caddy's world turns upside down. Her mother spends all her time at the hospital, and her father takes over the household, which of course turns into one chaotic (though hilarious) crisis after the next. When her charmingly dense boyfriend dumps her, Caddy is at her wits' end. Then she discovers that the fragile baby she is so afraid of losing is not an ending, but a beginning for her whole family. And that love and friendship don't need to be destroyed by change--they can be strengthened. Another refreshingly wise, funny, and poignant novel from the inimitable Hilary McKay.

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9781442441064

Table of Contents

Reviews

* McKay's writing is like the Cassons themselves: unpredictable, touchingly human, and alternatingly mad fun and tender. New readers will be thrilled to find there are more Casson family upheavals ahead, and old fans will be delighted to learn how it all began. -- Booklist , *STAR * In this sixth outing the family sparkles as brightly as ever. . . . With effervescent characters and dialogue, this welcome addition to the Casson saga again strikes a lovely balance between humor and poignancy. -- Publishers Weekly , *STAR * The Cassons are back. Huzzah! . . . Charming and thoughtful, as well as funny and touching, this is another delightful time with the Cassons and their friends, all of whom are well worth knowing. -- School Library Journal , *STARRED Fans of the Casson family, rejoice; McKay is returning to the headlong, madcap, and fiercely poignant crew to chronicle the earlier days of the clan. . . . The novel will be open and inviting to new readers as well, and the strong focus on Caddy's set of friends, who aren't featured in the other books, puts all readers on an equal footing and provides a school-and-friend story with appeal to followers of Frances O'Roark Dowell and the like. -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books Readers new to the Casson family series will be immediately pulled in . . . In this, book six in the series, McKay proves Tolstoy wrong. Not all happy families are alike. -- The Horn Book Readers of the series will love this story of the beginning, and those new to the series will be happy getting to know the Cassons. -- VOYA

* The Cassons are back. Huzzah! . . . Charming and thoughtful, as well as funny and touching, this is another delightful time with the Cassons and their friends, all of whom are well worth knowing. -- School Library Journal , *STARRED Readers of the series will love this story of the beginning, and those new to the series will be happy getting to know the Cassons. -- VOYA Fans of the Casson family, rejoice; McKay is returning to the headlong, madcap, and fiercely poignant crew to chronicle the earlier days of the clan. . . . The novel will be open and inviting to new readers as well, and the strong focus on Caddy's set of friends, who aren't featured in the other books, puts all readers on an equal footing and provides a school-and-friend story with appeal to followers of Frances O'Roark Dowell and the like. -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books Readers new to the Casson family series will be immediately pulled in . . . In this, book six in the series, McKay proves Tolstoy wrong. Not all happy families are alike. -- The Horn Book * In this sixth outing the family sparkles as brightly as ever. . . . With effervescent characters and dialogue, this welcome addition to the Casson saga again strikes a lovely balance between humor and poignancy. -- Publishers Weekly , *STAR * McKay's writing is like the Cassons themselves: unpredictable, touchingly human, and alternatingly mad fun and tender. New readers will be thrilled to find there are more Casson family upheavals ahead, and old fans will be delighted to learn how it all began. -- Booklist , *STAR

Readers of the series will love this story of the beginning, and those new to the series will be happy getting to know the Cassons. -- VOYA * The Cassons are back. Huzzah! . . . Charming and thoughtful, as well as funny and touching, this is another delightful time with the Cassons and their friends, all of whom are well worth knowing. -- School Library Journal , *STARRED Fans of the Casson family, rejoice; McKay is returning to the headlong, madcap, and fiercely poignant crew to chronicle the earlier days of the clan. . . . The novel will be open and inviting to new readers as well, and the strong focus on Caddy's set of friends, who aren't featured in the other books, puts all readers on an equal footing and provides a school-and-friend story with appeal to followers of Frances O'Roark Dowell and the like. -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books Readers new to the Casson family series will be immediately pulled in . . . In this, book six in the series, McKay proves Tolstoy wrong. Not all happy families are alike. -- The Horn Book * In this sixth outing the family sparkles as brightly as ever. . . . With effervescent characters and dialogue, this welcome addition to the Casson saga again strikes a lovely balance between humor and poignancy. -- Publishers Weekly , *STAR * McKay's writing is like the Cassons themselves: unpredictable, touchingly human, and alternatingly mad fun and tender. New readers will be thrilled to find there are more Casson family upheavals ahead, and old fans will be delighted to learn how it all began. -- Booklist , *STAR

* McKay's writing is like the Cassons themselves: unpredictable, touchingly human, and alternatingly mad fun and tender. New readers will be thrilled to find there are more Casson family upheavals ahead, and old fans will be delighted to learn how it all began. -- Booklist , *STAR

Author Information

Hilary McKay is the award-winning author of The Time of Green Magic (which received five starred reviews), The Skylarks' War (which was a Boston Globe Best Book and received three starred reviews), Binny Bewitched (which was a Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year and received two starred reviews), Binny in Secret (which received three starred reviews), Binny for Short (which received four starred reviews), and six novels about the Casson family: Saffy's Angel, Indigo's Star, Permanent Rose, Caddy Ever After, Forever Rose, and Caddy's World. She is also the author of The Swallows' Flight, Rosa by Starlight, and Wishing for Tomorrow, the sequel to Frances Hodgson Burnett's A Little Princess. Hilary lives with her family in Derbyshire, England. Visit her at HilaryMcKay.co.uk.

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