extended families

Nine-year-old Divya did not want to leave New Delhi and move to the United States, and she certainly does not want to share a room with her cousin, or start a new school, but her parents did not give her a choice.

"When Lincoln Loud's close friend Ronnie Anne and her brother Bobby Santiago moved away from Royal Oaks to the Big City, they had no idea that they were about to start an exciting new chapter in their lives, while living in an apartment above their abuelo's Mercado. Together with their mom, Maria, they are adapting from going to a family of three in Royal Oaks to living with their whole extended family, headed by the kids' abuelos, Hector and Rosa, in the big city"--OCLC.

A young boy doesn't want to go to his family reuinon, he would rather stay home and play video games. But when he gets there, he spends time with his family members and realizes it's not so bad after all. They have a cookout, play games, have a dance off, and go to church together.

"Fiona may have problems, but she's no damsel in distress. She'd rather be the one wielding the wand in the story: she wants to be the fairy godperson. So when her mom sends her off to stay with relatives in a place called Cold Hope for the summer, Fiona decides it's time to start training for the role. And wow, do these people need help! Aunt Becky's bakery is failing, Great-uncle Timothy draws but never speaks, and Great-Aunt Alta is the gloomiest, doomiest woman she's every met. Look out, Cold Hope, Fiona is going to shake things up. But helping people in the real world isn't as easy as it sounds in fairy tales. Change is messy. Advice can backfire. What if she's actually making things worse? What if Fiona is the one feeling shaken? Still, with practice (and some deep breaths), Fiona will discover that sometimes messy is okay. Sometimes things do get worse before they get better. And sometimes trying to help fix other people's problems can show you a way to work on your own..."--Provided by the publisher.

"Lauren, who has Autism Spectrum Disorder, reluctantly takes on the role of flower girl in her aunt's wedding. While it's difficult to break her familiar routines and deal with unfamiliar cousins and scratchy dresses, Lauren eventually decides that having an extended family is worth the bother"--Provided by publisher.

"Mia wants a puppy more than anything, but her mom insists that they don't have room. So, Mia and her grandma invite some furry and feathered friends for a visit--Grandma's parrot, Mia's class bunny, a neighbor's cat, even the book club's pet pig. The apartment is overrun! But how will this yowling, squawking, snorting, snuffling chaos help Mia's cause? She plans to convince her mom that there's plenty of room for a pup--at least, once all the other animals are gone! This hilarious twist on the classic Yiddish folktale is a valuable reminder that there is alwats room for one more"--OCLC.

Amy Dickinson, author of the syndicated advice column "Ask Amy," discusses her life, motherhood, and her family of strong women in the small town of Freeville in upstate New York, who raised and supported her and her daughter.