I enjoyed the book as much as my 10 year old! 👍👍 ( )

A good bet for older elementary and young middle-school students, this is an island adventure story starring four resourceful siblings, five neglectful/absent parents, one goldfish and a forest full of poisonous lizards. Living in their car on the beach, the kids have done a far better job taking care of each other than their assorted parents have, but space is getting tight and oldest sister Kim decides they need a home of their own. Where these children have learned such familial devotion and pluck is anyone's guess (because it's certainly not inherited), but leaping lizards (literally!), they manage a surprise happy ending with a twist. A fine set-up for the next installment of the Fitzgerald-Trout saga.

Fun illustrations help keep the tone engaging and upbeat despite the siblings' seemingly dire circumstances. The parents' ineptitude would be shocking (one mother is jailed, another secretly abandons her baby) were it not written for broad comedic effect. Young readers will undoubtedly be pleased that the children have far more sense than the adults. Recommend to fans of Kate DiCamillo, Roald Dahl and Polly Horvath. AR level 5.6, pts. 6 JF ( )

A very fun story with four kids that will not be easily forgotten once you put the book down. A mix of charming and quirky characters while the over all story has a bit of mystery and adventure. This book certainly has the potential to become a middle grade favorite.

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review. ( )

If one of the aims of literature is to explore different lives vicariously, then LOOK OUT FOR THE FITZGERALD-TROUTS gives readers the opportunity to try on a life most Canadians can't imagine: being a child raised by other children, effectively homeless and relentlessly poor, on a beautiful tropical island.

Although the telling is lightly brushed with the fantastic to give it an approachable gloss, the story raises serious matters. The comedy in this novel makes it a great selection for teachers to read aloud in the classroom, and students are likely to have plenty to say about the story. LOOK OUT FOR THE FITZGERALD-TROUTS is a funny, worthwhile book that deserves teachers' and librarians' attention.

Read my complete review in RESOURCE LINKS 21.5 (June 2016).

LOOK OUT FOR THE FITZGERALD-TROUTS by Esta Spalding features the goofy adventures of four children living on a tropical island.

This humorous middle grade novel features four siblings named Kim, Kimo, Peppa, and Toby living in a car on the beach. Although they’re making it work, they yearn for a home of their own.

Librarians will find middle grade readers attracted to the quick-witted children surrounded by terrible adults. Young people will be looking for the next book in this new series.

Learn more about the author at http://estaspalding.com/.

Published by Little, Brown, an imprint of Hachette on May 10, 2016. ARC courtesy of the publisher. ( )