An Occasionally Happy Family

Thirteen-year-old Theo would rather do almost anything than spend a week camping with his dad and sister at Big Bend — especially when it becomes clear Dad's new girlfriend might be auditioning as a permanent replacement for their mother, who died of cancer. Cliff Burke pulls off something genuinely difficult here: a novel that is consistently funny while treating grief with honesty. The bickering, the wildlife, the annoying birder and his vlogger son — all of it lands, and the emotional undercurrent never tips into melodrama. Kirkus praised it, and multiple state reading programs selected it, meaning librarians have vetted this one carefully. The caveat parents may note is that Theo and his sister are frequently disrespectful to their dad — the book treats this as a grief response, but it's worth a conversation. A strong, warm middle-grade pick.