Quagmire Tiarello Couldn’t Be Better

Blunt and compassionate characterizations personify this emotionally wrenching story by Larsen (Playing Through the Turnaround). Fourteen-year-old Quagmire Tiarello delights in having no specific plans for summer break until his crush Cassie recruits him as Foley guy for a radio play she’s working on. He’s thrown off-kilter when his mother’s mental health takes a turn that’s worse than any previous development: mom can be unpredictable when she’s “having one of her spinning days.” Soon, she ends up missing work, vandalizes a library garden, and disappears for a few days. Reticent Quag—who’s accustomed to taking care of and covering for his mom—knows he can’t tell anyone what’s going on, not even Cassie. Upon his mother’s return, she insists that they drive three hours to get a hot dog “with all the works.” Quag is certain he can eventually direct her toward home, but their road trip takes a series of unsettling twists. Intermittent chapters featuring bird observations and audio file sound bites seamlessly connect numerous plotlines while adding texture to this gorgeously written story that centers a teen yearning for stability and support. An author’s note concludes. The cast reads as white. Ages 8–12. Agent: Erin Murphy, Erin Murphy Literary. (Sept.)