Best Family Ever

With her son, bestselling Christian author Kingsbury adapts her bestselling Baxter Family series for adults to suit a younger audience, bringing readers stories of the five Baxter siblings in childhood. Narrated by middle sisters Ashley, 10, and Kari, 11, the slice-of-life story begins in Ann Arbor, Mich., just before Valentine’s Day. Exuberant Ashley is thrilled to be organizing her class’s party. Kari, meanwhile, is dreading the holiday—her classmate has a crush on her, and she’s concerned that his attentions will result in an embarrassing situation. The girls share their joys and concerns with their family because, as their mother always says, “Your very best friends are the ones around the dinner table each night.” After Valentine’s Day, Ashley feels left out on a family vacation and wonders if she should be more like older sister Brooke, who excels at math. And the whole family struggles with their father’s announcement that they will move at the end of the school year for his new job. The Baxters pray and find solace in God while navigating relatable and realistic life changes in this slice-of-life tale. Ages 8–12. [em]Agent: Rick Christian, Alive Literary Agency. (Feb.) [/em]