Big Hair and Books: Revenge of the Flower Girls

One bride. Two boys. Three flower girls who won't forever hold their peace. What could go wrong with this wedding? Everything!

The Brewster triplets, Dawn, Darby, and Delaney, would usually spend their summer eating ice cream, playing with their dog, and reading about the US Presidents. But this year they're stuck planning their big sister Lily's wedding. Lily used to date Alex, who was fun and nice and played trivia games with the triplets, and no one's quite sure why they broke up. Burton, Lily's groom-to-be, is not nice or fun, and he looks like an armadillo.

The triplets can't stand to see Lily marry someone who's completely wrong for her, so it's up to them to stop the wedding before anyone says "I do!" The flower girls will stop at nothing to delay Lily's big day, but will sprinklers, a photo slideshow, a muddy dog, and some unexpected allies be enough to prevent their big sister--and the whole Brewster family--from living unhappily ever after?

My Two Cents

Some middle grade books that are geared toward girls are syrupy sweet. If that's what you're looking for, this isn't your book!

I felt like I was watching a younger version of Ocean's Eleven unfold! It is quite the caper book, but isn't one dimensional, at all. There are lots of working pieces!

So, Big Hair Lady, you're telling us it's not sweet, it's not one dimensional...so what is it?!!

It's lovely. It is the tale of a family--not the perfect family, mind you--but a family that loves each other well. It is a caper book, but the whole purpose of the caper is to make sure Lily doesn't end up miserable. "Lily. The best big sister in the world."

One thing I noticed about this book is that the girls' parents are divorced, but both play an active roll in their lives. They are clear about missing their dad, but they are ok because they are loved. Ziegler, unlike so many middle grade authors I've read, did not have the parents get back together and tie a neat little bow on it. I appreciated that because real kids read these books, and real life rarely has neat little bows. I'm sure many kids from divorced homes wish for their parents to reunite, and so the fact that Ziegler portrayed a normal, happy home despite the divorce was both realistic and welcome.

I also loved the quirkiness of the girls! They love presidential history and throw in quotes and mentions of presidents at odd times, which endears the reader to them.

And on a totally different note, are y'all from small towns?! If so, you probably know that social game where you realize someone is crazily connected to someone else...and they're both your cousins...

That kind of happened to me on this book! I was reading...I was loving...and then I got to the acknowledgments and realized that the Jennifer Ziegler is married to Chris Barton! I have been a long time fan of his Shark vs. Train and I had the opportunity to meet him in Austin this fall at Kidlitcon! So while neither of them is a cousin to me (or each other, thank goodness!), they are fellow Texans!

Please follow Jennifer and go check out her website where she discusses her books, writing inspiration, and Duran Duran!

This one's for you, Jennifer! Your readers are "hungry" for more! Rock on!

Revenge of the Flower Girls

The Blurb

My Two Cents