Charlie Bumpers vs. the Perfect Little Turkey

August 24, 2015
Fourth-grader Charlie Bumpers returns in his fourth novel, and as Thanksgiving draws near, he is fed up with his family: relatives are descending on the Bumpers household in droves, Charlie has to share his room with his “perfect little angel” of a cousin, and his siblings won’t stop pestering him. Harley has as good a handle on tumultuous family relationships as he does on school-day mishaps; suffice it to say, it takes Charlie a while to revise his definition of family as “a bunch of people you have to live with and share with even when you don’t want to.” Regardless of their own family makeups, readers will probably recognize some of their own relatives amid all the good-natured holiday chaos. Ages 7–10. Illustrator’s agent: Abigail Samoun, Red Fox Literary.

January 1, 2016
Charlie's family prepares to host a large Thanksgiving dinner; attendees include relatives and friends whom Charlie adores, plus one pesky younger cousin. The story, set within several days, showcases the characters' relatable features and flaws as well as the naturally funny moments between siblings and extended family members. Occasional black-and-white illustrations in ink and watercolor capture this family's familiar quirks.

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