Author: Kerry Madden-Lunsford
Genre: realistic fiction
Age range: middle grade
Summary (provided by publisher): 10-year-old Angus is unique. He quotes Shakespeare and wants to stage a Werewolf Hamlet play for his 5th grade legacy project. Angus's 17-year-old brother, Liam, is like a werewolf now—Angus never knows if he'll be nice or mean or when he'll sneak out to get drunk or worse.
Meanwhile, tension continues to build for Liam's family in Los Angeles. Mom and Dad are going to default on the mortgage. Older sister Hannah is fed up and ready to move herself to Maine, and little sister Sidney doesn't really get what's happening. Then Liam goes missing, and Angus decides he has to find him.
A realistic, heartfelt look at the complexities of family relationships and struggles. Along with Angus's loveable charm, sense of humor, and desire to stage his original play, Werewolf Hamlet is sure to win its audience—on and off the page—over.
What I liked: The topics discussed in this book are pretty heavy. The family is losing their house and the relationships are increasingly tense. It becomes apparent pretty quickly that big brother Liam has a substance abuse problem. That could make for a pretty dreary read. But Madden-Lunsford manages to make the bulk of the plot fairly light-hearted without ever making light of the serious issues. It allows the characters to address what is happening without making the book too intense.
What I didn't like: While the relatively light text is mostly beneficial it does tend to make the plot feel almost silly and unrealistic at times. It's a fine balance that is mostly positive but can be a bit eye-roll inducing on occasion.
More information: Werewolf Hamlet releases February 18.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
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