Caddy's World

Gr 4–8—The Cassons are back. Huzzah! McKay's previous five titles about this quirky British family seemed to have told the whole story, but this title is a prequel that introduces the family at a time when the eldest, Caddy, is 12, and youngest, Rose, is just arriving. As always, the humor is abundantly evident with several laugh-out-loud scenes. However, Caddy's woes and those of her three best friends are taken seriously. Dieting, moving, changing schools, a new baby, and boyfriends all figure into the girls' experiences, even as McKay gives each one a distinctly personal perspective. These are not grown-ups in children's bodies, but youngsters dealing with their concerns in ways that seem logical to them given their experience in the world. It's delightful, touching, and absolutely delicious to see these beloved characters at an earlier stage, and fans of the series will be satisfied and pleased with this return. To newcomers, it is a chance to see the family at that critical moment when Rose is born prematurely and how the stress affects each family member differently, foreshadowing the events to come in the earlier books, which take up the story and move it into the future. Charming and thoughtful, as well as funny and touching, this is another delightful time with the Cassons and their friends, all of whom are well worth knowing.—Carol A. Edwards, Denver Public Library, CO