★ “Lloyd hits her stride as she weaves—as intricately as Mona’s beloved circus spiders—plot twists, humor, suspense, rivalry, hints of romance for the older Problims, and realistic development of Mona’s character.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Lloyd’s quirky gang of seven siblings returns in a new mystery soaked in doughnut frosting....[She] revels in the story’s zaniness, bolstering it with heart and enough complexity to ensure readers are invested.” — ALA Booklist
“Mona shines as she figures out (not always gracefully) that everyone has unique value—even her worst enemies. A charming sequel.” — School Library Journal
Praise for THE PROBLIM CHILDREN: ★ “Another heart-warming yarn centered on friendship and family.” — Booklist (starred review)
“Both text and illustrations offer a nod to Roald Dahl’s quirky, juvenile heroes and equally quirky, nasty villains. The distinctive flavor comes both from Lloyd’s witty but succinct word mastery and from her unflagging imagination.” — Kirkus Reviews
“Irreverent and delightful.” — Publishers Weekly
“Lloyd’s warm and playful writing shines.” — School Library Journal
“Much quirky fun to be had.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“An affectionate ode to the wonders of being a weird kid in a weird family.” — Anne Ursu, author of The Real Boy and Breadcrumbs
“A sheer, riotous delight.” — Claire Legrand, author of Some Kind of Happiness
“Filled with adventure, mystery, humor, and heart.” — Heidi Schulz, New York Times bestselling author of Hook’s Revenge
“An absolute gem, delightfully original but with the timeless charm of a favorite classic. I sincerely, truly loved loved loved loved loved it.” — DAN GEMEINHART, Author of The Honest Truth and Some Kind of Courage
06/01/2019
Gr 3–6—The Problims are back! In this installment, the perfect seven pick up right where they left off: searching for the pieces of a fabled water witch hidden by their grandfather, which are supposedly the key to something amazing. Mona Problim leads the pack as she and her family try to win an array of contests in the town's Corndog Carnival in order to gain entry to the Pirate Caves, where they suspect their missing mother may be stranded. Mona shines as she figures out (not always gracefully) that everyone has unique value—even her worst enemies. Though new readers may be won over, fans of the first book will most appreciate the backstory revealed in this second volume as they learn of hidden treasure, family feuds, and lost loves. The cast doesn't differ much from in the first installment; the Problims are white, their friend Violet is allergic to air and has severe restrictions on her activities, and most ancillary characters are only briefly described. VERDICT A charming sequel; purchase where the first is popular and where readers enjoy familial magic.—Taylor Worley, Springfield Public Library, OR
