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Quagmire Tiarello Coudn't Be Better

by Mylisa Larsen

CCBC Review:

It’s the first day of summer vacation, and 14-year-old Quentin “Quagmire” Tiarello (white) wants nothing more than to sleep-in, eat junk food, play video games, and maybe see what Cassie Byzinski (white) is up to. He’s not expecting to find his mom in one of her “spinning” moods. Quag’s used to managing his mom’s mental illness, and today’s technique is to get out of her way. Once outside of his apartment, he is happy to cross paths with Cassie, who invites him to Art Camp at the Y, insisting that he has the perfect skills for her group’s radio show. To his surprise, Quag has a knack for creating sound effects and finds some connection with the other drama kids, despite his prickly tendencies. Cue the record-scratch sound effect when Quag emerges from the Y to find his mother screaming at him to get in the car. Quag complies, only to find himself on the road and unable to redirect his mom’s behaviors like he has in the past. After a difficult moment at a road stop, Quag’s mom drives away, abandoning him. Forced to call an uncle he’s never met to pick him up, Quag finds himself in rural Nebraska, waiting on a mom who might not return. Painful realities are softened with wry humor and observations in this tender sophomore novel. ©2025 Cooperative Children’s Book Center

CCBC Age Recommendation: Ages 10-14
Age Range: Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-10) Grades 6-8 (Ages 11-13) Grades 9-12 (Age 14 and older)
Format: Novel
Subjects: Abandonment Friendship Humor Mental Health and Illness Mothers Theater Trauma Uncles
Diversity subject: Psychiatric

Publishers: Clarion, HarperCollins
Publish Year: 2024
Pages: 234
ISBN: 9780063324664
CCBC Location: Fiction, Larsen

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