Oh my heart! An Occasionally Happy Family was such a realistic story. I experienced such a wide range of emotions while reading this story. I laughed, I cried, I cringed, I cheered. I think adult readers and young readers will have two vastly different experiences when reading this book and I think that makes this book a perfect story! Highly recommend.

Thank you so much NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a wonderful book that I devoured in one sitting! It was a touching book about the grief associated with a mother's passing but it was also laughable throughout much of the book. As a reluctant camper myself, I found myself laughing out loud at some of Theo's predicaments.

Theo and Laura accompany their nature-obsessed dad on a trip to Big Bend National Park in the sweltering heat of summer. The three are still coming to terms with the death of the children’s mother, and their dad’s surprise of a new girlfriend is met with less than enthusiasm. Humorous moments during the camping trip - dealing with a bear, and a melted lunch due to the heat and the crazy dad and son duo they meet on the hike to and from the camping site make this an easy read for upper elementary/middle grade students.

Dealing with the death of a parent is always hard, and the subject is dealt with honestly and gently in this book. I liked how the ending was not perfect and let the reader determine what might happen next, The children and their dad were able to open up and face some hard truths with each other which helped them come to terms with this event in their life. Good addition to a an elementary/middle grade library.

This book made me laugh out loud. I adored the main character and his relationship with his family. Can’t wait to recommend it to students. A definite purchase when published.

Theo and his sister are being dragged to a summer vacation to Big Bend National Park by their father, the first vacation they have taken since their mother’s death two years previously. And the big surprise at the end of their trip is an introduction to their father’s girlfriend, whom they did not know existed.
Between Laura’s argumentative ways, and Theo’s reluctance to enjoy the out of doors, it seems that the vacation is doomed right from the start. However, the book is funny, with a touch of sentimentality. There are current references (a high school boy who is an influencer on Instagram) and humorous scenes (a natural hot tub full of old naked people!), along with some necessary hard conversations. Death is not easy to write about and Burke gets this exactly right.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this book did a great job showing what life is like after the death of a parent and when the the surviving parent starts looking to move on. It wasn’t too heavy even though it addressed deep issues. And it was funny!

Intermittently laugh-out-loud funny and breathtakingly poignant novel suitable for middle school students. There is a sadness and a casual cruelty throughout the work that might upset more sensitive readers. TW: cancer, parent death, extended grief

Cliff Burke delves into the many topics of adolescence. First and foremost, how preteen/teens may see the death of a parent and how they may use a multitude of coping mechanisms to deal with it. He also illustrates a parent who would like to keep going after the loss of a spouse. The kids react accordingly when dad wants to take a trip to the most horrible national park imaginable. Dealing with rude adults is just the day in the life of someone under the age of 18. Theo is a budding writer and artist, who takes his pen to paper to escape the boring wilderness and also a way to deal with his feelings. After dealing with a wannabe influencer and an ornithologist, Theo hopes this vacation will get better. Only someone else joins their party, dad’s girlfriend.
I found that while the book is very dedicated to Theo’s thoughts, Burke does make the interactions with Laura very detailed to know what she is thinking and feeling towards what is going on in the story. Theo withholds many things because he knows his father doesn’t want to talk about his mother. I feel this leaves Theo to have to bottle his feelings and he must find his own outlets for dealing with his grief. The introduction to the girlfriend is meant to be a surprise for the kids, which it is, and the way Burke just changes the relationship kind of left me hanging with how the situation is dealt with.

Thank you to Netgalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's Book Group for the opportunity to read and review this book

I really enjoyed the writing style of this author and the realistic portrayal of life. I enjoyed the ups and downs and thought it was a great read! The individual character traits of all the characters really stood out to me. It was a light read with some heavy undertones. This book is perfect for readers ages 9-12.

I received an electronic ARC from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's Book Group through NetGalley.
Theo's family heads off on a surprise family vacation that involves several disasters - major heat wave, bears, interesting campers - and culminates in meeting Dad's girlfriend. Unfortunately, Dad only gave Theo and his sister, Laura, a day to process this. It has been two years since their mom died and they're blindsided. This is a family who doesn't talk about emotions and hides their grief from each other.
Burke's debut story offers plenty of humor wrapped around a family learning to communicate again and continuing to heal. The short chapters will appeal to middle grade readers.