I've previously read Orbiting Jupiter also by Gary D. Schmidt, I liked it a lot, but just didn't review it here. So here's the Amazon Link in case you're interested. It's pretty good, but also kind of sad. Good sad.
Anywho. This book was published on February 5, 2019, but I read the advanced reader's copy. Undoubtedly, there will be some differences between the version I read and the published edition.
An amazon summary, "Carter Jones is astonished early one morning when he finds a real English butler, bowler hat and all, on the doorstep—one who stays to help the Jones family, which is a little bit broken.
In addition to figuring out middle school, Carter has to adjust to the unwelcome presence of this new know-it-all adult in his life and navigate the butler's notions of decorum. And ultimately, when his burden of grief and anger from the past can no longer be ignored, Carter learns that a burden becomes lighter when it is shared.Sparkling with humor, this insightful and compassionate story will resonate with readers who have confronted secrets of their own." AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE
On the first day of school, the Jones house is in a mild state of chaos. Carter is trying to help his mother while she puts braids in his younger sister's hair, another sister can't find her favorite yellow socks, and the other sister is trying to make cereal but the milk is spoiled. A knock sounds on the front door, and Carter answers it only to find a gentleman standing there in a suit. He basically closes the door on him, tells his mother, but the knock sounds again. So Carter's mother tells him to basically make him go away. Carter re-approaches the gentleman, explains the current chaos, but curiously, the butler tells him to go pack his backpack for school. Carter is understandably skeptical, but does as he says.
The gentleman returns with milk, new socks, and ferries the family to school in the "eggplant car" (he drives a very purple car). Come to find out, their grandfather has passed away, and this gentleman's family has been in service to his grandfather for a long time, and even thought his father is away in service in Germany, the gentleman has come to help the family. ...he's basically a butler.
Also, there's cricket involved.
That's enough summary.
I loved this book so much. The butler enters their lives and slowly makes it better. He does little things that kind of gives them routine and helps them so much...even in the midst of their grief.
I described this book to one of my friends, and they asked if it was basically Mary Poppins. I'm going to say no, not just because there's no song and dance and all that jazz, but there is cricket... BUT, also because the lessons taught throughout the book are done in such a different way.
Also, I won't ever pretend to be interested in sports, or understand them, or anything. I'm just incompatible with sports. So, when cricket came up, the book did a great job of explaining all of it, and all the teamwork that happened was great because you know sports, teamwork stuff. I think it did help the story, and definitely didn't detract from it at all.
It was a great, great story.
The whole family is really charming, and a dachshund pet who throws up whenever it's excited is also, somehow charming.
Happy reading!
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