Summer is FINALLY here! I’m looking forward to kayaking, paddle boarding, walking my dogs, and growing yummy veggies in my garden. I also plan to rest from all of that activity with lots of relaxing reading on my screened in porch. And while I always like to learn from my reading, in the summer I enjoy funny, light books to compliment the relaxing “vibe” of the season, as my kids would say. This year, I have a great family friendly and funny read for you. It’s the latest release from author Amy Makechnie, and it’s called The McNifficents.
Amy Makechnie has a lot of kids. Four, to be exact. (Who would do something so crazy? 🙂 ) She also owns schnauzers (at least two that I’m aware of) and coached flocks of wily children on a soccer pitch. So she’s got a good handle on dogs and kids. She shares that experience in her upcoming release, The McNifficents. It will hit bookstores June 20, 2023.
Amy captures the chaos of a large family with humor and insight. She created eight main characters for this middle grade contemporary, and each one shines with his or her own personality. Here’s a summary of the cast from Amy’s Substack newsletter:
- Lord Tennyson, distinguished miniature schnauzer and the children’s nanny
- Annie, age 13, the oldest and most responsible McNiff; can be…boss boss
- Mary, aka, “Naughty Mary”, age 11; modeled directly after my mother’s childhood
- Ezra, age 9, finding his voice…and a snake; chaos ensues
- Pearl, age 6, sweet and timid; finding her courage!
- Tate, age 4, idolizes Pearl; speaks with the most darling lisp
- Sweetums, age 18 months. Sand thrower, tail puller, goodness it’s lucky she’s cute
- Mr. McNiff, fastidious drama teacher; sings and tap dances his way through life
- Mrs. McNiff aka “Honey” her self-preservation is gardening and chemistry. She has a vague recollection that there are six children home for the summer.
As you can guess from this list, the kids need a nanny, and Lord Tennyson takes his job very seriously.
Tenny steals the show in The McNifficents, which is saying something! (Note the large cast of characters above.) He’s got class and a big heart and a strong desire to eat birds. The juxtaposition of him wishing for a tuxedo while fighting his urge to maul a chicken is just one of the many ways Amy captures humor and tension in this delightful story.
Family can be complicated. Sometimes personalities clash, and living in harmony feels impossible. But with the right mindset, and some nudging from a wise old dog, even the rowdiest kids can pull together to get a job done. And that’s just what the McNifficents do, led by the fearless Lord Tennyson. Along the way, they learn a lot about forgiveness, grace, and the overwhelming power of canine instincts. Kid powered hi jinks and even a threatening pack of wolves keep the story rolling to the closing pages.
I also parent a flock of children and own a small dog with peculiar tendencies, Amy’s story nails the complications and joys of living in a large family and often had me laughing out loud. I highly recommend this book for middle grade readers of any age. It would make great read aloud book for family quiet time after a day at the pool or the beach.
The McNifficents will release June 20, 2023. You can preorder it on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Bookshop.
Find out more about Amy at her website and Substack. Also, check out my reviews of Amy’s previously published books, Ten Thousand Tries and The Unforgettable Guinevere St. Clair.
Share a great summer read in the comments. What’s your favorite summer reading spot? A porch? A hammock?
Thanks for getting nerdy with me!
