10 Nov / How To Party with an Infant by Kaui Hart Hemmings
Mele, single mother of Ellie, joined the San Francisco Mother’s Club (SFMC) to be matched with the perfect playgroup, something that never happened. Two years later, she’s part of a rogue, “laughing, sh*t-talking, texting, even talking on the phone” fivesome that came together organically at the playground they all frequent.
They’ve recently decided to go “official” with SFMC for the benefits, one of which, for Mele, means entering the SFMC Cookbook Competition. Completing the intimately detailed questionnaire yields wild and zany answers that reveal how Mele improvises (including the truth), seeks (even steals), and obsesses (over Ellie’s father’s desertion and his impending wedding). Interspersed with Mele’s self-examination are entertaining glimpses of her eclectic playgroup; between trying too hard to impress and managing fraying familial bonds, Mele’s four BFFs provide just the right recipe for companionship, support, and raucous good times.
Kaui Hart Hemmings (The Descendants) mixes the best and worst moments of parenthood with plenty of snark and delight. With her buoyant, charming voice, Joy Osmanski proves ideal for eliciting eye-rolling sympathy and head-nodding empathy. Audiences in search of a chuckle-inducing, bitingly smart read will surely enjoy listening in.
Review: “Audio,” Library Journal, November 1, 2016
Readers: Adult
Published: 2016