The Not-Just-Anybody Family (Yearling Book) [Paperback]

Betsy Byars (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up | Series: Yearling Book

When Junior Blossom wakes up in the hospital, his  last memory is of crouching on the barn roof with  cloth wings tied to his arms, and of Maggie and  Vern in the yard below, urging him to fly. That had  been just before Junior spotted a police car  approaching the farm in a cloud of  dust.



Meanwhile Pap, the children's grandfather, sits in  disgrace in the city jail. He was arrested for  disturbing the peace after his pickup truck  accidentally dumped 2,147 beer and soda cans (worth  $107.35) on Spring Street.



With their  mother away on the rodeo circuit, it's up to Maggie  and Vern to find a way to rescue Pap and Junior.  How will they solve their family problems?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Junior's flight from the barn on his handmade wings lands him in the hospital; his siblings Maggie and Vern are trying to get their Grandpa out of jail; and Grandpa's dog Mud is defying all obstacles to get to his loved one, in a book that PW said "races without pause between hilarious, suspenseful and touching crises. The Newbery Medalist's new story will capture her readers' hearts."
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 4- 7 Junior Blossom is poised on the roof of the barn, working up the courage to fly on homemade wings. His brother and sister are on the ground urging him on when Junior spots a police car coming up their road. Maggie and Vern run to hide in the woods, while Junior loses his grip on the roof and slides off, breaking both legs. The children's widowed mother is away working the rodeo circuit; Pap, their grandfather, has been arrested for disturbing the peace while he was, innocently enough, trying to retrieve the 2147 beer and pop cans that had spilled out of the back of his pick-up. Byars' characters are memorableespecially Vern, who manages to "break into" jail to be with Pap, thus causing a news sensation, and Ralphie, Junior's hospital roommate. The plot, however, is contrived in many ways. Readers are never told why police is "one of the most dreaded words in the family vocabulary," and credibility is stretched thin by Vern's jail break-in and by Maggie's and Ralphie's managing to wheel Juniorwith both legs in caststo Pap's hearing without being apprehended by hospital personnel. While this is not Byars' strongest book, the off-beat characters, crisp dialogue and fast-paced action will keep readers turning the pages. Connie C. Rockman, The Ferguson Library, Stamford, Conn.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Yearling; 10th print edition (February 1, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440459516
• ISBN-13: 978-0440459514
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #831,005 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Betsy Byars began her writing career rather late in life First, she married and started a family. The writing career didn't emerge until she was 28, a mother of two children, and living in a small place she called the barracks apartment, in Urbana, Illinois. She and her husband, Ed, had moved there in 1956 so he could attend graduate school at the University of Illinois. She was bored, had no friends, and so turned to writing to fill her time. Byars started writing articles for The Saturday Evening Post, Look,and other magazines. As her family grew and her children started to read, she began to write books for young people and, fortunately for her readers, discovered that there was more to being a writer than sitting in front of a typewriter. "Once a wanderer came by my house and showed me how to brush my teeth with a cherry twig; that went in The House of WingsThe Summer of the Swans." Since that time, Byars has written more than 45 books for young readers and has won numerous awards, including The American Book Award, which she received in 1981 for The Night Swimmers. The humor, compassion, and insight Byars brings to each of her books won her a large audience of admirers both in the United States and abroad. Six of her novels were presented on national television, and her books are translated into nine languages. Six of Byars' novels have been named ALA Notable Books, and in 1971, The Summer of the Swans -- a story about a 14-year-old girl and her mentally retarded brother -- won the Newbery Award as the most distinguished contribution to literature for children in the year of its publication. Byars was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, on August 7, 1928. Unlike many of the characters in her books, Byars grew up in a normal, loving family. Her father was an engineer and worked as a bookkeeper in a cotton mill. He was stern and hardworking and had a strong sense of humor. Her mother was a lively woman who loved acting and music. Byars's sister, Nancy, two years older, was sometimes an inspiration and sometimes an evil nemesis. Byars has always been adventurous and never allows a few setbacks to prevent her from doing things she wants to experience, like petting a blacksnake and flying planes. The snake was named Moon and became the subject of her 1991 autobiography, The Moon and I. Betsy Byars and her husband live on an air strip in South Carolina, and have traveled widely throughout the United States in pursuit of their interest in gliding and antique airplanes. They have four grown children and seven grandchildren.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fourth Grade Teacher Gives Five Stars, June 10, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Not-Just-Anybody Family (Yearling Book) (Paperback)

The Not-Just-Anybody Family is a book my whole classroom enjoyed. It has action, humor, a missing dog, an out-of-town mom, and a grandpa in jail. The children in the book are very real and my students could relate to their feelings and difficulties. The settings change from chapter to chapter and Betsy Byars writes just enough about each situation to keep you wanting more. This book helped my students learn the meaning of "suspense" and almost all of them gave the book a rating of nine or ten on a one to ten scale. I plan on ordering the audio version for some of my students next year.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Together Forever But Sometimes Apart!, February 5, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Not-Just-Anybody Family (Audio Cassette)

Go into the world of funny things with Betsy Byars and The NotJust- Anybody Family. It's filled with trouble, mischief, and fun! The trouble begins when Pap goes into town. Somebody falls of the roof, someone goes to jail, someone breaks into jail, and people go to trial. Also, there is a runaway dog. All these funny and exciting things plus a teaspoon of sadness fit into this book. I hope I got your attention! P.S READ THIS BOOK!!!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Not-Just-Anybody Family, May 10, 2010

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Not-Just-Anybody Family (Blossom Family) (Paperback)

The Not-Just-Anybody Family was an extraordinary book. I didn't want to put it down, but the teacher said it was time to move on. I liked it a lot because Betsy Byars gives you different points of views of the Blossom family...even the dog's. I also liked it because it had a mixture of humor and sadness. My favorite part was all the different interactions between Ralphie and Junior in the hospital. It made me smile and giggle I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys stories about friends and family.