Sumac Lottery's brother describes their family best: "We're a raggle-taggle, multiculti crew." There are 11 of them living in their huge house (called CameLottery): two pairs of parents, PapaDam and PopCorn, and CardaMom and MaxiMom; and seven children, some biological, some adopted. Though it's hectic, it's friendly and comfortable, until PopCorn's father, a grizzled old-fashioned man they secretly call Grumps, comes to live with them. The frenetic chaos of a whimsical, highly untraditional family of 11 could quickly get unbearably cutesy, but Donoghue manages to keep its feet on the ground through stalwart Sumac's precocious observations. When Grumps arrives, it's empathetic Sumac who seems most affected, and she worries that what's best for the Lotterys might not be what's best for Grumps. Through all the colorful jumble of CameLottery, the family's idiosyncratic portmanteaus, and the individualistic lifestyles, Donoghue zeroes in on the vivid, dynamic characters, who patiently and supportively deal with realistic conflicts and accommodate, sometimes reluctantly, different perspectives. This openhearted novel demonstrates that, even if a family looks unusual to some, love and acceptance is universal.

One of the most diverse families readers are likely to meet, the Lotterys-whose name was inspired by the winning lottery ticket that made a dream for a family come true-are four longtime friends turned coparents (a lesbian couple and a gay one) and seven homeschooled children of various racial backgrounds, quirks, and talents. The family enjoys a harmoniously unconventional existence in its 32-room Toronto mansion until the estranged father of one of the Lottery parents arrives for a visit of undetermined length. The change in dynamics caused by the elderly man-s stubbornness and conservatism is especially hard on nine-year-old Sumac, who is assigned to be his personal guide. In a drily funny story about adjusting to new situations, Donoghue (Room) vividly captures the Lotterys- chaotic but always loving home through a flurry of inside jokes, banter, and nicknames. If some readers have difficulty keeping the members of the large family straight, Hadilaksono-s lively David Roberts-esque illustrations, not all seen by PW, provide a colorful guide to the Lotterys- wonderfully offbeat home. Ages 8-12. Author-s agent: Kathleen Anderson, Anderson Literary. Illustrator-s agent: Rebecca Sherman, Writers House. (Mar.)

The Lotterys, a family very much of our century, star in this story about the true meaning of acceptance and belonging. A riotously, exuberantly loving clan of four parents and seven home-schooled children (all named for trees), plus assorted pets, inhabit a sprawling house in an urban Toronto neighborhood. Having won the lottery, the parents—composed of two same-sex couples, one male and one female—retired and started a family through birth and adoption. Precocious Sumac, a biracial Filipina-German 9-year-old, is the sensitive, observant sibling and hence the most deeply affected when their prickly, conservative Scottish grandfather, suffering from dementia, is transported against his will from the Yukon wilderness into their cheerful chaos, upsetting the balance of family life. Grumps, as he is christened by the children, struggles to understand 4-year-old Brian's (formerly Briar) fluid gender identity, not to mention the family's greener-than-thou lifestyle. With a large cast of characters, cultural expression (the parents alone are of Scottish, Indian, Mohawk, and Jamaican descent) is primarily conveyed via food and celebrations. Most refreshing is that the Lotterys' many differences, from 10-year-old Aspen's challenges to toddler Oak's developmental delays, are simply part of their own normal. Full of clever names and wordplay, this engaging tale is moving without veering into sentimentality. For all the Lotterys' apparent eccentricity, the novel delves into universal themes of family relationships that will resonate with readers from all backgrounds. (Fiction. 8-12)

The Lotterys, a happily blended family of four parents and seven children, take on a challenge when prickly, conservative grandfather Iain moves in. Donoghue checks all the diversity boxes--with same-sex parents, racial diversity, adoption, gender ambiguity, and disability--in this quirky, madcap tale. Full-page halftone illustrations delineate the cast.

The Lotterys, a family very much of our century, star in this story about the true meaning of acceptance and belonging. A riotously, exuberantly loving clan of four parents and seven home-schooled children (all named for trees), plus assorted pets, inhabit a sprawling house in an urban Toronto neighborhood. Having won the lottery, the parents—composed of two same-sex couples, one male and one female—retired and started a family through birth and adoption. Precocious Sumac, a biracial Filipina-German 9-year-old, is the sensitive, observant sibling and hence the most deeply affected when their prickly, conservative Scottish grandfather, suffering from dementia, is transported against his will from the Yukon wilderness into their cheerful chaos, upsetting the balance of family life. Grumps, as he is christened by the children, struggles to understand 4-year-old Brian's (formerly Briar) fluid gender identity, not to mention the family's greener-than-thou lifestyle. With a large cast of characters, cultural expression (the parents alone are of Scottish, Indian, Mohawk, and Jamaican descent) is primarily conveyed via food and celebrations. Most refreshing is that the Lotterys' many differences, from 10-year-old Aspen's challenges to toddler Oak's developmental delays, are simply part of their own normal. Full of clever names and wordplay, this engaging tale is moving without veering into sentimentality. For all the Lotterys' apparent eccentricity, the novel delves into universal themes of family relationships that will resonate with readers from all backgrounds. (Fiction. 8-12)