The Huit octuplets find themselves sans parents and receiving mysterious notes that encourage them to each find a power and a gift in order to figure out what's happened to their parents. The gimmicky setup might have appeal with some kids, but the story wasn't funny or compelling enough to encourage me to sift through the conversations of all the interchangeable sisters. ( )

Reviewed by Sarah Bean the Green Bean Teen Queen for TeensReadToo.com

Annie, Durinda, Georgia, Jackie, Marcia, Petal, Rebecca, and Zinnia are octuplets. They were born on August 8th and will be celebrating their 8th birthday and they have eight cats.

On New Year's Eve, Mommy went to get eggnog, and Daddy went to get firewood, but they didn't come back. The Sisters 8 find an anonymous note that says each girl has a power and a gift. Each sister must discover her power and find her gift in order to learn what happened to Mommy and Daddy.

But with no Mommy and Daddy around, the girls have more than a mystery to solve. Who will cook them food? Or drive them to school? And how will they pay the bills?

The adventures for these octuplets are just beginning!

ANNIE'S ADVENTURES is the start to a great new series by authors Lauren Baratz-Logsted and Greg Logsted, along with their daughter, Jackie. The entire family helped write the story and come up with ideas, and there's definitely something in the story for everyone. Each of the Sisters 8 has a unique personality and each one is clever and funny. I can't wait to find out what each of their powers will turn out to be!

THE SISTERS 8 would make a great read-aloud for families to share together. Readers of all ages will enjoy the mystery mixed with humor and will be eagerly waiting to read about the next sister in line. (I know I am!) ( )

Annie's Adventures is the first in the new series The Sisters 8 by Laruren Baratz-Logsted. It's the story of octuplets (far more lovable than the infamous real-life octuplets). Our heroines were born on August 8th, 2000. They each have a cat. Their last name is Huit (French for 8). It's a numerology bonanza. They were born one minute apart, and the total difference in their height is one inch (meaning the oldest, Annie, is eight inches taller than her eight minutes younger sister).

Our story begins on New Year's Eve, when our beloved octuplets notice their father went out to get more wood for the fire quite a while ago, and their mother went to get eggnog quite a while ago. The girls soon discover a note, telling them they each have a gift, and they each much find a present to uncover the secret to where their parents are.

The story is a mix of reality (how the not-yet-eight-year-olds must learn to function as adults so as not alarm neighbors, teachers, etc. that there parents are missing) and humor (their mother, a scientist, has a dimwitted robot maid who doesn't follow directions well) and fantasy (they're smart enough to fool adults). The overall affect is a delightful combination of realism, fantasy and humor sure to delight the intended audience, but clever enough to satisfy their parents.

There are eight girls with eight cats, which means there are sixteen names to learn and try to keep straight in the 130-odd page text. There are occasional pictures (see the gorgeous cover) that are beautifully done. It seems the series will be at least eight parts, one devoted to each of the Huit sisters. I will warn you: I am enamored by this series, and I don't want to wait for all eight to be published. Start reading at your own peril; we won't find out where the parents are for quite a few more books. In the meantime though, enjoy. ( )

I liked it. Octuplets. Very timely. Logical progression of events. Enough open-ended mysteries to make me want to read the next one. Enough lose ends tied up that I felt I had some closure. The octuplets had unique enough personalities, I didn’t feel like I was struggling to keep them straight. ( )

Both charming and amusing to read for any age! Ordinary day-to-day things become a little bit more than ordinary. It is fun to see how these not-quite-8-years-old octuplets make do with their parents missing - from learning paying bills to learning how to drive. ( )