Mibs Beaumont's family is unusual - they each possess a savvy, a special knowing, that they discover on their 13th birthday. And yet, they are completely normal as well. I loved this story, in how it's a fantasy (Mibs ends up hearing tatoos speak to her in her mind, her brother's emotions unleash storms and hurricanes) and yet it seems so real as Mibs struggles with real pain. At the beginning of the book, Mib's father is hit by a car and ends up in a coma. Her mother and eldest brother quickly leave for the hospital, leaving Mibs at home with her grandpa and 3 siblings. Mibs is determined to be with her father - she's sure that she can wake him up from his coma - so she sneaks aboard a bus driven by a travelling Bible salesman. Two of her brothers and two friends join her, and the book follows their journey. Along the way, Mibs discovers her savvy, develops a friendship with a boy, and realizes that bad decisions can have unintended good consequences. The audio production was mesmerizing. I'd highly recommend it.

I found this book a little odd on first reading. At the beginning of the book, I thought that the kittens would become the main characters. But it turned out that the old cats Shredder and Khalia Koo were the main focus. The kittens remained mysteriously vague. The older, rougher cats were mesmerized by the kitten's innocence and playfulness - they survived because of their miraculous luck, while the older cats survived because of their tough wits. I'm not sure how much this will appeal...

Two teams battle for the little league championship baseball game. Sam is the game’s announcer – he’s injured (sick, cancer) and so can’t play – but lives through each moment of the game. I really loved how the story brought you into how different players felt at each small moment of the game, play by play.