Amalee: A Novel About Amalee, Her Family, Her Friends, and Her Family Friends

This sparkling fiction debut from singer-songwriter Dar Williams introduces an endearing new character to middle-grade literature.

Amalee's world is all out of order. She's used to chaos, because of the frequent presence of her father's bantering, bickering group of fun friends. But when Amalee's dad becomes seriously ill, the chaos takes new forms -- and the ways of coping come from some very unexpected places.

With clear-eyed, tender, funny prose, Dar Williams gives us a child's-eye view of a world under pressure, with everyone rising to the occasion in his or her own unique way. Both moving and wise, this marks the debut of a major middle-grade talent.

Amalee is being raised by her single father and his group of eccentric friends, and when he becomes seriously ill everyone pitches in to try to cope with the ensuing fear and chaos.