Nora and the Texas Terror (review)

Eight-year-old Nora is not at all pleased when her mother informs her that her aunt, uncle, and cousins from Texas will be coming to live with their family, particularly because she will have to share her bedroom with eight-year-old Ellie, the cousin whom she remembers as being absolutely awful. Unsurprisingly, Ellie is still awful, and Nora is ready to send her back to Texas by the first night: they disagree about everything, and, even worse, Ellie moves her pet tarantula into Nora's room. They're additionally forced together at school, where they're assigned to be partners for a family history project, but eventually shared knowledge and experiences help the girls to bond. This is an entertaining and original early chapter book; the dynamic between Nora and Ellie is realistically portrayed, and the simple plot is well developed. Since there aren't a lot of details to the narrative structure, it's readily accessible for newly independent readers, and the humor will keep the intended audience involved and reassured. Monochromatic line-and-watercolor illustrations, clearly displaying the conflict between the cousins, add further entertainment value. Fans of early family fiction will welcome this lighthearted novel.