After getting into a heap of worthwhile trouble with his best friend, Trixy, in To Tell You the Truth (2021), 11-year-old Raymond gets shipped off for the summer to his grandparents' house in Maine. Raymond barely knows his relatives, who've had little contact ever since their daughter, Raymond's mother, abandoned the family five years earlier, and he feels ridiculously out of place. But with the help of his great-grandfather's old journal, Raymond decides to accomplish three things: ride a bike, learn to swim, and make new friends. It's easier said than done; still, he slowly finds ways to connect with the town, his family, and one incorrigible chicken, all combining into a summer far more rewarding and adventurous than he could have dreamed. It's an equally rewarding and adventurous story, remarkable in the way it allows characters to stretch and grow, and even readers unfamiliar with the preceding installment will have no trouble acclimating to Raymond's congenial company. A humorous and honest exploration of deep family ties, unexpected friendships, and the gift of growing self-knowledge.

Eleven-year-old Raymond gains what his mother lacks: self-knowledge and roots. When Raymond is sent to spend the summer with his grandparents in Maine, he's sure it's punishment for the trouble he and best friend Trixy caused during his dad's last music tour. Raymond doesn't remember his mother Abigail's parents, probably because Abigail abandoned Raymond, his sister, and dad years ago. His grandparents sure don't know Raymond: They call him "backward" and encourage him to go biking, swimming--make friends! Raymond doesn't know how to do any of those things, but he's determined to learn. Despite his doubts and discomfort, Raymond is genuine and funny in all his interactions. The colorful cast of mostly White characters is well drawn, as is the small town of Winter's Peak. Raymond slowly realizes he's making connections with people of all ages, plus one chicken, and that each individual's story is becoming intertwined with his own. He draws on them all--his experiences and theirs--when Abigail shows up for an unannounced, self-serving visit to her parents. Raymond thinks he tells himself lies, but he bravely confronts the truth about Abigail: She cannot love him the way he deserves to be loved. It's a gut punch made bearable because Raymond has developed the core strength and friendships to help him through. This heartfelt, emotionally insightful companion to To Tell You the Truth (2021) is accessible to readers unfamiliar with the previous book. Proof positive that an open heart can overcome hurt. (Fiction. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.