The Weirdies #1 by Michael Buckley

What worked:

Obviously, the triplets are odd characters, and their behavior doesn’t fit normal social expectations. Readers should understand that living among a diverse range of criminals and shady personalities can warp the characters' views of the world. Garlic is the youngest and has a love for explosives and fires. The others often defer to her wisdom, but that may be due to her threateningly holding a grenade in her hand. Melancholy believes she can talk to spirits, and she enjoys collecting body parts. Barnacle thinks he can determine others’ futures by examining their skulls. The kids view the world as a violent, selfish place, and being ignored by their parents contributes to that.

Miss Emily’s personality is a strong contrast to the triplets, as she’s loving, caring, and kind. These emotions are unknown to the children, and they think Ms. Emily is weird. She recognizes that the orphans’ violent behaviors will keep them from being adopted, so she adopts them herself. This relationship is the guiding force of the plot, although it’s a rocky road. The kids recognize that Ms. Emily cares for them, so they make an effort to try fitting in. Garlic tries to help a neighbor with his squirrel problem, but he doesn’t appreciate the huge hole she creates in his backyard. Barnacle tells the future of two neighbors walking down the street, but the women don’t respond as readers might expect.

The narrator speaks directly to readers and adds additional humor, as if that were necessary. The opening page warns readers that “characters will suffer tragedies... die in unspeakable ways… Only a truly horrible person would be amused by their misfortune.” The narrator shares reminders of past events and informs readers about the missing Weirdie parents’ activities. The narrator occasionally strays from the topic and shares personal anecdotes, including an apology to her father. It’s all done to enhance the story in order to make it more amusing.

What didn’t work as well:

The main issue is the violence. Parents probably won’t appreciate it, but middle-school readers often like things that aren’t socially acceptable. The book’s resolution will be unexpected, but a sequel will be coming.

The final verdict:

The children may remind readers of the Addams Family kids, Wendy and Pugsley. Their moral standards are abnormal, and the humor may not appeal to everyone. However, those readers with a tolerance for the absurd will enjoy it, and a story of love and family lies at the heart of the tale. Check it out for yourself.