Details

Length: 224
Story Build: quickly paced 
Character development: solid 
Age Recommendation: 6th grade and beyond
Reasoning: deals with some family abuse

Summary and Review

I was really excited to start One for the Murphys because I had read (and obsessed over) Fish in a Tree over the summer. Lynda Mullaly Hunt had instantly become someone I bragged about, and I still can’t wait to get my hands on her newest book! 

One for the Murphy’s is Carley’s tale. The book opens with the young 12 year old being taken to a foster home for reasons that we aren’t quite aware of yet. But we do know how Carley feels– super unenthused. 

When she arrives at the family home, she is met with a warm welcome from Mrs. Murphy and excitement from little boys, Adam and Michael Eric. The older brother, Daniel, has similar feelings to Carley. He doesn’t want her there anymore than she wants to reside with the family, too. 

The bulk of the plot surrounds Carley’s time with the Murphys and her struggle to understand what true family love looks and feels like. She also attempts to navigate middle school, which is hard enough to endure under typical circumstances, but Carley is both new to this school and the home in which she is living. 

Nevertheless, Hunt adds her charm with Carley’s sarcastic remarks and her interactions with her younger foster brothers. We also see some of her softer sides when she chats with Mrs. Murphy who does break through Carley’s tough exterior at times and encourages her to feel. 

There is no denying that Carley has been through a lot as evidenced by the conflict with her biological mother and her step-father. That unfolds throughout the novel, and Hunt handles it well for young readers. While she describes, briefly, some violence, it is not graphic, and it definitely evokes emotion. 

One for the Murphys will touch your heart, and you will root for Carley. The novel explores the themes of family and friendship and acceptance; it leaves you with the feeling that blood relations don’t always mean love and that we sometimes can choose who becomes our family. 

Celebrations

I really thought that Hunt handled this topic with sincerity, humor, and the realness it needed. She didn’t shy away from how Carley felt or the reason she was in foster care. However, she also created some lovely characters, such as the brothers, who helped Carley feel at home. They also added the little laughs that Hunt gets from me when I read her writing, which I really enjoy.

Hesitations

I will be honest, as always; the book was a bit choppy at times. I felt that Carley’s emotions were too up and down, and while I understand that that is reality, it seemed more of a writing issue and less of a purposeful thing. It caused me to feel disconnected from the characters at moments. Furthermore, I was surprised by the ending… I think it does make sense, but I also questioned why the relationship with Carley’s real mother wasn’t flushed out more. I think I would have understood the plot more if that had been given more paper time. 🙂