One For the Murphys

Title: One For the Murphys

Author: Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Publisher: Scholastic

Genre: Middle Grade, Fiction, Family, Fostering

Source: Own

My Review:

One for the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt has been on my to be read pile for a few years. I was glad when it was picked for this month's book club.

The author has painted a realistic picture of a child entering foster care and what her experiences might be like. The story is told from Carley's perspective, which is perfect for the intended audience. 

As a previous foster parent, I can tell you that fostering is hard. It is hard for everyone. The kid in foster care and their parents, the parents that take them in, and any kids that family has. Sometimes the family is a good fit and sometimes they are not. Carley was one of the lucky ones, even though she didn't think so.

Carley appears older than her twelve years, but that is due to the life she has led. Her emotions, anger, thoughts, and feelings are spot on for any child in the system.

Mrs. Murphy is a great foster mom but has real emotions. I am glad the author portrayed that and didn't keep her as super perfect. The emotions that Mr. Murphy experienced were also very real. He is not with the child all that time, and even less so with his job, so he wouldn't form an immediate attachment and would be more concerned with his family than the foster child.

I would have liked more out of the ending. I would love to see how things played out, even just a little further than the story, checking in to see how Carly is doing.

Overall, this is a strong, hopeful story. Some parts are harder to read than others, but they are necessary for the story.

★★★★/5

Synopsis (Goodreads): 

Twelve-year-old Carley Connors can take a lot. Growing up in Las Vegas with her fun-loving mother, she's learned to be tough. But she never expected a betrayal that would land her in a foster care. When she's placed with the Murphys, a lively family with three boys, she's blindsided. Do happy families really exist? Carley knows she could never belong in their world, so she keeps her distance.

It's easy to stay suspicious of Daniel, the brother who is almost her age and is resentful she's there. But Mrs. Murphy makes her feel heard and seen for the first time, and the two younger boys seem determined to work their way into her heart. Before she knows it, Carley is protected the boys from a neighborhood bully and even teaching Daniel how to play basketball. Then just when she's feeling like she could truly be one of the Murphys, news from her mother shakes her world.