A hallmark of the Amelia series is how the young protagonist works her way through the difficulties of childhood. Usually it's missing a best friend who has moved away or getting over a temporary identity crisis. This time, however, the issue is a little more sobering.

In AMELIA'S FAMILY TIES, Amelia meets her father for the first time, and wrestles with all the questions and emotions that come in the aftermath of divorce. Author Marissa Moss handles it with realism and ease.

Absolutely nothing is sugarcoated, from the awkwardness and missteps of the first meeting to the reluctance to accept the stepmother to the eventual confrontation of the long-absent parent by a child. A wide range of conflicting emotions and reactions are well represented from all family members' points of view.

One eleven-year-old girl, a new Amelia fan, read this book and thought it was "great," but she called the short, oddly placed piece, "The Orphan," "a little weird." Aside from that, she and her friends "laughed their heads off" at the illustrations, particularly the two-page spread that chronicles Amelia's first plane ride.

As always, the pictures were a big hit: Bright watercolor illustrations depicting scenes of family drama and funny, related images support the text well. This book has fun, visually busy pages, and it's hard to resist the charm of the familiar black-and-white composition-notebook format, complete with a class schedule and information charts.

For more Amelia fun, try Dr. Amelia's Boredom Survival Guide: First Aide for Rainy Days, Boring Errands, Waiting Rooms, Whatever!