What Happened Then

Cousins Jax and Avery barely know each other, let alone anything about their extended family—or the incident that led to the brood’s estrangement years prior to this book’s start. The tweens are also unaware that the family owns an island until their aunt Robbie issues an invitation for everyone to come together at the generations-old cabin on Crooked Lake. Upon arrival, Aunt Robbie reveals that she summoned the family to help her restore the dilapidated property, which she intends to sell. Trapped on Crooked Lake with the squabbling adults—including their own parents and two other aunts—the cousins seek to uncover the secret that tore the four siblings apart. Throughout, Jax and Avery contend with self-image issues stemming from their own fraught nuclear family dynamics. While the pair’s inquiry is initially propelled by the possibility of unearthing intriguing generational secrets, they soon learn to love and understand more about their family and themselves. Soderberg Downing (Duck, Duck, Peach) utilizes alternating first-person perspectives to craft a relatable and realistic drama. Descriptions of the adults’ childhoods play out across anonymous diary interstitials. The family reads as white. Ages 8–12. Agent: Michael Bourret, Dystel, Goderich, & Bourret. (Sept.)