Applewhites at Wit's End

Jack Semple and E.D. Applewhite are back, in this middle-grade sequel to Stephanie S. Tolan’s Newbery Honor Book Surviving the Applewhites.

Teenager E.D., the not so artistic, not at all eccentric member of the unconventional Applewhite clan, can't believe the plan her father has hatched to save the family from financial disaster. He's decided to transform their rural North Carolina farm into a summer camp for creative children.

Soon the farm is packed with temperamental artists, out-of-control campers, and an even more out-of-control goat. It's all a little too much for structure-loving E.D., even before threatening notes begin appearing in the family mailbox. Together with Jake Semple--the boy who survived his first year in the Applewhites' home school—she's determined to save the camp and the family from disaster.

Like Carl Hiassan’s Chomp, Applewhites at Wit's End combines outrageous humor and the frustrations and joys of being part of a family.

Can one organized girl, a reformed delinquent, and a camp full of quirky kids solve a mystery and save the family farm?

• An Eccentric Family: Meet the Applewhites, a clan of famous artists so creative they can’t manage their own finances, much to the frustration of practical-minded E.D.
• A Summer Camp Adventure: When their farm becomes Camp Eureka!, it’s up to E.D. and Jake to manage out-of-control campers, temperamental relatives, and one very, very bad-tempered goat.
• A Whodunit Mystery: Just as things reach peak chaos, threatening notes appear in the mailbox. Who wants the Applewhites to fail, and why?
• Found Family: Former troublemaker Jake Semple is back, and this time he’s not just surviving the Applewhites—he’s helping them survive.

When the famously artistic Applewhites fallon hard times, they turn their sixteen-acre home, Wit's End, into Eureka!, a summer camp for creative children. It seems like a good idea. . . .

But amid the ordinary chaos of temperamental artists and headstrong campers, anonymous, threatening notes begin to appear in the Applewhites' mailbox. As the only two level-headed ones in the bunch, E.D. Applewhite and Jake Semple are determined to get to the bottom of things. Will they be able to save the camp—and the family—from disaster?

Praise for SURVIVING THE APPLEWHITES “Tolan has pulled off something special here.” - Booklist (starred review)

Praise for SURVIVING THE APPLEWHITES: “This has terrific booktalk and read-aloud potential, and will help fill the need for humorous contemporary fiction.” - School Library Journal (starred review)

Praise for SURVIVING THE APPLEWHITES: “Humor abounds in the ever-building chaos.” - Publishers Weekly

Praise for SURVIVING THE APPLEWHITES: “The novel is pure fun.” - Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) (starred review)

Praise for SURVIVING THE APPLEWHITES: “Reminiscent of the loud, loving, eccentric family in Kaufman and Hart’s You Can’t Take It With You, the Applewhites are brilliantly talented and wildly adverse to mainstream mentality.” - Kirkus Reviews

Praise for SURVIVING THE APPLEWHITES: “An engaging, satisfying, and entertaining romp.” - KLIATT

“The endearing family of freewheeling artists from Surviving the Applewhites returns for an encore that is cleverly plotted, emotionally satisfying, and highly entertaining. Tolan handles the large cast of characters with élan. Themes of creativity, individuality, and cooperation are explored as the roller-coaster plot unfolds and humorous moments abound.” - School Library Journal

“Props to Tolan for keeping the plates spinning and attempting what so few authors for young readers do: switching points of view. A fun time was had by all.” - Booklist

“The Applewhites remain humorous, heartwarming and devoted to their respective crafts and each other.” - Kirkus Reviews