How Mirka Met a Meteorite by Barry Deutsch

Once the professionals are brought in, the problems keep getting worse: angry neighbors, terrifying problems in walls, and-most serious-civil permitting issues that put the kibosh on what work’s been done. Before bringing in the construction crew, the Heffleys attempt to do minor maintenance and repairs themselves-during which Greg fails at the work in various slapstick scenes.

Greg’s mom calls a family meeting to determine what to do with their share, proposing home improvements and then overruling the family’s cartoonish wish lists and instead pushing for an addition to the kitchen. When Great Aunt Reba dies, she leaves some money to the family. The Heffley family’s house undergoes a disastrous attempt at home improvement. Mirka is unflinchingly likable because she is so tempestuous and inexact, and really, who can’t relate to that? This truly clever series is lots of fun. Deutsch has created a wonderful world in Mirka's insulated Orthodox village and continues to capture it adroitly-though he has left himself enough room to blast Mirka out to space without readers batting an eye. Watching Mirka fight the seemingly perfect version of herself is riveting. When Mirka decides she’s had enough, she challenges Meteorite Mirka (known as Metty) to an epic battle that will take brains-not brawn-to win. What seems like a great idea (just think: They can split chores!) quickly sours when she finds herself missing meals and time with her family. Ask yourself, what would that person do?' After another encounter with the witch and the multilimbed troll of the first book, Mirka finds herself stuck with a sapient meteorite that has assumed her appearance. Still grounded after her last adventure, Mirka wriggles her way out of her house arrest after an important game of chess with her stepmother, receiving from her a message of things to come: 'hen you have to make a decision, imagine the person you want to become someday. Hooray! The charmingly imperfect Mirka returns to battle a miming meteorite ( How Mirka Got Her Sword, 2010).

How Mirka Met a Meteorite by Barry Deutsch