About This Book:
A senior Miniature Schnauzer employed as a very distinguished nanny has his paws full trying to prove he’s still the dog for the job in this sweet and “chaotically entertaining” (Kirkus Reviews) middle grade novel that’s The Secret Life of Pets meets The Vanderbeekers series.
Every day, Lord Tennyson the Miniature Schnauzer does his very best to care for the six McNiff children and keep them from destroying their pink New England farmhouse—and the rest of the town for that matter. But when summer vacation brings the kids home together all day, his chaos-containing skills are put to the ultimate test.
Baby Sweetums is still refusing to walk, nap, or listen to anyone; Ezra is trying to keep a snake as a secret pet; Annie and Mary’s fighting is worse than ever; and Pearl and Tate are scared of just about everything. And when a particularly tempting troop of baby chicks arrives at the house, even Lord Tennyson finds he can’t stay on his best behavior.
As the chaos begin to spiral out of hand, though, something truly awful happens: Mr. and Mrs. McNiff seem to be considering getting “a real nanny” to care for their big brood! Can Lord Tennyson get the McNiffs’ hijinks under control and teach them to behave before the summer’s out? Or will this most unusual nanny find himself out of a job and back in the doghouse?
*Review Contributed by Sara Perrera, Staff Reviewer*
In The McNifficents, Amy Makechnie tells the story of a large, chaotic, lovable family from the perspective of their Miniature Schnauzer Lord Tennyson. There are seven McNiff siblings, ranging in age from a crawling baby to a teen with a crush. The story starts in summer and Lord Tennyson has his paws filled as he tries to maintain order with his large brood of children and their many mishaps. It is a charming tale full of laugh-out-loud humor, heartwarming sibling dynamics, and tender moments.
What I Liked: The McNiff family members all have unique personalities. Whether it’s Pearl wanting to be brave or Annie being the bossy big sister, every sibling has a different voice. My favorite character in the book was Mary, who got into all sorts of mischief that added to the drama.
An unexpected delight was having a dog narrate the book. The fact that Lord Tennyson takes his job as a self-proclaimed Nanny to the McNiff children very seriously just makes him all the more lovable.
What Left Me Wanting More: In this story, the parents seem very hands-off and focused on themselves. As an adult, I find the parents incompetent, but as a young reader, I can see why they might be amusing.
The McNifficents is a charming read for young readers who want to read about a dog’s antics with a hilarious family.
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