Review: Scrambled Eggs at Midnight by Brad Barkley and Heather Hepler

The daughter of a gypsy mother and the son of a fame-seeking father appear to have nothing in common but the wackiness of their families. But what is family? Calliope and Eliot find each other at a cross-roads in their lives. Each is puzzled by their parents’ choices and struggles under their need for parental affection and care. Scrambled Eggs at Midnight is a quirky, funny and charming romance of two teenagers itching for adulthood but longing for family.

The characters were a lot fun. Cal is smart and Eliot is adventurous. Eliot’s mom is totally unpredictable and her actions made my eyebrow raise more than once. Cal’s mom and Eliot’s dad were not the most realistic characters. A Renaissance fair “wench” and a religious fat camp director are not the most normal jobs. But the sentiment of not understanding one’s parents is relatable. And fear of abandonment is a terrible burden which Cal deals with. I wish the parents were better developed. It’s too easy to read the story and assign everyone’s problems to these two people. And that’s hardly realistic. Cal and Eliot’s romance is cute and innocent. Quickly they realize that they have a friend, someone to count on and someone to love. If you’re in the mood for a fun, happily-ever-after story, Scrambled Eggs at Midnight may be for you.

Publisher: Speak, 2007     Pages: 272
Rating: 3 stars     Source: IC Public Library