“The Best Answer” is the fourth book of the four-part “The Joy of Avery Series” by foster/adoptive grandmother Rhonda Wagner. Avery is Wagner’s granddaughter and her feelings form the basis of the book. Her family has welcomed a new baby from foster care and as they navigate the challenges of caring for him, Avery keeps hoping she could be her “forever brother.” The book highlights other kids who were welcomed home by her family but left to be unified with their biological families. Each of these cases ends with a refrain of the solution being their “best answer.” The book ends with the baby being adopted by Avery’s family so she gets her wish of becoming a “Big Sister Forever.” There is also a note from Avery, where she requests readers to consider becoming foster families. Since this book is targeted at young readers in the age group of 6-12 years, a useful glossary comprises common terms and phrases. A guideline also recommends how to read the messages contained across various pages of the book — something that would be especially beneficial in reading aloud sessions. The illustrations by Kimberly Groves adds to the ease of reading this book, and capture Avery’s various moods in an easy-to-understand manner.
The previous three books in this series are “It’s OK to Wonder,” “Braver Than Me” and “Say YES Again.” Each one addresses Avery’s feelings as her family welcomes children into their home. These books are a good resource to have and offer useful perspectives on how kids feel about the foster care system.
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