Quagmire Tiarello Couldn't Be Better: A Witty and Moving Middle Grade Story about a Boy Navigating His Mother's Mental Illness for Kids (Ages 8-12)

A fiercely independent nonconformist, Quagmire must recalibrate his formidable survival skills when his mother’s unstable mental health forces him to build a new life and forge ties with found family.

Quagmire Tiarello is a boy who prides himself on not needing anything from anybody. Sure, his mom is skipping work again and showing signs of going into one of her full-out spins, but it’s nothing he can’t handle. He’s used to her up-and-down moods, even if this time it feels a little different.

Then his mom disappears, and Quag is forced to find shelter with an uncle he didn't know he had. Should he come clean about his mother’s unstable mental health? Or can he bluff long enough to find his mom and get home?