Sibling Squabbles

TFK Kid Reporter Disha Rai read Chickenpox, a new book, and interviewed its author, Remy Lai. Read Disha’s thoughts below.

Siblings. You either adore them, or you’re plotting their downfall—sometimes both on the same day. Chickenpox follows the story of 12-year-old Abby, who has four younger siblings. Abby's siblings all catch chickenpox. It’s an illness that causes an itchy rash to spread all over your body. Abby is terrified of getting the virus, so she distances herself from her siblings. She even makes her sisters move out of the room she shares with them. That lowers her risk of catching the virus, sure. And it means she gets the room all to herself.

But one day, Abby sees two small, red bumps on her face. All of her efforts were for nothing. She has caught chickenpox. Not only does she have to deal with her annoying siblings: She has to suffer through the itchy bumps and fatigue caused by chickenpox. Abby's patience is tested as she's cooped up with her noisy siblings.

Like Abby, author Remy Lai grew up with four siblings. “I wanted to write about siblings, and there’s no better way to test their relationship than by putting them in a pressure-cooker situation like being stuck home together for an extended time,” Lai told TIME for Kids. She says her upbringing involved “a lot of fun, and a lot of crying.” Lai adds: “As an adult, I truly appreciate having my siblings. They are really the ones I can rely on.”

Can Abby make her way through the chaos, or will she snap under the pressure? Read Chickenpox to find out.