SOLVED. 80s/90s chapter/YA book about a huge family. [s]

[Rachel]

Hi! I'm looking for a book I remember reading in the late 90s. Not sure when it was published, could have been the 80s, but it was in print around then. It was a chapter book, probably for older elementary school kids, about a loving contemporary family with many children. Set in America, in the suburbs IIRC. Might have taken place over a summer.

The main reason I remember it was because there was this passage early on that stuck with me - the narrator is describing his (?) brothers and sisters, and he describes one of his brothers as cherry-picking the best features from their mother and father, except that this brother is also chubby. SPOILER ahead. In the climax of the book, that brother runs his bike into an ambulance (I think) and then I believe he dies.

I don't remember much else about the plot. I think it was about a kid struggling to amuse himself and stand out among his many siblings. The tone was pretty light up until that point in the book.

I searched the archives but haven't found this book yet. I would love to know what this was!! Thanks all!

[Rainbowheart]

Might want to check the Books that feature Large Families list.

[Amber]

is it Fig Pudding by Ralph Fletcher?

[Rachel]

Amber wrote: "is it Fig Pudding by Ralph Fletcher?"
Yes! That's it!! So surprised that you were able to solve it so many months later. Thank you!

[Kris]

Great. Glad you found your book, Rachel. Here's the link for Amber's find - Fig Pudding by Ralph Fletcher.