Author: Cynthia Rylant
Illustrator: Stephen Gammell
Format: Paperback
Published: Aladdin Paperbacks, 1985

It was summer, so the relatives came from far away in Virginia. They stayed for a long time, helping around the house, eating up the strawberries and melons, talking and playing music. Everyone was busy having a great time "hugging and eating and breathing together." When the relatives left, everyone was sad, but they knew they would be together again next summer. Beautifully written text and lively illustrations provide a realistic look at a chaotic, loving, perfectly realistic extended family.