One Whole and Perfect Day, written by Australian YA award winning author Judith Clark, tells the story of Lily, who wishes she could be like the other girls at school. But doesn’t know how she can be, what with her embarrassingly eccentric family, who she considers “freakish”. Lily has never even met her father, who returned to America before she was born. Lily laments that she is the only sensible person in her family, and with her home responsibilities, she doesn’t has time to hang out with friends.

Lily’s anxiety increases when her grandmother, who has an invisible friend, invites the whole family to a party. Lily doubts that they will make it through the day. She worries that her mother will bring some strange person from her work. Lily worries about what her racist grandfather might say, or how the family can attend when the grandfather has disowned her brother.

Compounding her anxiety, the day when she made eye contact with Daniel Steadman, she felt woozy inside. Could that be love? If it is, she isn’t sure she likes the feeling. As the party approaches, all Lily can hope for is one whole and perfect day.

This book is full of satisfying coincidences and serendipitous occurrences. It’s also fun to read the Australian dialect / dialog.