A review by readingwithhippos
The Talented Ribkins by Ladee Hubbard

4.0

This is the story of a loving but fractured family with a hefty dose of magical realism thrown in. Johnny Ribkins is in his 70s now, but in his younger years, he was a part of the Justice Committee, a group that used their special talents to bolster the Civil Rights movement. Johnny can draw maps of anywhere, even places he’s never been. His brother could climb sheer walls without any handholds. Now his brother has passed away and Johnny owes the wrong guy a lot of money. In his quest to scrounge up enough money to pay off his debt, he ends up on a road trip with his 13-year-old niece, who has some Ribkins powers of her own.

Funny, touching, and a little offbeat--this book was everything I wanted it to be.

More book recommendations by me at www.readingwithhippos.com