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4.13 AVERAGE
4.13 AVERAGE
Thank you to Simon & Shuster and Waterstones for a copy of this book in exchange for honest review.
I’ve been so excited to read this book after seeing the beautiful ARC copies going around. I was lucky enough to be part of a Zoom Q&A through work with the author, who spoke so beautifully about this book and made me so excited to read it. I picked it up almost immediately and couldn’t put it down, reading it in around 24 hours.
This book was so much fun and so beautiful. It is the epitome of a modern and diverse adventure story, and is centered around London Pride. It really transported me back to the magic of the only Pride event I have attended, which happened to be Dublin! I am so happy to be safe in the knowledge this will help so many young people learn about LGBTQIA+ relationships and diversity. Archie, the main character, is so charming and lovable, and the tone of this book draws you in immediately. I love how Archie spoke to the reader directly, it made me feel very involved in the story.
I love how Archie and his two best friends, Bell and Seb, are discovering the world of Pride, and I imagine it will teach so much to young readers who are also navigating this world for the first time. It has such a diverse cast of characters, as two of Archie’s older friends are gay, and they meet all kinds of beautiful people at Pride, including trans people, non-binary people and drag queens who help them along the way. The conversations the trio have with these people are so heart warming and accessible to the reader. Some of the other conversations that Archie has with those closer around him were also beautifully written and will stick in my head for a while to come.
This was my first middle grade book of the year, and I’m so glad it happened to be this one. Reading this gives me so much hope and excitement for the way literature is changing for children, and becoming so much more diverse. This was beautiful, emotional and full of love, and I couldn’t recommend it more.
★★★★
4 out of 5 stars
-Beth
May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽
I’ve been so excited to read this book after seeing the beautiful ARC copies going around. I was lucky enough to be part of a Zoom Q&A through work with the author, who spoke so beautifully about this book and made me so excited to read it. I picked it up almost immediately and couldn’t put it down, reading it in around 24 hours.
This book was so much fun and so beautiful. It is the epitome of a modern and diverse adventure story, and is centered around London Pride. It really transported me back to the magic of the only Pride event I have attended, which happened to be Dublin! I am so happy to be safe in the knowledge this will help so many young people learn about LGBTQIA+ relationships and diversity. Archie, the main character, is so charming and lovable, and the tone of this book draws you in immediately. I love how Archie spoke to the reader directly, it made me feel very involved in the story.
I love how Archie and his two best friends, Bell and Seb, are discovering the world of Pride, and I imagine it will teach so much to young readers who are also navigating this world for the first time. It has such a diverse cast of characters, as two of Archie’s older friends are gay, and they meet all kinds of beautiful people at Pride, including trans people, non-binary people and drag queens who help them along the way. The conversations the trio have with these people are so heart warming and accessible to the reader. Some of the other conversations that Archie has with those closer around him were also beautifully written and will stick in my head for a while to come.
This was my first middle grade book of the year, and I’m so glad it happened to be this one. Reading this gives me so much hope and excitement for the way literature is changing for children, and becoming so much more diverse. This was beautiful, emotional and full of love, and I couldn’t recommend it more.
★★★★
4 out of 5 stars
-Beth
May your shelves forever overflow with books! ☽
adventurous
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
This was super cute! I wish I would have had this when I was kid! This is amazing!
When Archie discovers that his dad is gay, he and his friends go on an adventure to understand his father a little better.
This was a very good middle grade book. Heartwarming and full of great characters. Perfect for kids to start delving into the world of the LGBT community and understanding what that acronym means.
I would, however, have preferred that this whole journey had more of a father-son relationship element. That this whole adventure was partly done WITH the father, and not just behind his back (although the last chapter does in someway help with that - but wouldn't it have been better as the main part of the book?).
But it did also allow for friendship to take front stage in his story and that was also very very nice.
This was a very good middle grade book. Heartwarming and full of great characters. Perfect for kids to start delving into the world of the LGBT community and understanding what that acronym means.
I would, however, have preferred that this whole journey had more of a father-son relationship element. That this whole adventure was partly done WITH the father, and not just behind his back (although the last chapter does in someway help with that - but wouldn't it have been better as the main part of the book?).
But it did also allow for friendship to take front stage in his story and that was also very very nice.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
As an adult reading this, I cried the whole way through. Mostly happy tears but this book just made me feel so many emotions. I found myself relating to both the mum and the dad whilst also having so much empathy towards Archie. Beautiful book. ❤️🌈
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was a very wholesome and heartwarming story about a boy adjusting to his dad coming out as gay and follows him learning about the queer community. I loved how the book showcased the love and joy of the community with the themes of Pride and found family. I also appreciated that it showed how even when things change and feel weird or confusing, you’re going to be okay.
I really liked the friendship between Archie, Bell, and Seb. It was very ride-or-die and one of the many great examples of platonic love included within this book (alongside the babysitters and drag queens, of course).
Admittedly the pacing was a little weird in that the first half of the book takes place over weeks, and the second half takes place over a single day, although this wasn’t a dealbreaker. The second half was definitely my favourite with how adventurous and joyous it was!
Content Warnings
Minor: Ableism, Homophobia, Racism, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Alcohol
Major: divorce
Minor: sick loved one
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was very wholesome. Because it's a children's book, I was expecting it to be fast paced, but the first half is actually quite slow and character focused. Nevertheless it was a quick read overall and I enjoyed the characters a lot. I liked the writing and it was a very sweet read. It didn't completely work for me but I'm obviously not the target audience so that's not a serious criticism.