Reviews

Proud of Me by Sarah Hagger-Holt

libby_gt's review

5.0

This was an emotional read that packed a lot of issues into its relatively few pages! I particularly liked the exploration of generational differences regarding LGBT+ acceptance and the recognition of the nuances of self-acceptance for LGBT+ people (i.e. the possibility of simultaneous pride and internalised shame). The acknowledgement of the legacies of Section 28 were sobering and inevitably relatable for many adult readers.

I think older primary age children would really benefit from reading this (especially in terms of learning about different types of families) but it should be noted that it requires a certain level of understanding in respect to reproduction and LGBT+ identities.

aelynreads's review

4.0

Proud of Me is a heart-warming Middle Grade story about discovering who you are. Becky and Josh are twins - well, not quite. They were born 8 days apart to their two mums and share an anonymous donor father. Josh is desperate to find out more about their father and the idea of more family out there in the world is something he is fixated on. Becky isn't interested in finding out about their father, but she is trying to understand her identity. When she develops feelings for the new girl at school, Becky isn't sure who to turn to. With both of them keeping secrets and struggling to know who they really are, Becky and Josh can only agree on one thing: they both want their parents to be proud of them.

I really enjoyed reading Proud of Me, and Becky's and Josh's stories really tugged at my heart. The book ties together themes of identity, LGBTQ and family in a beautiful and moving story. I think this book would be relatable for young LGBTQ kids or donor-conceived/adopted kids, and does a great job of challenging prejudice and presenting a variety of experiences around identity and family.

bethhreads's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

althea's review

4.0

I absolutely flew through Sarah Hagger-Holt's latest middle grade novel and I loved every second of it! Proud of Me follows two 'almost twins' Josh and Becky as Josh tries to find the donor whose sperm his two mum used to conceive them and Becky deals with her feelings for a new friend. This book was so beautifully queer and I loved all the representation throughout! The strong messages in this are sure to be a source of strength and comfort for children going through a similar time to the main characters and it's the type of book I wish I had while growing up! Although at the ripe old age of 22 I am far from being the target audience for this book, it was still a blast of a time to read! The only reason I docked a star is because the last 20% or so just felt tacked onto the end so that the book could have a sort of grand finale, but it felt a little estranged from the rest of the plot. Regardless, I can't wait to read more from this author in the future!

Thanks to Netgalley and Usborne for an e-ARC copy in return for an honest review!

eleanord's review

informative lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

miss_hart_stopper's review

4.0

Just lovey

kerry123's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

chrissireads's review

4.0

A really fabulous and easy to read book about two ‘nearly twins’ and their two mums and anonymous donor dad.

hippocapybara's review against another edition

emotional inspiring slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

siena_may's review

emotional informative reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I found this book a really easy read the provided perspectives of experiences that I personally haven’t had. The book explored the concepts well and I especially liked the ending

because the fact is it doesn’t matter to us what information the children had access to about their donor but rather their experiences being donor conceived and the complexity of exploring this within a family settingn