Scan barcode
A review by stephbookshine
The Becket List: A Blackberry Farm Story by Adele Griffin
5.0
*I received a free copy of this book with thanks to the author and Amanda Dissinger at Algonquin Young Readers. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
In this first Blackberry Farm story, the Branch family are moving from the city to the countryside, and lively, outgoing Becket Branch is coping far better with the change than her twin brother, Nicholas, and their older sister, Caroline. Or at least, she is until she discovers that not everyone is as enthusiastically all-in as she is, and that things don’t always go according to plan… even if you have a list!
Becket is an endearing main character and narrative voice. She is super positive and well-meaning, and has a sunny, bright attitude to life that is joyously infectious. It is also easy to see how she could get annoying at times… she is very LOUD!
This is a lovely middle-grade story about settling in, making new friends, and learning to appreciate the ones you already have. It is very easy to read and ideal for readers who enjoy stories like Enid Blyton’s, all about children having gentle, countryside adventures with little adult interference (although the Branch parents are far more responsible and involved than any in Blyton’s books!).
Minishine’s thoughts: This book is defo FIVE STARS! Caroline is my favourite character and I like how she acts, and how Nicholas acts, and I like how Becket is so loud and also that she loves animals. It’s about a girl who used to live in the city and then they all move to the country, like in my favourite Faraway Tree books! She finds it easy at first but then she has to be brave because change is HARD. Mr Fancypants is a funny name for a dog and I like how they describe him, even though he’s not like our dog, Murphy. I love all the pictures on every page, but I do wish they could all be in colour, like the front cover, because the book suits lots of bright colours… BEAUTIFUL ALERT!!!
Babybows’ thoughts: Ten thumbs up for the whole book! I mean, one hundred! Nobody is my favourite character because I like them all. I like all the pictures too and I like the story. I wish I had hammies and hamblings!
‘I hadn’t put “Find a New Best Friend” on my list—and now here she is, Frieda Franca, with her own alpacas and bouncy dog. I wish Mr Fancypants had a little more bounce for a play date with “Beautiful Alert” Oro. Then again, Frieda’s been a country kid for longer than me. Of course she’d already have the perfect dog. It doesn’t make sense to be jealous.
Except maybe I am, a little.’
– Adele Griffin, The Becket List
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpress.com/2021/09/03/blog-tour-all-pets-allowed-the-becket-list-adele-griffin/
In this first Blackberry Farm story, the Branch family are moving from the city to the countryside, and lively, outgoing Becket Branch is coping far better with the change than her twin brother, Nicholas, and their older sister, Caroline. Or at least, she is until she discovers that not everyone is as enthusiastically all-in as she is, and that things don’t always go according to plan… even if you have a list!
Becket is an endearing main character and narrative voice. She is super positive and well-meaning, and has a sunny, bright attitude to life that is joyously infectious. It is also easy to see how she could get annoying at times… she is very LOUD!
This is a lovely middle-grade story about settling in, making new friends, and learning to appreciate the ones you already have. It is very easy to read and ideal for readers who enjoy stories like Enid Blyton’s, all about children having gentle, countryside adventures with little adult interference (although the Branch parents are far more responsible and involved than any in Blyton’s books!).
Minishine’s thoughts: This book is defo FIVE STARS! Caroline is my favourite character and I like how she acts, and how Nicholas acts, and I like how Becket is so loud and also that she loves animals. It’s about a girl who used to live in the city and then they all move to the country, like in my favourite Faraway Tree books! She finds it easy at first but then she has to be brave because change is HARD. Mr Fancypants is a funny name for a dog and I like how they describe him, even though he’s not like our dog, Murphy. I love all the pictures on every page, but I do wish they could all be in colour, like the front cover, because the book suits lots of bright colours… BEAUTIFUL ALERT!!!
Babybows’ thoughts: Ten thumbs up for the whole book! I mean, one hundred! Nobody is my favourite character because I like them all. I like all the pictures too and I like the story. I wish I had hammies and hamblings!
‘I hadn’t put “Find a New Best Friend” on my list—and now here she is, Frieda Franca, with her own alpacas and bouncy dog. I wish Mr Fancypants had a little more bounce for a play date with “Beautiful Alert” Oro. Then again, Frieda’s been a country kid for longer than me. Of course she’d already have the perfect dog. It doesn’t make sense to be jealous.
Except maybe I am, a little.’
– Adele Griffin, The Becket List
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpress.com/2021/09/03/blog-tour-all-pets-allowed-the-becket-list-adele-griffin/