A review by caitisbooked
The Becket List: A Blackberry Farm Story by Adele Griffin

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

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

4.0

The Becket List is the first book in The Blackberry Farm series and it follows the lives of the Branch family, focusing on Rebecca, now known as Becket. The Branch family move from the city to the farm to help out their Gran look after the farm and it’s animals. As they are leaving the city, Becket says ‘Goodbye!’ to everything that she knows she will miss from the city, and loves to yell ‘Beautiful Alert’ about anything that she thinks is beautiful. However, her other siblings, Caroline (older sister) and Nicholas (twin brother) aren’t as ready to move to the country for farm life. Farm life throws unexpected events at Becket but she pushes back and learns how to fight for things that she wants and to stay positive no matter what.

Once moved into the farm, Becket takes on the role of looking after the farm animals to help out Gran. However, she comes in contact with some hostile hens that Becket has to learn how to deal with to retrieve their eggs and look after them. To make some extra pocket money, Becket comes up with the idea to use their lemons to make fresh lemonade. However, this idea majorly backfires and Becket learns a valuable lesson. Becket makes a list of activities and things she wants to do whilst she is new to the farm life, and one of these things is making a new best friend. She meets her neighbour Frieda who has the cutest little puppy and Becket decides that Frieda is going to be her new best friend.

Becket is such a wonderfully written character. She was so upbeat even when things weren’t going right for her – which is such an important thing for kids to read about, as it’s such an important life lesson. Becket learns that sometimes the things that worked for her in the city don’t always relate and end up working in the country, such as the way she acts and goes about making friends at camp. However, whenever she gets knocked down, she bounces back with even more enthusiasm, which I didn’t think it was possible because Becket is such an enthusiastic, joyful character.

Although there is a major difference between Becket and her siblings, I loved that there was that contrast. Both Nicholas and Caroline struggle with the transition from city life to country life, but Becket is always trying her best to help them adapt to this change. I truly loved the complete contrast between the twins and how polar opposites they were.

I think the way that this book was written is so upbeat and is so beautifully aimed at the younger audience, but in saying that, older audiences can definitely get enjoyment out of this book, as I sure did. The ending is definitely a harder and heavier topic, which was quite sad, but I think it’s also important in children’s books to a certain extent (for older children).

Thank you very much to the Algonquin Young Readers for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review and allowing me to participate in the blog tour.