Miri’s wife was supposed to be gone for three weeks but was missing for six months. Biologist Leah, engineer Matteo and marine ecologist and conservationist Jelka were conducting research for the Centre for Marine Enquiry but things didn’t exactly go to plan.
“I think,” she says, “that there was too much water. When we were down there. I think we let it get in.”
Hypochondriac Miri thought she’d never see her wife again. Now Leah has returned but the Leah who left is not the one that returned.
The problem, of course, was that nothing was wrong, aside from the fact of the obvious.
With the narrative alternating between Miri and Leah, the author explores the history of their relationship and the incomprehensible changes in Leah.
“How will we ever explain this”
The deliciously unsettling cover image and quotable beginning set my expectations unreasonably high. I was ready for creepy and claustrophobic. I wasn’t expecting so much of the story to be about the relationship between the wives. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy this book (I did), only that it wasn’t the read I thought I was signing up for.
It isn’t that her being back is difficult, it’s that I’m not convinced she’s really back at all.
The author really captured the feeling of being alone in the presence of others. The pain that accompanies loss, whatever form it takes. The struggle to hold on to what no longer exists. The resistance against letting go.
“I think,” Juna says after a pause, “that the thing about losing someone isn’t the loss but the absence of afterwards. D’you know what I mean? The endlessness of that.”
You will find answers in this book but not all of them. If there’d been even a teensy bit more of a focus on what happened in the depths of the ocean, I would not have been okay with this. At all.
Because I became invested in the aftermath, I was able to sit more comfortably in the ambiguity. That’s not to say that I’d turn away anyone who wanted to spoon-feed the rest of the answers to me.
This book is really quotable, as I’m sure you’ve already picked up from my review. The first sentence, though, it’s a doozy. I’ve seen it quoted in so many reviews already but it’s what sucked me in so I have to share it too.
The deep sea is a haunted house: a place in which things that ought not to exist move about in the darkness.
Now, this is not important in the scheme of things but it’s still running through my head so I’m passing it along to you: Miri wonders why so many people keep bringing her coffee. I’m wondering how I can get more people to bring it to me.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Once Upon a Blurb
Miri thinks she has got her wife back, when Leah finally returns after a deep-sea mission that ended in catastrophe. It soon becomes clear, though, that Leah is not the same. Whatever happened in that vessel, whatever it was they were supposed to be studying before they were stranded on the ocean floor, Leah has brought part of it back with her, onto dry land and into their home.
Moving through something that only resembles normal life, Miri comes to realise that the life that they had before might be gone. Though Leah is still there, Miri can feel the woman she loves slipping from her grasp.
Our Wives Under The Sea is the debut novel from Julia Armfield, the critically acclaimed author of salt slow. It’s a story of falling in love, loss, grief, and what life there is in the deep deep sea.
Miss Franklin is excited about a writing competition. The best entry in the class will be entered in the regional competition. The school that wins gets a voucher to spend at Buster’s Bookshop. Miss Franklin wants her students to incorporate what they’ve been learning about history in their stories.
By chapter two, what was promising to be a fun and creative story devolved into advertising for the one of the author’s new series, Pow Pow Pig. Even weirder, these series have different publishers.
When Weir, Henry, Bella and Sue decide to hang out after school, they find Weir’s father’s old costume box. This results in them dressing up as a chicken, Barry the goat, a duck and a pig. Uh huh. Then there are the not so subtle sound effects…
The illustrations were fun. The one where the kids slide down the neck of a brontosaurus to get to the playground reminded me of how Fred Flintstone’s workday finished.
But I just can’t get excited about a book whose sole purpose is to plug another series.
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
Once Upon a Blurb
Weir and his friends have been busy working on stories for an awesome writing competition! Will mixing heroes with history help them win the prize?! Only time will tell! It won’t be easy … but it will be funny!
I absolutely love books about books! This one was all the more interesting to me because, not only does it feature a used bookstore and bookish missions, the missions are led by a talking cat!
Tiger, a ginger tabby, casually shows up at Natsuki Books in the week after Rintaro’s grandfather dies. It turns out this feline, who’s not backward in coming forward, needs the bookish assistance of hikikomori Rintaro.
‘We’ve come to free your books.’
Together, this unlikely team enter a series of labyrinths to save books from those that don’t treat them with the reverence they deserve.
‘Helping people may not be my forte, but when I hear that books need my help then I’m ready.’
I was so ready to tag along for these magical quests in aid of the written word. I was anticipating the fun of confronting readers who perpetrate bookish crimes like failing to return them to their owners and the owners whose books are sad because they’ve been patiently waiting in the TBR line for years already, yet their owner refuses to stop buying more.
The actual confrontations were less exciting than I’d anticipated and the talking cat wasn’t as much of a novelty as I’d hoped.
I found some bookish quotes I loved.
‘A cherished book will always have a soul. It will come to its reader’s aid in times of crisis.’
I really enjoyed thinking about what it is about books that makes them so extraordinary and how they impact on the lives of readers.
Unfortunately, though, there was a disconnect that I was unable to resolve. I’d hoped this would be a book I’d be raving about to anyone who’d listen, but it fell flat for me.
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
Once Upon a Blurb
Grandpa used to say it all the time: books have tremendous power. But what is that power really?
Natsuki Books was a tiny second-hand bookshop on the edge of town. Inside, towering shelves reached the ceiling, every one crammed full of wonderful books. Rintaro Natsuki loved this space that his grandfather had created. He spent many happy hours there, reading whatever he liked. It was the perfect refuge for a boy who tended to be something of a recluse.
After the death of his grandfather, Rintaro is devastated and alone. It seems he will have to close the shop. Then, a talking tabby cat called Tiger appears and asks Rintaro for help. The cat needs a book lover to join him on a mission. This odd couple will go on three magical adventures to save books from people have imprisoned, mistreated and betrayed them. Finally, there is one last rescue that Rintaro must attempt alone…
The Cat Who Saved Books is a heartwarming story about finding courage, caring for others – and the tremendous power of books. Sosuke Natsukawa’s international best seller, translated from Japanese by Louise Heal Kawai, is a story for those for whom books are so much more than words on paper.
Father Eric Long has had a revelation. The time has come for sinners to be judged by the Heavenly Vessel, A.K.A., Jason Voorhees.
“Big guy. Hockey mask. Has issues?”
The one and the same.
The Ministry of the Heavenly Vessel are going on a road trip because it turns out that Father Long isn’t alone in his delusion. Like all good cult leaders, Long has managed to convince his entire flock to sell all of their worldly possessions and hand the proceeds to him. They’ve secured the lease to Camp Crystal Lake and the entire congregation are moving in.
It’s not like the Father’s going to let a little thing like the fact that Jason is currently fish food prevent him from carrying out his mission. After retrieving a soggy Jason from the depths of Crystal Lake and nailing him to a cross (twice), freaky Father sets out to resurrect him. Jason’s going to church! What could go wrong?!
Meanwhile, a strike team from the Agency, a covert branch of the government, are also making their way to Crystal Lake. Because what this situation desperately needs is more firepower. Besides the arsenal that the churchies apparently brought with them, that is.
“I saw this in a horror movie once”
A church, a strike team and Jason Voorhees converging on Camp Crystal Lake may sound like the beginning of a really bad joke but what it actually is is a recipe for a really big body count. I’m guessing that this “God-sanctioned Jason Voorhees bloodbath” takes place on Friday the 13th but no one ever showed me a calendar.
So, who are the victims this time around? This “salad bar of murderous possibilities” consists mostly of the strike team and church members.
“Straight to hell for you.”
It’s hard to figure out the exact body count but we’re talking more than fifty.
The people start dying in the prologue but these kills happen before the events of this book so I’m not counting those.
There’s a strike team mission prior to Mission Hockey Mask where a couple of strike team members stop breathing and all but two of the baddies have the kind of bad day that prevents you from having any other kind of day ever, but we don’t know how many there were to start off with.
The strike team members, some of who appear to be most content when they’re busy fighting amongst themselves, are lining up to die.
* Jeff Townsend – the six foot six leader of this suicide mission. He’s probably going to go down with the metaphorical ship. * Walter Hobb – he’s five foot six, has soap opera looks and he’s recently suffered a serious case of demotion. He can’t see so well out of one of his eyes as a result of the mission that put him in the bad books but he’s a main character so he might just get to go home to his wife, Lauren. Lauren is pretty peeved that Hobb signed up for Operation Suicide By Jason. She runs a used bookstore, though, so she’s definitely going to survive. Not even Jason is going to lay a machete on someone who takes such good care of books. * Samantha Noon – she’s 20 and a total badass. But… she has sex during the book and anyone who ever took Horror 101 knows that’s a death sentence. * Chris Seaver – Townsend’s second in command for this mission. He also has sex, with Noon. Nice knowing you, Chris. * Benjamin Hurley – he’s given a first name but I don’t remember hearing anything that could be accused of being a backstory. That doesn’t bode well for him. * Bruno Ortega – he’s a pervert. Enough said. * Acheson – he’s relaxed enough to leave his gun outside of reaching distance while he wanders around in the lake. Seriously, Acheson? * Moseley – he’s a medic so he’s got to survive long enough to try to put intestines back inside bodies, right? * Lovinger – this guy loves Burt Reynolds movies. Make of that what you will. * Stilton, Blair, Leonard, Sisson, Garb, Connolly, Howard, Chaffin, Marr – the author didn’t care enough about these dead men walking to give them first names. * Hurley, Miller, Hall – these men don’t get names until their death scenes. This may be a clue.
Then there are the true believers who, after the initial slaughter, get together for a cuppa. As you do.
“Trouble has found its way to our little ministry.”
* Father Eric Long – he’s the reason we’re in this mess to begin with. The way he spiritually guides three widows is beyond creepy. * Kelly Mills – although she’s only 26, Kelly has a backstory. She doesn’t believe in God but she does believe in Long. Well, she wants to get in his pants, anyway. * Curtis Rickles – this former marine is the most detestable waste of oxygen you’ll find in this book. When he’s not shooting people, he’s busy sexually assaulting a minor. He needs to die a really drawn out, creative death. * Don James – one of the Father’s inner circle, Don’s a biker with tattoos he probably got in jail. * Meredith Host – 17 year old Meredith is at Crystal Lake with her parents, who are in their 60’s. Kelly is her best (only?) friend. That’s not to say this virgin doesn’t have lust in her heart. * Roger (or Robert) – okay, so we don’t even know for sure what this man’s name is. That’s not a good sign. * Denice Keenan, Jennifer Crenshaw, Lorelei Picardi, Charlotte Rutherford – these women share a cabin with Kelly, one of our main characters. These women may need to be sacrificed for the greater good if Jason wanders in. Especially Denice. She chose the bottom bunk so she’s more accessible. * Travis Hornby, John Sullivan, Mark Brody, Susan Perkins, Susanna Brookwalter – yeah, I don’t know enough about these people to ensure their survival. * Patricia Krenkle and Manny Krenkle, Mr and Mrs Host – do we know what Jason’s views are on marriage? * Stan – I feel like there was a Stan but now I’m not so sure. * Ronald Shearing, Joseph Bookwalter – we know they existed only because we know they died.
Eleanor, Steve and Frenchie never leave Lefty’s so unless Jason’s feeling a bit parched, they’re probably okay. Sonia, the waitress, will probably make it as well.
There’s an unnamed farmer driving a chicken truck in the general vicinity but he’s smart enough to keep driving so I’m fairly certain he’s going to keep breathing until at least the next time Friday the 13th rolls around.
This book reconfirms why this place is known as Camp Blood. The insides are now your outsides action is fairly consistent, once you get through the extensive backstories of a couple of contenders.
After the prologue, Jason doesn’t even get to kill anyone until page 172. His first kill is probably his best, although the next three are pretty decent as well. I came for machete slicing and dicing and Jason squishing heads like watermelons. Jason got a bit lazy in this book, primarily introducing people to his machete. Some kills only warranted a sentence and others happened off the page.
Rivalling Jason’s machete in the body count are guns. There are also five funerals we need to attend for people whose COD will need to be determined by a coroner because, while I’m guessing they were shot or met explodey ends as a result of a grenade, I don’t know for sure.
The rules that govern who should die in Jason’s world were pretty much thrown out the window in this book. The pure and hell bound were both fair game.
The person I most wanted to die did but their manner of death didn’t live up to my hopes. It needed to be less generic and much more painful and dramatic.
I wondered how much gunfire Jason could take. Hundreds of bullets didn’t slow him down at all. Speaking of not slowing down, honouring his ability to walk faster than his victims can run, Jason somehow managed to make a return trip to somewhere that takes half an hour to drive to in record time.
Handy hint: When the leader of your church starts citing Waco to guide you through current events, you may be in a cult.
Best description:
Blood shot skywards like a gory lawn sprinkler.
Next Friday the 13th read: Hell Lake, where an executed serial killer meets Jason in hell.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
Once Upon a Blurb
The first in a brand new series of Friday the 13th shockers! Jason Voorhees is reanimated and worshipped by a bizarre religious cult. When a SWAT team is called in, it’s time for Jason to go about his bloody work and wages a one-man war against both sides.
Thirteen year old Cam and his mother live in Cetacea (pronounced Si-tay-sha), the part of Australia that survived the third flood. The residents of Cetacea worship Big Blue, whose words are interpreted by Byron Vos, the founder of Cetacea and the only person who can talk to whales. Together, Cam and his fellow Cetaceans are working to repair the damage people have done to the environment.
‘Look after the Earth and the Earth will look after you.’
The last words Cam’s father said to him before he left have become Cam’s mission.
Follow Big Blue. Find the truth.
Together with his new friends, Banjo (like the frog) and Petra, Cam begins to question the truths he’s grown up with. On the surface, Cetacea appears perfect but when you look a little closer you realise this utopian society may actually be a dystopia.
Cam and his friends are not encouraged to think for themselves. They’re expected to accept the status quo without question.
Cam’s journey explores the bonds of family, the depths of grief and the value of friendship. You might think this book is about whales and you’d be right. Fundamentally, though, it is about asking questions. Being curious and seeking knowledge. Thinking for yourself rather than blindly accepting everything you see and hear as truth.
‘Fill your head with questions,’ he advised. ‘Because if you don’t, someone else will fill it with lies.’
This story is unlike anything I’ve previously read by this author but I loved it. I really liked getting to know Cam and Banjo but it was Petra who stole my heart. She’s an individual, she’s a survivor and this girl has spunk.
I love it when names have meaning in books. In case you’re wondering, cetaceans are marine mammals; they include whales, dolphins and porpoises. The name given to the people who visited Arlo was especially appropriate.
As an Australian, I appreciated the inclusion of the local wildlife in this book, although I was saddened to learn that even if I made it safely to Cetacea, my home would be submerged.
If anyone needs me, I’ll be at the beach looking for cetaceans.
Thank you so much to the author for the opportunity to read this book.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Once Upon a Blurb
“Follow Big Blue”. These were the last words that Cam’s father said to him. So Cam follows Big Blue, the giant whale-god, as does everyone else on Cetacea, an island in the flooded future.
The islanders’ lives play out under Big Blue’s rules, which are communicated to them by the enigmatic whale-talker, Byron Vos. Byron was once a marine scientist and is now organising an epic clean-up operation to revive the ocean after centuries of human greed and neglect.
But, as the story unfolds, Cam begins to wonder if all is not quite as it seems. Could there be a more complex truth behind Byron’s actions? A truth that may be connected to Cam’s father’s disappearance?
Cam’s quest to understand life under Big Blue leads him to new friends and shared adventures – but the truth, when he discovers it, turns out to be far more dangerous than he ever could have imagined.
The apocalypse is here and it’s udderly moo-nique!
Jimmy has just started keeping a diary and he couldn’t have begun documenting his life at a better time. He’s about to capture the lead up to the apocalypse but this is not the apocalypse anyone ordered.
The adults have begun to feel a little under the weather. This leads to a bovine problem because the adults are all turning into cows!
Jimmy, together with his friends Daisy and Hooey, need to figure out why the people in their town are transforming and try to avoid becoming Z-Cows themselves. Along the way, there will be bullies to avoid, action scenes and the Fortress of Hoo.
Then there’s the multitude of 80’s and 90’s pop culture references, which I absolutely loved. However, I did wonder if the target audience would understand most of them. My favourite movie reference was Edward Spoonfeet, which wouldn’t have been complete if not for the illustration of Edward.
Speaking of the illustrations, they were so a-moo-sing. The story itself was imaginative and fun but the illustrations amplified everything.
The people were expressive, the cows were drooly, the action scenes were explosive and the pop culture references were brilliant.
The kids do figure out something important in this book but you’re going to need to come back for more if you want to find out why this all started in the first place and whether there will ever be adults that don’t moo in the town of Buttburgher again.
Yes, I did look up the website that was mentioned in the book. No, it doesn’t exist.
I’m definitely going to be looking out for the sequel.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
Once Upon a Blurb
Hi! I’m JIMMY and I’m living in a totally weird ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE!
All of the adults in my town of Buttburgher have turned into zombies, but not the flesh-eating zombies like the ones you see in movies. These Zombies are COWS! Literally! Everyone is moo-ing and drooling all over the place! And if their drool gets on you, you’re toast. And not the nice sourdough toast from Horatio’s Bakery either.
Luckily, my friends and I have a plan to find a cure…
We catch up with Friday Barnes exactly where we left her at the end of No Escape, pondering a job offer that would allow her to work alongside Ian, her “super-hot, brilliant, emotionally unstable boyfriend”. It’s a big decision but first Friday needs to solve some mysteries. Besides, they’re a good cover story for running away.
‘There’s nothing wrong with running away,’ said Melanie. ‘Not if you’re being chased by a bear or a chainsaw-wielding psychopath.’
Melanie’s brother, Binky, is in Norway. His girlfriend is a princess and the only way to make her father semi okay with their relationship was for Binky to sign up to serve two years in the Norwegian army. The only problem is, he might be getting kicked out of the army and if that happens, it’s goodbye Ingrid.
What mystery does this involve? Dereliction of duty. See, Binky was on guard duty and it appeared he fell asleep on the job but he wasn’t actually asleep. He was knocked unconscious by a polar bear and no one will believe him. Friday thinks the polar bear was framed.
Friday is also busy solving the case of the missing clothes and the case of the missing artwork.
‘I need you to do that thing where you crawl along the floor sniffing things, then stand up and patronise everyone for five minutes before revealing who did it.’
That doesn’t mean there’s no time for playing dress up and dancing. Luckily for Friday, she has an awkward-social-situation ejector button. It works sometimes.
Melanie still managed to snag her fair share of the best lines; when she was awake, that is. Binky just gets more and more adorable every time I see him.
My favourite character in this book, though, was Arthur. Anyone who hides behind a curtain reading a book because there’s a social gathering going on is my kind of human being.
‘You are a very strange boy,’ said Friday. ‘I know,’ said Arthur. ‘I try to hide it, but everyone sees right through me.’
Ten books in and I’m still loving this series. I can’t wait for the next one!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Once Upon a Blurb
Friday is not running away. Yes, she did get on a train to Norway without telling anyone where she was going – but she had to help Binky. He may or may not have been attacked by a polar bear. Now he’s facing court martial for dereliction of duty. Obviously, Friday had to drop everything and travel 3000 kilometres to solve the case.
The fact that it’s easier to handle her feelings for Ian Wainscott if there’s a continent between them is just a coincidence. When Friday arrives in Oslo, there are so many mysteries to solve. Is someone trying to keep Binky and Princess Ingrid apart? How can a painting leave a museum when all the doors are sealed? And will Melanie persuade Friday to go to the royal ball without wearing a brown cardigan?
If Friday survives her trip to the remote Global Seed Vault, we may find out.
In this semi-autobiographical graphic novel, Sarah Winifred Searle introduces us to Win. Their two best friends have enrolled at a new school so Win is starting the tenth grade alone. Fortunately for Win, they have art and it’s through their independent study with Mrs Fransson that they meet April and Oscar.
I found the struggles of all three characters relatable. This could have been quite a dark story and it does touch on some difficult topics, specifically those relating to sexuality, identity and body image.
There’s an exploration of mental health and the feelings of being alone and not fitting in.
I mean, I don’t belong here. I feel like I work so hard to keep afloat but no one sees or hears me.
The friendship between Win, April and Oscar makes all the difference.
Their friendship isn’t always easy and things don’t always work out as planned but their connection gave this story the injection of hope that it needed. The zine they worked on together, which is included in its entirety, was heartbreaking and beautiful.
While I connected with some of what Win and April were struggling with, it was Oscar who stole my heart. I absolutely adored him.
I wish I could hear the song Win and Oscar listen to. I loved the illustrations and the colour palette.
Teenage me would have read this graphic novel so much that it would have disintegrated in my hands. Adult me is definitely keen for a reread.
To see myself through your eyes, as I look to someone who loves me … it has simply been the greatest thing.
Thank you so much to Allen & Unwin for the opportunity to read this graphic novel.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
Once Upon a Blurb
It’s the first day of Grade Ten, and Winifred is going to reinvent herself. Now that her two best (and only) friends have transferred to a private school, Win must navigate high school on her own.
Luckily, she isn’t alone for long. In art class, she meets Oscar and April. They don’t look or act like the typical teenagers in her town: they’re creative, a little rebellious and seem comfortable in their own skin in a way that Win can only dream of.
But even though Winifred is breaking out of her shell, there’s one secret she can’t bear to admit to April and Oscar, or even to herself – and this lie threatens everything.
Win needs to face her own truths, but she doesn’t need to do it alone. Through the healing power of clandestine sleepovers, op-shopping and zine publishing, Win finds and accepts what it means to be herself.
Bones, a skeletal tawny frogmouth, and Watts, a stuffed blue Indian ringneck parrot, are exhibits in the state Natural History Museum. Grace is a raccoon whose love of chocolate makes her exceedingly relatable. She’s also the only one of the three who needs to breathe.
It’s a good thing we’ve visited them today because there’s a new mystery to solve.
Really? A mystery? I love mysteries!
There’s a new exhibit opening tomorrow called Art & Science Alliance and rumour has it that one of the paintings is haunted. Luckily, Bones, Watts and Grace are on the case.
They’re going to need plenty of courage because apparently this ghost hisses. They may also need someone to help them pronounce ‘macabre’ and perhaps a dictionary so they can figure out what it means. They’re definitely going to need some chocolate (well, Grace and I do).
As usual, I loved the illustrations and accidental learning. I didn’t find this mystery as funny as the previous two but I did appreciate the inclusion of a drop bear in the new exhibit.
I hadn’t thought this before but now I can’t think of anything else; Bones does kind of resemble a stick insect wearing a sombrero.
I’m looking forward to my next visit to the Natural History Museum.
Thank you so much to Allen & Unwin for the opportunity to read this graphic novel.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Once Upon a Blurb
The intrepid Sherlock Bones and his quietly funny sidekick, Watts, and their animal friends are back to sneak around the museum and solve any mysteries that come their way. Full of fun, friendship and fascinating facts, this fabulous graphic novel is perfect for young readers who love adventure, mystery and a little bit of mayhem.
Hi there, I’m Sherlock Bones – tawny frogmouth skeleton, chief sleuth and star of all museum-related investigations!
Today is an exciting day because the museum has a new exhibit – and a new mystery!
Together with my partners, the ever-brilliant Watts and talking bundle of fur Grace, I’m here to track down the ghost that’s destroying the museum.
You might not be able to hear Watts, because, technically, she’s a stuffed parrot, but I always know what she’s thinking.
And right now she’s thinking: Can we solve the mystery of the haunted painting?
Twelve year old Summer absolutely adores sports! She wishes she was good at them like her older brother, Carl. Although she fantasises about leading her team to victory, the truth is that Summer doesn’t have a team. Despite her passion, she’s not good at any sport, so much so that she always seems to be picked last.
All of a sudden, though, Summer is a sporting superstar.
‘How did this happen?’
Well, remember the meteor that changed Amber’s life forever, the one that resulted in her becoming Skydragon? Well, if I’m not mistaken, that very same meteor made an appearance at Rockstone too.
As Summer walked back to the house, she realised her body felt different, somehow. It was still her body, but it felt more flexible and powerful.
The variety of effects the purple goop has had on people reminds me of the particle accelerator explosion at STAR Labs. I’m also wondering if there are more superheroes (and villains) in this world that we haven’t been introduced to yet. Summer begins to use her new skillset to become a superhero.
Of course, there’s no point having a superhero if they don’t have an archnemesis. It appears the grumpy librarian who is currently volunteering for this position is the Book Witch. You know she’s pure evil because her nefarious deeds extend to inflicting paper cuts! Now, we may want to boo at the witch because she uses books at weapons but at least she’s doing her part to stop the spread of COVID.
That’s not to say that there isn’t going to be a shadowy government organisation on the Champ’s trail.
Summer has a supportive and adorable best friend, Wilbur. We don’t see much of Wilbur in this book because he’s busy with choir rehearsals but I have a sneaking suspicion that he’s going to be getting some more page time as the series progresses.
There’s a picture of him on the back cover and a sticker (this book has stickers!) showing him wearing a cape so I’m hoping he becomes the Champ’s sidekick. I’m also hoping he has a brilliant sidekick name like Ice cream Boy; the logo on his shirt has a picture of an ice cream cone and a B, and he’s wearing what looks to be an empty Neapolitan ice cream container on his head with cut outs for his eyes. I just know Wilbur is going to be my favourite character.
I enjoyed the illustrations, although there were a few that didn’t entirely line up with the details in the text, e.g., reference is made to four rubber bats but only three were pictured.
The most interesting discrepancy to me, though, suggested a potential fun fact about the series. This is pure conspiracy theory at this point but I think Summer’s name wasn’t always going to be Summer. In two illustrations, this character’s name is shown and they say Katie, not Summer.
I’m curious to find out how Carl and Summer support themselves. I’m also wondering whether Summer is going to be sensitive to the impact her new skills are likely to have on her brother, especially considering what the meteor has taken from him.
Thank you so much to Allen & Unwin for the opportunity to read this book.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Once Upon a Blurb
Summer loves sport. She would love to charge down the field towards an open goal, or soar through the air over the basket. She would love to be part of a team. But instead she always seems to be the last one picked.
That is until the day her life changes forever… Until the day Summer becomes THE CHAMP.
But even the Champ will have her work cut out for her if she is going to keep her brother, her best friend and her whole town safe from the dastardly plans of the wicked Librarian…
Schizanthus Nerd 