An Adventure Book Review by Erin the Literary Cat ©
Hello, and welcome to my Saturday Book Review featuring Adventures in Middle-Grade Fiction.
This week the weather here in Upper Much-Mousing has been erratic. Snow, bitter cold, wind and glorious sun all mixed together in unusal quantities. A bit like the temporary cook's cake mix. Mrs Mingins' latest chocolate cake came out so hard when she tried to cut a slice, it flew from the plate and dented the floor!
Thankfully, I have a ready supply of tooth-saving meals in the fridge, and failing that there is a mousehole on the second floor that does a great takeaway service!
Something else there has been a good supply of, is wonderful new Middle Grade books. Now a little while back we did a review of 'The Diary of a Buddhist Cat', by Julian Worker. My review can be found here.
A recommendation from one of my commentors lead me to pick up a great read call 'The Dalai Lama's Cat', by David Michie. I will be reviewing that fun and thought provoking book later this year, once I have meditated on it a bit longer.
But it did put me in mind, call it fate or Karma, of a soon to be released book by one of our favourite authors. So, with a hot drink by my fireside seat, I settled down to read 'The Good Turn', by acclaimed writer, Sharna Jackson.
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| ©Sharna Jackson/Penguin Random House |
THE GOOD TURN, by SHARNA JACKSON
Published by: PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE CHILDRENS BOOKS: PUFFIN BOOKS
Publication date: 12 May 2022
Paperback ISBN: 978 - 0241 523 599
Cover price for Paperback £7.99
Pages 400.
Age range: Middle Grade
Any cats? No cats, but an enthusiastic dog called Brian owned by a strange character called Mr Kirklees.
SPOILER ALERT
No spoilers here.
Disclaimer.
We are massive fans of Sharna's High Rise Mystery series, and would have been purchasing this paperback on publication. We were therefore over the moon to be approved by Penguin Random House Childrens Books to Read and Review this for free. Accordingly we are only too happy to share this unsponsored review with you.
The plot
The story focuses on three schoolmates Josephine, in whose voice the story is told, and Wesley and Margot. They all live in Copsey Close, in Luton, and are in the same class at school. The triangle they form with their families creates the dynamic backdrop to this tale.
Josephine is a go-getter, a leader and eager to do better for herself and drag her classmates, willingly or otherwise, with her. Some had said she is selfish. Wesley has responsibilities and worries at home way beyond his paygrade. Margot is the newcomer with a bit of a past. Wesley dislikes her with an obvious passion, and say she's a spy and interloper intent on snatching away his friendship with Josephine. But Margot is eager to please and wants to be friends with both the others. The trouble is, she's a bit tactless with her humour. Rest asssured, they each have many things to work on and crosses to bear, real or imaginary.
Josephine suggests that they start their own local version of the Guides and Scouts, called the Copseys. It will be a group to help others, to drive community action. Also, it will be something that will look good on a CV. She gets the others on board, albeit Wesley somewhat reluctantly. Each has a role to play, with Josephine as the leader. They start by litter-picking an old man's garden. With each activity, they will earn a badge. Positive results arise, and they earn some money. Now, this would all be a bit mundane if not for the mysterious appearance one night of lights in a nearby abandoned and derelict factory.
From that point on, as they investigate and try to earn badges for their activities and tensions mount at home, things start to spiral desperately out of control for the Copseys.
So, what did we think?
S.J. is on the money with this 5 STAR sassy, fun, wry, teeth-kissing new
adventure about the perils and pluses of trying to do good! But it doesnt just stop there. The story deals with responsibility, choices both personal and affecting others, and doing the right thing. It does this all skillfully, without labouring under the weight of otherwise heavy topics.
A must-read for fans of her High Rise Mystery series and for readers wanting a story of this age, socially relevant, thought-provoking and engaging.
So . . . .
Crunch time.
There is so much to this adventure, it would be impossible to take just one aspect and say that it stood above the rest. It is an all round great story that stands tall and proud. On that basis, I think this will be a readers, classroom and parents' favourite.
Want to buy a copy?
To get a copy, then please do your local independant booksellers a good turn and head down to pre-order ASAP!
SHARNA JACKSON'S web page can be found HERE. https://www.sharnajackson.com/about
Penguin Random House/ Puffin Book's web page can be found HERE. https://www.penguin.co.uk/brands/puffin.html
If any authors or publishers wish us to review their books, please do get in touch. Details are listed on our book review page.
And for all my fans out there, I leave you with a picture of me savouring the delights of a catnip infused rainbow banana. There'll be no work done this afternoon, I can tell you!
Till later!
ERin
