BooksForTopics Reading for Pleasure Recommendations
Book Title: Sam Wu is NOT Afraid of Ghosts
Authors: Kevin Tsang & Katie Tsang (Authors), Nathan Reed (Illustrator)
Publisher: Egmont
Publication Date: Feb 2018
Most Suitable For: Years 2-4
This is the first in a planned series of Sam Wu
stories and after reading it I am really looking forward to the next!
Following an embarrassing incident at school, Sam Wu has been given the nickname ‘Scaredy-Cat Sam’ and needs to come up with a way to prove that he is just as brave as his intergalactic hero, Spaceman Jack. Along the way, Sam manages to wake up covered in pickle juice, gain a deadly snake for his pet and become a ‘certified’ ghost hunter with a little help from his two best friends, his sister Lucy and Lucy’s ninja cat, Butterbutt.
I enjoyed plenty of laugh-out-loud moments with this book. Its brand of harmless humour is enhanced by the cool design features of its pages and Nathan Reed’s engaging illustrations,
making it a text that is well-suited to younger readers who are getting used to enjoying early chapter books and still see the appeal of the visual elements. With so many top new middle grade choices available for Years 5 & 6 at the moment, it is delightful and refreshing to find such an enjoyable new read to recommend to lower KS2.
I also really like the convincing child voice of Sam, who walks the reader through his thought process as he navigates school bullies, family dynamics and learning to appreciate his Chinese heritage even in the moments when it makes him feel at odds with his friends. Sam is completely relatable and you can’t help smiling along at him all the way through the story.
This is perfectly pitched to be a big hit with readers and I can’t wait for Sam’s next adventure,
Sam Wu is NOT Afraid of Sharks, expected in the summer.
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Buy ‘Sam Wu is NOT Afraid of Ghosts’ on Amazon
Also featured on: February Books of the Month