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Uma and the Answer to Absolutely Everything

Book Synopsis

The hilarious and moving new book from funny fiction superstar Sam Copeland, author of the bestselling Charlie Changes Into a Chicken .

Uma Gnudersonn has a head full of questions: How can I save my home from being sold? Will my dad ever start talking again? And how do alpacas get drunk? But since her mum died, Uma’s life has been short on answers.

Then she finds a genius artificial intelligence called Athena who knows everything.

Suddenly Uma has the answer to any question she can imagine – from the capital of Mozambique to the colour of her headteacher’s underpants – and she’s going to use them to save her home and her father.

Along the way, Uma will have to confront the sinister inventor who will stop at nothing to get Athena back – and face up to the fact that not all questions have answers…

Our Review Panel says...

A laugh-out-loud rumpus woven through a touching story of family and friendship, from the duo behind the popular Charlie Changes into a Chicken series.

If you’ve ever heard a young child asking Siri their questions or scrolled through your family’s Alexa history (from Are you alive? to What’s the best way to get rid of earwax?), you’ll quickly understand the premise for the humour in this story.

This book tells the story of Uma, whose father has barely spoken a word since her mother passed away. Uma’s only real company is next-door neighbour Alan Alan Carrington. One day, after an unlikely alpaca-related incident, Uma comes across a strange earpiece that seems to be able to give the answer to absolutely everything. Or at least, almost everything. What follows is a laugh-out-loud adventure that sees Uma digging deep into her soul to search for answers to questions about her life that she has barely dared to ask before.

Sam Copeland’s writing is characteristically brimming with humour – from bonkers situations and slapstick to puns and witty asides in the footnotes. We loved the characters – particularly the dynamics between Uma and Alan Alan, who are a super duo, and the villainess Stella Daw who is a Cruella De Vil for modern times. The story is also deeply poignant in parts as it explores the themes of family, grief and community. The plot culminates in a riddle to solve deep within a village crypt, and Uma’s intrepid venturing in the underground tunnels beautifully mirrors her own soul-searching as she explores her emotions about her family situation.

This is an absolute winner of a story that has all the right ingredients to be an instant hit with readers in Key Stage 2.

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