BooksforTopics Reading for Pleasure Recommendations
This week marks the publication of The Super Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates by Jenny Pearson & Rob Biddolph, and today is our stop on the blog tour.
Read on for a review of The Super Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates and then head over to author Jenny’s guest booklist of 5 children’s books featuring epic journeys.
Book Title: The Super Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates (available here)
Author: Jenny Pearson
Illustrator: Rob Biddolph
Publisher: Usborne
Publication Date: April 2020
Review
This is a must-read for children who love funny books – or in fact for anyone who loves to laugh. Mates on a mission, mistaken identities, raw onion eating contests, taxi-driving-criminals-busting-through-the-rolling-Welsh-landscape and sheep aplenty are all thrown into a melting pot of gaff-a-minute adventuring and stirred through a warm-hearted narrative that focuses on themes of friendship, identity, family and experiencing grief.
Eleven-year-old Fred is heartbroken when his grandmother dies. When he finds a letter from her that reveals details of his own biological father, Alan Froggley (who abandoned his mother before Fred was born), Fred ups and leaves on a mission to seek out Alan for himself. With his two best friends in tow (both of whom have their own reasons for wanting to escape home for a few days), Fred heads to Wales on an adventure of a lifetime.
It’s not clear what Fred is expecting to happen when – or if – he finds his dad. Perhaps he wants an explanation, or simply a connection. Maybe it’s curiosity – or maybe his answer to the sense of loss he feels over his grandmother is to complete this particular part of his family puzzle. Either way, Fred is certain of one thing; he absolutely must find Alan Froggley. What follows is a slapstick romp across Wales, where a wild goose chase powered by a series of incredible co-incidences leads Fred and his friends to re-assess the things that really matter in life.
The narrative is full of fun – from humorous insights into the quirky characters (including the aspects of family life that drive them nuts) to the endless run of blunders by the trio of friends, like accidentally cooking their clothes and ending up on the news wearing superhero costumes. Jenny Pearson’s brand of observational humour is perfectly pitched for the 8-11 readership. But what gives the story a real edge for me is its heartfelt warmth – shown through the authenticity of the boys’ relationship and the value the story places on family life.
A frolic-filled laugh-a-minute tale that will no doubt be in high demand among KS2 readers
Also features on:
Guest Post
Click here to read Jenny Pearson’s guest booklist of 5 books featuring epic journeys.
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You can order The Super Miraculous Journeu of Freddie Yates online or from your local bookshop or library.
Many thanks to the publishers at Usborne for sending us a review copy and to Jenny for providing the guest post. Check out the other stops on the blog tour, too
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Where next?
> Visit our Reading for Pleasure Hub
> Browse our Topic Booklists
> View our printable year group booklists.
> See our Books of the Month.
