An Adventure Book Review by Erin the Cat Princess©
Hello, and welcome to my Saturday Sunday Book Review featuring Adventures in Middle-Grade Fiction!
Due to circumstances beyond my control, which is another way of saying that this is ALL Mrs H's fault, we had a bit of a mishap yesterday and couldn't share this fab new Middle Grade read.
Yes, never again shall I casually mention down the phone to Mrs H that "I'm a cat on fire!" How was I to know Mrs H, who, due to her autism is quite literal, would phone the emergency services and say her employer was on fire and the house was at risk as well as her vintage selection of sherry!? I, of course, meant I had managed to finish off our book review and catch 59 winks and make a start on my mid-morning snack.
Needless to say, I was NOT amused at being hosed down by three husky firemen and then being given a fireman's lift from the first-floor pantry to a place of safety. I mean, there was a plate of cream cheese in there with my name on it. Now it is knee-deep in foam and probably not fit for a doorstop.
On the plus side, the firemen kindly repaired some broken guttering using their extending ladder, and after a plate of cream scones, jetwashed the patio!
But enough of our crisis with a happy ending, here's our review of a fabulous soon to be released adventure called HAS ANYONE SEEN Archie EBBS, by acclaimed author Simon Packham.
HAS ANYONE SEEN Archie Ebbs, by SIMON PACKHAM
Published by: FIREFLY PRESS LIMITED
Publication date: 7 APRIL 2022
Paperback ISBN: 978 - 191 310 2722
Cover price for Paperback £7.99, KINDLE CURRENTLY £2.84
Pages 200.
Age range: Middle Grade
Any cats? Yes, Dinger, and he plays a key part in the story!
SPOILER ALERT
No spoilers here.
Disclaimer.
We were lucky enough to be approved to download this book on NetGalley. I was so pleased with this story that we are only too happy to share this unsponsored review with you.
The plot
Has Anyone Seen Archie Ebbs? Archie Ebbs is one of the most popular kids in his year six class. He loves telling jokes – excellent and cringeworthy – and making crazy homemade movies with his pals. Life is, to sum it up, great.
But when he, his mother, and sister, Izzy, are evicted from their family home and have to enter temporary accommodation, his whole life takes a plunge. Manton House, their 'temporary' home, is a rundown set of apartments across three floors, right at the edge of town. The graffiti under the sign says it all – 'Abandon hope all ye who enter here.
Having had to give up his cat, Dinger, there is a reluctant realisation that, as his sister insists, he needs to keep his friends at bay, too. The embarrassment would be too much. At least for Izzy, who ditches her boyfriend to avoid losing him when he sees their plight. With no wifi to talk to his friends and having turned down sleepovers and visits, Archie soon discovers his friends seem to be ignoring him. In fact, soon they and his teachers don't seem to be able to see him at all!
As things get progressively worse in Manton House for Archie and his family, Archie makes a surprising new friend in the basement laundry room, Zofia. She happens to be in the same class as Archie and has been for the last two years, yet he can't recall seeing her. Like Archie, she has genuinely become invisible to everyone but her family. From this one event comes the rebirth rise of Archie Ebbs. Of course, along the way, there is fun to be had and rescuing Dinger from Mrs Watts' house.
And then there's the matter of classroom trouble maker, Callum, and a large sum of money, destined to pay for the end of school celebration, stolen from their teacher.
So, what did we think?
An easy read for some mature readers, but an engrossing story nonetheless. Packed with wholly relatable fun characters, brilliantly crafted around the very real-world painful truths of what life is like for a family when they become evicted and homeless. And more than that, what it's like to be friendless and overlooked — to be invisible in a crowded room. It would be very remiss of me not to say that the secondary story in this fabulous tale is that of Zofia, who has arguably a much bigger story to tell than Archie himself. But if I tell you, then that would spoil the fun.
So . . . .
Crunch time.
I'd be amazed if this doesn't become an instant favourite for readers and teachers alike. It certainly provokes thoughts about what it is like to be evicted from your home and lose what is most important to you. So this is another must-read for those adventuresome folk or a perfect gift for a younger reader.
Want to buy a copy?
To get a copy, please do think of your local independent bookshop. There are plenty out there, and each is just waiting to serve up a treasure of resource, fun and adventure with a personal touch.
SIMON PACKHAMS's web page can be found HERE. https://simonpackham.org/
FIREFLY PRESS Publishing's web page can be found HERE. https://fireflypress.co.uk/
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, I leave you with a picture of me resting up after my rescue. . . .
