Thursday 29 December 2011

Winging It by Annie Dalton (children's, 9 years +)


May 2010, HarperCollins Children's Books
Reissue in The Heavenly Collection omnibus, Paperback
Personal copy

Themes: angels, life after death, imposter, misfit, seeking sense of belonging, out of the world locations, funky angel powers, fashionable angel uniform, World War 2, time travel, exciting classes, disobedience, teenage view on life, good intentions, kind heart, lots of laughter, occasional mild to moderate peril, some tissues needed. 

Melanie Beeby, just thirteen, has been permanently removed from the late 20th Century by a speeding joy rider. She is elevated to another place, where she attends Angel Academy. When she is asked to join an elite trouble-shooting group, Angels Unlimited, she is sent on a trial mission to London during the Blitz...

Nayuleska's thoughts
Although she's convinced she's in the wrong place and not angel material, Mel has an amazing sense of compassion, once she connects with herself. The people (I can't get more specific because of spoilers) who help her connect are those whose books/media I read so I can understand more complex without getting lost in technical jargon - that made Mel easy to relate to. Life as an angel is far from easy - not all clouds and manna, but as Mel discovers it's more than worthwhile, making this a 10/10 read. 

Make sure you check out all about Annie's books on her website

Suggested reading
For other girls experiencing the other side of death, check out Tamsyn Murray's My So-Called Afterlife


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