Thursday, 10 December 2015

All About Pumpkin by Natasha Farrant (Children's, 9 years +, 10E/10E)

 September 2015, Faber and Faber Children's Books, 352 pages, Ebook, NetGalley

Content: fair amount of humour and family drama, tissues needed 

Summary from Faber and Faber
It's hard being the normal one in such a crazy family. 

Bluebell, Twig and Jas have been sent to stay with Grandma for the summer. The countryside is how Bluebell remembers it - full of fun and adventure. But this year, it feels different somehow.

There is sobbing and shouting. There are cantering horses and night-time dares. Confusing boys and grandmas to look after. But there is also laughter and more than this, there is love - and that's what being a family is all about.

Nayu's thoughts 
Stories revolving around families never fail to make me laugh and cry (both happy and sad tears), so Pumpkin's tale was just one of those. I started the tale expecting to be with Pumpkin all the time, but as you can see from the summary Pumpkin isn't always there in present. Pumpkin was in Bluebell and her siblings thoughts and feelings, just because well, if Pumpkin wasn't about then their mum would be with them. But then they wouldn't experience not being monitored as strictly as normal, which is great fun, except for when their grandmother's actions start to worry them. 

There is the usual sibling banter and disagreements, yet at the end of the day no matter what happens they are all family and love each other very much. There were several 'eeep' moments where I thought everything was going to go wrong - sometimes it did, but it wasn't forever. You'll need a few tissues though! Bluebell and her siblings do more than just have fun that summer, they get to know and love each other a little better while facing the trials that only life can bring. I'll be adding the other books in the series to my wish list as I want to know more about Bluebell and her family! 

Find out more on Natasha's website

Suggested read
A series I heartily suggest you read about ups and downs of life in a family includes the book: The Tender Moments of Saffron Silk by Glenda Millard and Stephen Michael King (Children's, 9 years +, 10E/10E)


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