Blog tour The Never-Ending Birthday by Katie Dale (Children's, 9 years +, 10E/10E)

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June 2017, MacMillan Children's Books, 224 pages, Paperback, Review copy 

Content: lots of mishaps and humour 

Summary from Pan MacMillan

Twins Max and Anni have had the worst birthday ever. Max has missed a vital goal in the football Cup Final and Anni has fallen out with her best friend. Feeling thoroughly miserable, Max and Anni sneak downstairs at midnight and light the candles on their untouched birthday cake and, as they blow them out, they make a wish . . . to redo the day!

When they wake up, their wish has come true! And this time Max and Anni aren't going to mess things up. But little do they realize that they are going to have to relive their birthday again . . . and again . . . and again.

Nayu's thoughts

Poor Katie was a bit worried as I really hated the film Groundhog Day, where a day gets repeared over and over. However, having loved Katie's previous book (see suggested read below), I wanted to read it. I'm so glad I did! This is the most enjoyable groundhog day like story I've ever read. So much goes wrong for Max and Anni, every single time they do over their birthday something more awful happens. They don't relive everything in the same way-because they learn from their mistakes they do their best to change the outcome. 

Before Max mentioned the butterfly effect I'd thought of it as a great description for what was going on. The idea is something like a single flap of a butterfly can change the course of something, so with both Anni and Max making changes in their repeated days a lot of stuff changes each time. I liked that they learned to be a bit moee grown up, and that what they think is happening may not actually be what is happening, for example what was going on with their parents. They ended up with wild explanations that thankfully weren't remotely true, something we are all guilty of from time to time. 

I liked how I got to know the full story behind Belle's behaviour (Anni's friend, not my cat, although with a similar attitude problem!) I was cheering the twins on as they worked hard to change events in the bizarre time loop they were stuck in, focusing more on helping others than being spoilt or shy.They learnt vital life skills, and won't want it to be their birthday every day ever again! 

Find out more on Katie's website

Competition time!

"For a chance to win your very own sparkly copy of THE NEVER-ENDING BIRTHDAY simply answer the following question: If you could re-do any day, which day would it be, and why? Email your answers to katiedaleauthor@hotmail.com

Suggested read 

Check out more of Katie's work in her previous children's book: Mumnesia by Katie Dale (Children's, 9 years +, 10E/10E)