Mini reviews: looking for a laugh!?

Good morning everyone!

I am here with some more funny books that I’ve read recently. I think funny books are climbing up my list of favourite kinds of books… and I’ve got a whole load of brilliant recommendations for you today!

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Oh Maya Gods – Maz Evans

Meet Vesper, the bossy, football-mad daughter of Elliot Hooper, the original hero of Who Let the Gods Out?, and Aster, the super-bright son of Constellation, Virgo. Together, they must recapture some villainous wrong’uns before the world ends next Wednesday. Off they head to the Maya underworld, where Kizin and his Lords and Ladies of Death are messing with astronomy, chocolate and human sacrifice …

I was SO INCREDIBLY LUCKY to get a proof copy of this from the amazing Chicken House… cause honestly, I’m the biggest Maz Evans fan and this has been on my ‘most anticipated reads of 2023’ and naturally, I read this PRETTY MUCH AS SOON AS IT ARRIVED. And, well, I just loved this (this came as no surprise to me, or to anyone I subsequently spoke to!). This is jam-packed with new friends, old friends, LOTS of brilliant jokes, a trip to the Maya underworld to meet some Maya gods and loads of just quintessential Gods Squad magnificence. It was so lush to be back with some familiar faces and I am most curious about some of the new “friends”. Honestly, my heart is so happy right now. I didn’t want this to end and now it’s over I’m THRILLED there’s another to come!

Loki: A Bad God’s Guide to Ruling the World – Louie Stowell

When Heimdall and Hyrrokkin abandon their “children” to go on holiday, Odin sends Baldur – Thor’s half brother and god of making Loki look bad – to babysit. As Baldur and Thor bond, Loki’s attempts to prove he’s good start getting a bit desperate. After the drama teacher casts him as the villain in the school play, Loki starts to wonder whether there’s any point in being good when everyone seems convinced of his villainy. That is until he discovers a rather unusual ring among the costumes and props. A ring that looks suspiciously like the cursed ring of Andvari, one that promises Loki the world if only he gives in to his deepest, darkest desires…

Honestly, this series continues to make me laugh and make me more curious about the mythology that surrounds this series! Loki is, as ever, just trying to be good, but when a cursed item reaches his possession, can he resist wanting to be king of the world? Louie has done it again! Funny, charming, messages about empathy, jealousy and friendship, and, of course, a wonderful bunch of illustrations throughout (which add so much!!). This series has been so popular with my kids and this 3rd book is no different… I can’t wait for more!

The (Un)Fortunate Wishes of Nelly Young – Beth Garrod

Secondary school is ninety-eight days away, which means I’m running out of time to break free from my totally embarrassing nickname Breaking News Nelly . . . Why did it have to be me who tripped playing netball and smashed a TV camera during the live report on our new sports hall opening?! I desperately need a relaunch, but it’s hard when you have the worst luck in the world! At least I have my best friends Clara and Jas. Even though nothing ever seems to go right for us, we’ve always been in it together. Like the time we wrote down our ultimate wishes but knew they wouldn’t come true . . . until they did!

I was very excited to hear there was another book from Beth as her previous books have PROPERLY made me laugh… and this is no different! Some wild wishes, much frivolity and a dream holiday with your best friends… what would you wish for if everything you wished for came true? This made me chuckle and I think my Y6s will love this!

Stink. Worst. Fairy. Ever – Jenny McLachlan

We all know fairies. They’re sweet and sparkly and lovely. Right? WRONG! Meet Stink. Stink is the rudest, naughtiest fairy there’s ever been. Instead of sparkles, Stink makes mess. Instead of being kind, Stink plays pranks. She also eats woodlice and rides on rats. From the moment Stink flies out of the fairy door and attaches herself to his hair, Danny knows that Stink is trouble. She needs his help to do a good deed and win her silver wings – and Danny will do anything to get Stink to go back to fairyland. But can Stink ever be good?

This caused me many giggles – both from the words and illustrations! The illustrations add so much to this story and you definitely get more a sense of who S.Tink is as you go through the story. I would not like S.Tink to be my fairy: she’s a bit wild for me, ha. I think kids are gonna absolutely adore this! It has gone down an absolute storm in my classroom… with many of my kids wishing their had their own fairy!

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And that’s it for today! I’ve had a productive reading year so far, so I’m sure I’ll be back with some more mini reviews in the next week or so! I have loads of reviews to catch up on! I would love some recommendations though…

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE if you have any recommendations for books for me to buy that would work for my Y6s, I’d love to hear them!

S x

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