My Reasons to Read…
I figured my first 8 reasons would all be recipes punctuating the story….from Egglets to pizza to banana bread- there are sweet, savoury and entirely delicious and inexpensive recipes to try at home! I have bookmarked a few to try with my own kids over the coming months. I love that these recipes are not only easy but form key moments in the story. Food brings us together and in this story it seems to be the glue holding these new friends together.
The main character knows and understands she is not rich, and has had to rely on help before. Food poverty has been highlighted over lockdown as being a serious issue and plenty of children are facing this issue daily. I love that this book shows just how resilient families are and how community can come together to tackle this issue. I also appreciated that the author successfully removed the stigma attached to needing help. There was no judgement in this book!
The ease with which new friendships are formed. Often we meet characters who get bullied or have trouble making friends, but Erin seems to have fallen in with the right crowd and I love how quickly they adapt, become friends and share in the mystery solving.
A great mystery to be solved…no spoilers will be found here! There are several facets all linked together and the cooking club will need their wits about them to get it right!
Erin has a cool relationship with her Mum, though it seems unconventional at times and has fraught emotional moments. There is love within this relationship and over the course of the story, some truths are revealed and special moments shared.
Lara, Erin’s mum, deals with some online bullying and we can see how it is affecting her. Learning how to understand and deal with this situation takes some bravery. This is entirely relevant for children growing up in a technological society.
Ewa’s classic style of writing is truthful, full of empathy and community. It is like a warm hug that wraps it’s arms around you and squeezes. The characters are real and have to deal with situations that are happening around the UK. Children will relate to Erin, Frixos, Sam and Tanya.
Last but not least…my reason to read is because it is brilliant!
My Shelves Are Full 