I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. It has not affected my opinions.
Genre: Contemporary/Humour Age Range: MG Star Rating: 4 stars Series: yes - first book
Synopsis:
Yasmin Shah is a ten-year-old girl who is part of a big, noisy family and doesn’t ever speak. Levi is a rude, sassy toy llama, who talks A LOT and has come to wreak havoc in Yasmin’s life.
Yasmin tries everything she can to escape Levi, but she can’t help being dragged along on his crazy antics – and every day brings a new surprise, whether that’s an erupting bin, a flying tuna fish, or a hat made from knickers. Life is never boring with Levi around – and could it be that he has a secret plan to help Yasmin find her voice?
Synopsis taken from Goodreads. Add to your shelves here.
Review:
LLAMA OUT LOUD is not my usual sort of book – middle grade humour isn’t what I’d pick up for myself, but I still enjoyed it. It’s a very easy read – large font and small page number, which made it a nice contrast to the Daevabad Trilogy I’ve just read!
It’s set in Whitechapel, and it’s so obviously written by a Londoner who knows the region. From the street descriptions on the very first page to the way the people are talking, it feels just like that east end of London.
Levi is very exasperating in a funny way – everything he did to help just backfired and got Yasmin in more trouble and preventing her goals. I have to say, Yasmin was far more patient than I would have been (I advised her at one point to get a pair of scissors and end it permanently!)
It’s mainly told through prose, accompanied by illustrations. However, a few parts are told through the cartoons Yasmin draws, with adds another element to the book – making it light and playful.
The one formatting issue is that Yasmin’s mum speaks entirely in caps with no spaces, which can make it a bit hard to read at times. I think it would have been easier if the words had spaces between them, because I had to read the mash of letters several times before I could pick out the exact words.
It’s the first in a new series, and I think I’m going to pass this on to friends of the right age, in the hopes that they can enjoy it too. If you’re looking for a diverse, funny book for children, then have a look at this one!
Sifa Elizabeth Reads 