Monday, 18 March 2019

5* BOOK REVIEW | 'Vote for Effie' by Laura Wood

Hey guys, and happy Monday! Today I am thrilled to be sharing with you a book that has become my new YOU HAVE TO READ THIS! book. This book is so full of joy and heart and unapologetic grit and it completely stole my heart! Vote for Effie is a book that is about standing up for what you believe in, and not apologising for standing up for it. It is a book I wish I could press into every young boy and girl's hands, especially in today's climate.

 Intrigued? Check out the blurb here...
Join Effie Kostas as she fights to become Student Council President in her new school. With a campaign team of loveable misfits, she tackles the truly important subjects: gender imbalance, outdated school conventions...and good-looking boys stealing the last slice of chocolate cake at lunchtime. A laugh out-loud rallying call for switched-on kids everywhere.

I was kindly sent a copy of Vote For Effie by Scholastic in exchange for an honest review :)

I adored Vote for Effie from start to finish. Laura Wood first bowled me over with A Sky Painted Gold, and now my admiration for her has grown even more. Honestly, they are both completely different books and both of them are just absolutely gorgeous. Find me another author with this kind of versatility... But honestly, I don't think I've read a middle-grade book before that has made me this emotional! Effie Kostas is like a mini Leslie Knope (but with bigger hair, of course) and she is such a fabulous role model for young people. She is kind, honest, hardworking and fights for what she believes in. She stands up for people who have been sidelined and she doesn't give up easily. Can we have Effie Kostas for Prime Minister, please? I am sure she would sort this Brexit nonsense out (and all the other nonsense that's occuring, and still have time to organise her stationery). 

Effie's fight to become Student Council President is no mean feat, and she tackles issues that cannot be taken lightly - girls not being allowed to wear trousers, no buddy system for new pupils, no money for a girl's football team. Even though Aaron Davis, the coolest boy at school, has won the Student Council President for years, Effie soon inspires students to be vocal about what they care about, and take action to change things that are unfair.

Apart from the fabulous writing, the characters in Vote for Effie were what made this book brilliant for me. It's rare to get this kind of characterisation in a relatively short middle-grade read, but every single character was so fleshed out and I loved reading their interactions. My favourites have to be Effie's parents and her sister Lil (who is the sassiest, funniest kid I have ever come across in a MG book) and the next door neighbour Iris. There was a real effort made to celebrate difference in this book, which is something every kid needs to come across in their books.

If you're in the mood for a fun, smart, inspiring read, then Vote for Effie is definitely the book to get your hands on! Especially in the midst of all this political turmoil - I'm sure there are kids out there just like Effie Kostas - and so, there is hope :)


Check out Laura Wood here: https://www.lauraclarewood.com

Until next time :)
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