Toppsta - Childrens Books – Reviews

For reasons unknown I got it into my head, the author was Garth Brooks, the American singer, rather than Garth Jennings, the film director (Sing/ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy). Thus, when I saw it in the library, I was intrigued and thought I would have a read before my son’s copy arrived.

The story centres around Nelson, an 11 year old who is struggling somewhat to make friends at school, and his quest to find his missing half sister, Celeste. In his search for Celeste, he finds out more about her rather eccentric side of the family, and is helped by comic (rather cute, especially Honk) versions of the seven deadly sins created from his own body. It is a wildly off beat fantasy adventure. I can imagine my son will find it funny, in particular such parts as the deadly sins riding the cows to the rescue, all to the soundtracks of ABBA. I wish there had been more of the amusing line drawings, too few.

A funny book which would have perhaps been better if it hadn’t tried to do so much and be absolutely everything. It feels at times that it is jumping around a bit too much, throwing things in for the sake of it. All in all, fast paced and worth a read.