Matt Stanton has written and co-authored over 35 books for children, including the very popular Funny Kid series and the graphic novel series The Odds. Evie Dreams Big is the 3rd instalment in Stanton’s middle-grade series, Bored.
Once again we join the kids of Turtle Place and get a snapshot into one of their lives. This time we focus on 12-year-old Evie. Evie is smart, talented, a little shy, and completely sick of her little sister Grace. Never in the history of the world has there been a more annoying younger sister but no one, not even her parents, listen to what Evie has to say about it or offer their help in the sisters’ relationship.
Feeling trapped, alone, and angry inside the family house, Evie comes up with a brilliant solution, make her own tiny house! With the vacant lot next door all Evie needs is an idea (super easy for her artful self), materials (she just has to muster up the courage to talk to her scary neighbour Mr Santos), and a bit of help (should be fine with all of the kids in Turtle Place). Will Evie be able to do the impossible and actually build a functional house or will the project turn out to be too much for one girl?
Matt Stanton is a born comedy writer, you can actually feel the annoyance of little sister Grace seeping through the pages and hear the bickering nonsense that is sisterhood. Through the Bored series, Stanton has dealt with moral and ethical dilemmas, family issues and workings, and friendship. In Evie Dreams Big, family plays a huge part in the story but so does the need for little bits of independence as you grow up, the need to be heard, have your own safe space, and the importance of having people believe in your dreams and actions without belittling them.
Bored is a fantastic series for young readers who love comedy writing and stories that could actually happen to kids in real life.
