Bim Blake’s Hot Takes: My Pencil Case Doesn’t Define Me

‘Laugh out loud, full of heart and fantastic fun! I predict that the hot take among young readers will be that they completely love it!’ * A.F. Steadman, author of the Skandar series   *
‘A perfect tween diary with a strong, immediate voice and relatable struggles, from accidentally flashing your class to first crush horrors.’ * Louie Stowell, author of Loki: A Bad God’s Guide to Being Good *
‘I loved Bím Blake’s Hot Takes on familiar tween firsts, like bra fittings, starting high school and experiencing her first crush, all whilst dealing with her well-meaning (and completely lovely) family. Amongst the comedy, some serious topics were dealt with sensitively, giving the story depth. Plus, Bím’s affirmations were both wise and uplifting. Ariana Taylor’s brilliant illustrations add to the fun yet realistic tween voice T?lá Okogwu has created for Bím, and the warmth of a Nigerian heritage family really shines through. Funny, warm and relatable – the perfect book for tweens moving up into year seven.’ * Jen Carney, author of The Accidental Diary of B. U. G. *
‘A witty, wonder of a book!’ * Lisa Thompson, author of The Goldfish Boy *
‘Brilliantly funny, full of heart, and the storyline had me hooked from the start – I couldn’t put it down!’ * Abigail Balfe, author of This is NOT the Diary of Izzy Dobson   *
‘Perfect for fans of Lottie Brooks and Dork Diaries, this fun new diary-style book with its fantastic cast of characters gives us a window into the world of Bím Blake as she navigates family, friendships, feelings and the very messy business of transitioning to secondary school.’ * Rashmi Sirdeshpande, author of Hari Kumar, Ultimate Superstar *
‘Honest, heartfelt and incredibly relatable, Bím Blake’s Hot Takes is absolutely perfect for readers navigating the emotional rollercoaster of starting secondary school. I loved the fierce friendships and affirmations, and the journal-style writing, mixing diary with text chat and illustrations, is highly readable.’ * Vashti Hardy, author of Brightstorm *
‘This is the book eleven-year-old me would have adored. Full of relatable embarrassments, drama and friendships, it’s packed with humour and warmth. And so many small details that gave me immense inner Black girl joy.’ * Claire Linney, author of the Time Tub Travellers series *
‘Funny, witty and heartwarming with gorgeous illustrations. I loved Bím Blake’s character. The perfect book for tweens.’ * Diana Anyakwo, author of My Life as a Chameleon *