On the blog today is my review of the middle-grade debut from Charlotte Lo, We Won An Island, published by Nosy Crow. With it’s bright, colourful cover and brilliant concept for a fun-filled story, I was immediately taken back to childhood summer adventures where everything is possible!

Charlotte wrote her first story when she was six years old, on a square of bumpy kitchen towel. Now with a masters degree in Writing for Young People behind her, Charlotte is set for success with this lovely tale – and I’m keeping my eye out for competitions to win an island!

We Won an Island by Charlotte Lo

When Luna’s family win an island, Luna thinks it will solve everything AND she can finally get a donkey! But things don’t go entirely to plan – no one expects Luna’s younger brother to win a Sheep Pageant, for example – and the secret festival they hold soon spirals out of control. But the island is beautiful, and the family are happy, and maybe Luna will get her donkey after all…

We Won an Island has an instantly appealing storyline – who wouldn’t want to win their very own island and have fun-filled adventures complete with goats, secret festivals and quirky characters?! With a larger than life family at it’s heart, the story starts with their life in a precarious state as they are about to be evicted from their home. Grandma has recently passed away, Dad is lost in grief and Mum is doing all she can to support the three children; Luna, Margot and Fabien.

Luckily, ten-year-old Luna takes matters into her own hands and enters a competition to win an island from an eccentric billionaire – and they win! All their problems seemed to be solved – Mum can start her yoga retreats, Luna can have a donkey sanctuary and surely Dad will start to feel better with so much to look forward to? Except of course life is never quite that simple and as the family navigate their new world – from meeting the ‘neighbours’ to exploring the island to cleaning up the huge mansion that is to be their home, there are lots of laughs, tears and hilarity along the way. Especially when the three children organise a ‘secret’ music festival to fund their ambitious island plans!  We Won an Island is an enjoyable, quirky and fun read creating a truly warm picture of the ups and downs of family life.

Find out more at www.charlotteloauthor.co.uk and follow Charlotte on Twitter.

With thanks to Nosy Crow for sending me a proof copy of this book to review.