Publication Date: 4 February 2021

The Blurb

10-year-old Opie Jones is Very Ordinary. In fact nothing remarkable has ever happened to her, if you don’t count the cat that gives her funny looks from next door (which she doesn’t). So she is naturally very surprised when she is recruited to join The Resistance – a team of superheroes who can read minds, and have a dastardly brainwashing villain to defeat.

However, it turns out Opie can’t read human minds, she can read animal ones. The other members of the Resistance are very disappointed. And a whole world of animal chat and demands is opening up to her. She’s still a superhero, just one on her hands and knees in the mud, chatting to a pedantic worm.

But when the brainwashing villain is out to get Opie and her friends, it might just be that listening to all the creatures great and small is what makes Opie Jones the right person to save the world.

The Review

A laugh out loud story of finding friends and faith in yourself.

Opie struggles to balance her shyness with her desire to make friends. Outgoing, laid back Jackson is just the sort of person she needs to see past her quiet front, and Cillian is the perfect frenemy to allow us a totally different glimpse of Opie’s personality.

Whether it’s with friends, the Resistance or the super villain threatening her school, we see Opie’s determination and resilience as she works to hone her new found super skills, and her inner strength and integrity as she navigates different relationships and all of the challenges they present.

I loved meeting the animals throughout the book and getting to know their very different personalities – Bat is definitely on my wavelength, and Margot is just comedy genius – I love her a little bit too much! As for our supervillain, he does remind me of someone. I wonder if he’s ever had an oval office?

Fay Austin’s illustrations are full of the warmth and wit of the story, and bring all of the characters’ personalities (human and animal) to life.

And if all that wasn’t enough, there’s even a quiz at the end to determine which animal you are. All I am telling you is I am definitely not a dinosaur…

I can’t wait to see what Opie and friends get up to next.

Great for fans of

• My Brother Is A Superhero by David Solomons
• Kid Normal by Greg James and Chris Smith
• Evie And The Animals by Matt Haig
• Alex Sparrow And The Really Big Stink by Jennifer Killick

Huge thanks to Egmont for inviting me to take part in the blog tour. Do make sure that you check out all of the other stops.