Review - Brain Freeze

Brain Freeze
by Tom Fletcher
illustrated by Shane Devries
Date: 2018
Publisher: Puffin
Reading level: MG
Book type: illustrated prose novella
Pages: 112
Format: e-book
Source: library

A little girl discovers that eating ice cream from her grandfather's old ice-cream truck gives her the power to travel through time, in this brilliant, funny and heartwarming story from bestselling author Tom Fletcher.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is an adorable novella about a 10-year-old girl who discovers that brain freeze from eating her ice cream enables her to travel through time in her grandfather's magical ice-cream van.

The subject matter seems young, although the length and the language used probably puts it more on the lower end of middle grade; younger kids would probably enjoy having it read to them, though. While parts of the story are a bit silly, the whole thing is entertaining, and Izzy's relationship with her grandfather is just plain sweet (pun intended).

The writing was just okay for me, and at times it is very British (in spelling, punctuation, and expressions), but it's not so much that it couldn't be understood by North American readers. I just love the illustrations, though; they add some more sweetness into what is already one of the cutest books I've read in a while.

Quotable moment:

'ISABELLE! Do NOT lick the floor!' Mum shouted as I began slurping up as much melted ice cream as I could before Dad hoisted me in the air.

Premise: 4/5
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Pace: 5/5
Writing: 3/5
Editing: 3/5
Originality: 5/5
Enjoyment: 5/5

Overall Rating: 4.13 out of 5 ladybugs