The Amazing Edie Eckhart by Rosie Jones

"Do you like chicken?" Oscar asked me. I nodded. "Then take a wing." Oscar offered me his arm and we linked each other into the school hall.

Edie has Cerebral palsy, but she's used to it because she's spent her whole life being a bit wobbly. She can't wait to start secondary school with her best friend Oscar and share sausage rolls with him at breaktime. But when Oscar scuppers these plans by getting his first ever girlfriend, GROSS, Edie eventually decides to stop feeling sorry for herself and find a boyfriend, so she can prove to Oscar she's grown up too. She muses: 'when Thor was stripped of his power and banished to Earth by Odin, did he mope around and throw his hammer out of the pram? No he got on with it, bossed around Earth and found love like an absolute legend'.

But while she's plotting, she accidentally gets cast as the lead role in the school play. As Edie devotes her time to the performing arts, she finds a new friend, as well as talents - and feelings - she never knew she had. She soon realises that life in the spotlight might just be her thing after all...  

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Edie has cerebral palsy, but she's never let it slow her down. Together with best friend/neighbour Oscar, she can handle anything life throws at her - just maybe a bit slowly, and with some falling down along the way. But she doesn't care! It's about getting back up again!

But then they start secondary school, and Oscar is separated from her for the first time ever. And then he starts making new friends, and even-yuck-a girlfriend! Left alone, Edie slowly starts testing the limits of her independence. Trouble is it's all so confusing out there...

You've probably heard this already, but just in case you haven't; Edie has cerebral palsy, just like the author of this novel, Rosie Jones. You're probably seen Rosie around if you're into any of the comedy panel shows; she's often on Dave or the BBCs, being really quite extraordinarily funny. Her humour translates beautifully into this book.

Edie is strong, and clever, and brave. She's also stubborn and strong willed and occasionally a little too sure of herself - aren't we all some times! She cares very deeply for her friends and likes to make new ones - well, as an introvert I can't really empathise there, but it fits her personality beautifully. Her friends were all so nice too - I kept expecting a bully to jump up somewhere, but I think I've been reading too much American YA!

I love the little bits of information we get as well. For instance, I didn't know that cerebral palsy is non-degenerative...I thought you could get worse with it over time. I'm glad to have learned a new fact!

I think this series is going to do really well, and I'll be here to cheer Edie (and Rosie) on with every volume.

Note: This book will be illustrated. My copy didn't have illustrations included, so I can't comment on them fully, but I've seen sneak peeks that look great. 

PARENTS be aware, these eleven and twelve year old characters talk about boyfriends and girlfriends and there is a small amount of kissing. There's also a huge amount of friends being awesome to each other.

The Amazing Edie Eckhart publishes on the 5th August, 2021. I received a free copy and am giving an honest interview.