Review - Charlie Turns into a T-Rex

Charlie Turns into a T-Rex by Sam Copeland

This is the sequel to Charlie Changes into a Chicken, one of the funniest books I've read in a long time. As soon as I heard there was a sequel coming out I was desperate to get my hands on a copy, and badgered Puffin Books many times until I finally got one.

Now I've finished reading Charlie Turns into a T-Rex and I'm afraid Sam Copeland's done it again.

It's packed full of the basest humour; never have I read so many poo and wee jokes. And he's done it all with style and intelligence and heart. 

The illustrations by Sarah Horne are wonderful, bringing the whole gang of kids to life with depth and verve, and I just love how comic her renditions of the animals Charlie changes into are. Her style suits the story tone so perfectly that it's hard to imagine the book without her illustrations.

It's a story about anxiety, and coping mechanisms and the importance of friends and family. It's a story about what we're prepared to do to help the people we love. It's a story about poo, and wee and bums.

It's bloody hilarious and I'm looking forward to reading it again with my kids because it's the kind of story that will be even funnier read aloud.

And for all the crudity and coarse humour, it's told very cleverly. I loved the narrative asides footnotes and other touches.

Big thanks to Sophia Smith and Puffin Books for finally giving in to my near-constant demands and sending me a review copy, and I'm afraid I didn't follow your warnings, I read it anyway and I'm afraid I'm not at all sorry.

A definite 5 moon read.

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I was given a copy of Charlie Turns into a T-Rex in return for an honest review.

Charlie Turns into a T-Rex is available now from Puffin Books.