I was lucky to get an Netgalley arc of How To Be A Hero Take Up The Quest by Cat Weldon and published by Macmillan. The story is of Whetstone and Lotta the Valkyrie. The start of the story was good but then my attention kept being pulled by the constant use of Norse Mythology which would of made the story interesting but to have Odin and co as characters was a little bit too much. I get what Cat was trying to do but the execution was a bit off. I would rather Vali being the bad guy instead of Loki I think it would of been more intriguing. It also needed more of a back story to Whetstone to make his character more alive to me he was a bit one dimensional. I really wanted to like this book more than I did it is only getting a higher rating as Cat through her writing did bring the story back on track with the action with the dragon Nidhogg. I am afraid I won't be carrying on with the series but wish Cat well. For all these reasons I am rating the book 3 stars

This was such a fun adventure story with extremely loveable characters - yes even the talking cup! - and lots of action involving everyones favourite Norse Gods! I can't wait to read more about Whetstone's adventures!

This is a great start to a new series. I loved the characters of Whetstone and Lotta and the story is both exciting and a lot of fun. Easy to read I think this would be widely accessible and early promotions of the title have been well received both in libraries and via our social media. It's a nice mix of action, mythology and great illustrations. Really enjoyed this and look forward to the next one.

I personally could not get into this book but I think this could be a good read for people who like books that are targeted at younger audiences and to fans of How To Train Your Dragon.

Whetstone is a Viking thief and Lotta is proving unsuccessful as a Valkyrie. Neither of them fit into their respective worlds, unable to deliver what their people expect of them. But when they stumble upon each other, their lives are changed forever.

Whetstone has lost his precious talking cup so will do anything to make amends, and Lotta is eager to gain approval from Valhalla so they embark on a journey to achieve a rightful heroic status.

However, Loki, the trickster god wants that magical cup and plans to unleash chaos across the nine worlds while Whetstone and Lotta seek always to keep one step ahead.

Funny, silly, but also a great, fast-paced fantasy adventure introducing readers to the fascinating and often bizarre world of the Vikings and their Norse Gods.

It's illustrated throughout by Katie Kear and, when you stop giggling, there are plenty of interesting themes to discuss as well as Norse Gods to investigate. There are puzzles at the back of the book and art projects to try on the author's website. Book two will be published in the summer, with the final installment appearing next spring.

Valkyrie Lottie is not very good she is failing and then she picks up her hero Whetstone...however he is not a hero.

Lottie and Whetstone are then drawn in to and adventure where they need to recover a talking cup and to send a dragon home. Things do not go to plan can these two form a unlikely friendship and save the world from Loki's plan?

A funny adventure story that really engages, where the is really routing for Lottie and Whetstone the ultimate underdog hero's

Whetstone dreams of fame and glory, but through less heroic means than some of his fellow Vikings... He plans to follow in the footsteps of his mentor Light Finger and become a thief Vikings will sing about for years.

Lotta is a third class Valkyrie in danger of failing her exams. Her horse hates her, epic poetry puts her in a muddle and she can't turn into a beautiful swan. She has one final chance to avoid failure: bring a hero back to the halls of Valhalla. But what's worse than bringing a non-hero back to Asgard? A non-hero who isn't even dead...

How to Be a Hero is full of brilliant characters and unlikely heroes. Whetstone seems to travel from one disaster to the next and Lotta was superb. I knew from the first moment I heard about this book that I would love it, and it certainly didn't disappoint.

How to be a Hero has a bit of everything: dragons, misbehaving gods and a very chatty cup! It was a really interesting opening to an exciting and different series.

Katie Kear's illustrations are a brilliant addition to the text and I can't wait to see the full set in the finished copy

This story is perfect for fans of mythology, Percy Jackson, Who Let the Gods Out, or How to Train Your Dragon.

Cat Weldon's brilliantly funny and fast-paced MG debut shows that anyone can be a hero. I'm excited to find out what Whetstone and Lotta get up to next.

This is the first book I’ve read by Cat Weldon. I found the cover and description appealing, so I thought I’d give it a go.

This story turned out to be a lot of fun. Two people who don’t really fit in (Whetstone and Lotta) accidentally get entangled (metaphorically) and adventures ensue. There are quite a lot of funny moments, and the fantasy plot is fun. I’m not really familiar with the Nine Worlds mythology, but it makes an excellent background for this story.

In the earlier parts of the book, I noticed quite a few extraneous apostrophes - Class One’s and Class Threes have different uses for example. There is also some confusion on a name - is it Seven, or Sevenson, or Svenson, the Selfish? Other than this, I didn’t notice any errors. As this is an advance copy, hopefully these will be sorted before publication.

If you’re looking for a fun (and funny) middle grade fantasy adventure, pick this one. It’s great for light hearted relief from real life, as well as excitement. I’m looking forward to reading the sequel.

I was given a free copy of this book, my opinions are my own.

Before I give you my honest book review, I would like to thank Macmillan Children’s Books for giving me the opportunity to read this novel before the release date. This book is due to come out in 21st January 2021, so you will have to wait a little longer before you can get your hands on this magnificent new story. The author is Cat Weldon, and this is her first novel.

This book is about a young lad called Whetstone who, is an amateur thief attempting to steal the legendary cup, that is said could talk, which would make him famous. After successfully stealing and hiding the talking cup, he is transported to a strange new world by none-other than a Valkyrie in his sleep, and he soon finds out that this land, called Asgard, is full of Gods, Valkyries, and dead heroes. That is where he meets his new friend Lotta the Valkyrie, and the start of his adventure to find his one and only talking cup that he managed to misplace. And Learn 'how to be a hero' along the way.

An excellent book which I enjoyed very much because there were many parts that amused me such as when Lotta turned into a half duck and half swan. Full of tense and exciting moments that made me not want to put down. It is aimed at 6-8-year olds. A mix of fairy tale and Mythology. This book is perfect for readers who enjoy How To Train Your Dragon, I rate this book 10 out of 10.

Review by the Bookworm (age 10)

This story has it all - Vikings, trainee Valkyries, comical horses, bad poetry, a cup with attitude and a dragon called Nidhogg. There's plenty of action and adventure, loveable characters and the start of a beautiful friendship. Cat Weldon respects the Norse myths, but keeps her tongue in her cheek, and the resulting mix is most engaging. I can't wait to read the sequel, and follow Whetstone and Lotta as they travel into more of the nine worlds.

A heroically good read from Cat Weldon!

Meet Whetstone, a most unheroic thief. When his efforts to steal a talking cup take an unexpected turn, he finds himself in the company of Lotta, a trainee Valkyrie. Together they embark on a rip-roaring adventure that spans several worlds. Will Whetstone be remembered for all the wrong reasons or will he finally learn that being different is sometimes the very best thing you can be?

I thoroughly enjoyed this unpredictable and humorous quest story. The characters were likeable, the story fast paced and I loved how the two worlds collided in this unlikely friendship. Not only did it help to educate me on different aspects of Viking lore, it also carries an important message about staying true to oneself.

I would absolutely love to read this book with a group studying the Vikings, and would highly recommend it to pupils aged 7+. It is the perfect book for fans of How to Train Your Dragon and would be a great addition to any classroom bookshelf.

This is the story of a small orphan boy, who has decided to be a thief, and a Valkyrie girl still learning the ropes of her calling.
The two together make an unusual team it's fair to admit, but their accidental meeting and the following events made up a wonderful adventure for grown-up and younger audiences.
The story had us on tenterhooks wondering what could possibly happen next, would they be caught? Would something bad happen? You'll have to read to find out yourself, but what a whirlwind it took us on!
The only negative I can see is that potentially one or two chapters are a smidgen too long for a single sitting with younger children, but over all, we enjoyed it.