𝑀𝑒, 𝑀𝑦 𝐷𝑎𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐸𝑛𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑅𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑏𝑜𝑤 by Benjamin Dean (@NotAgainBen) is an incredibly moving story of acceptance, love and family.

The journey Archie and his family go on is one that leaves you as the reader going from tears for his broken family to laughter at the escapades of Archie and his best friends, Bell and Seb. I really liked how it is written as if Archie is talking to the reader, it makes the events that unfold feel all the more poignant.

I'm not going to ruin this story with spoilers - because nobody wants to know the story before you've read page one. However, you will enjoy London in June, meet some amazing flamboyant characters who help to show Archie (and his friends) that even if one small thing changes in a person you love - they are also still the person they were before. In this case, it's Archie's dad. Just, try to not crave cake when Oscar tries to explain because I wanted a big ol' slice of Victoria Sponge.

Benjamin Dean has given Middle Grade children a very realistic insight to life in the twenty-first century. You can't hold but want to hug both of his parents as their lives crumble and fall apart, but also there's three urge to say 'Tell Archie the Truth!!' Sometimes in LGBT stories there is a habit of glossing over the bad bits but 𝑀𝑒, 𝑀𝑦 𝐷𝑎𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐸𝑛𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑅𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑏𝑜𝑤 isn't one.

Rather, it a book that has been needed for many years and I have a feeling may help many children find peace in their own family situations.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my advanced copy.

When 12-year old Archie discovers that dad is gay, he decides, on the basis of a photo of a smiling father and son, that he needs to attend a Pride march to restore the bond that they'd previously shared. With his two trusty sidekicks in tow, he sets off for London, and a day of mishaps and adventure.

Archie is a really engaging narrator, and I loved the relationship he had with geeky friends Bel and Seb. I hope that Benjamin Dean will write more about the trio.
However, I felt that the story was let down by some weak plotting. The early chapters, with their cliffhanger endings, set the reader up for a dramatic revelation that never really came, and the action at the Pride march dragged.

Do you ever read something that is just so overwhelmingly sunny and happy that you can’t stop smiling whenever you think about it? This is that book. Although it deals with some various serious concepts, the whole story is from a place of immense love and acceptance. I wish I’d had a book like this growing up. I wish I’d had friends like Bell and Seb. I wish I’d had a role model like Oscar.

Full review coming to a boywithabook.Wordpress.com

A lovely little book from start to finish with a rather important message, loved this book so much. A true sweetheart of a protagonist, moments of real joy, actual sadness and honesty and a triumphant, life affirming lessons. Would be interested in hearing about these people again. Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's UK for the ARC in exchange for a review.

I loved this book so much. A true sweetheart of a protagonist, moments of real joy, sadness and honesty and a triumphant, life affirming ending. Would be really interested in visiting these characters again.

A truly lovely book from start to finish with a really important message. There are so many children (and parents) that need to read this book including members of my family. The plot tapered off a little bit at about 65% but still a lot of fun and can’t wait to read what the other writes next!

I thought the premise for this book was brilliant and the cover is just stunning. Benjamin Dean is a hugely talented writer. However, not a lot really happens beyond the premise and I kept waiting for more. I was also never completely clear why the trip to London was thought to be necessary and then I wasn't sure how it actually resolved the narrative. I loved the ideas around family and community and I loved the descriptions of London and Pride, but I also felt like a lot of themes and questions were touched on but without a lot of exploration. This had so much promise but I just felt that the narrative and characters could have been pushed further.

Me, my dad and the edge of the rainbow by Benjamin Dean

Thank you to @netgalley and Simon and Schuster UK for the ARC
Rating *****
Date of release 4/2/2021
Synopsis:
When Archie sees a colourful, crumpled flyer fall out of Dad's pocket, he thinks he may have found the answer. Only problem? The answer might just lie at the end of the rainbow, an adventure away.
Together with his best friends, Bell and Seb, Archie sets off on a heartwarming and unforgettable journey to try and fix his family, even if he has to break a few rules to do it...
The rainbow-filled, joyous debut from a hugely exciting new talent.

Review:
This book was amazing and something that I will be recommending for anyone of any age to read, it is about a story of self-acceptance when your world has been changed by your dad coming out as gay. This was a book that I think a lot of people would have wanted when they were growing up when they are trying to work out who they are and I will be recommending it to people the rep was great in this book and it was such a heart-warming story which made me cry. I loved the relationships and how it was woven. The way that at the end of the day someone is just them and Archie coming to accept that. I loved how adventurous a certain moment was and Seb, I loved him as a side character he made me laugh and we all know that one friend (It was me when I was younger).
I am hoping that this could mean that more diversity is accepted, and it is not seen as something to be shied away from because love is love no matter who you are or who you love. This is what middle grade needs more of. Thank you for Ben for doing this.
I loved the format of this book also and how it was written I cannot wait to read more from this author because the book written for a debut was one that will be needed for many more years to come.

2.5 stars
I really wanted to like this book, but it dragged so much that I had to give up. Difficult to imagine a middle-grade reader being able to sit through it. Nothing much happens plot-wise, and even though you feel for the protagonist, it's difficult to stay invested. Dean is a good writer, no doubt, and a story about a young child finding out one of their parents is gay, and coming to terms with it is a fantastic premise, but it just did not hold my interest.

(Review copy from NetGalley)

An absolutely wonderful book, full of emotions and fully developed characters. Archie is such a beautifully written character, who is kind, full of love and acceptance. This is a heartwarming tale of friendship, love, family and valuable lessons. The relationship between Archie and his father is one of the best I have read and really gave me a sense of my own family. I will be buying for all MG readers I know.

A heartwarming hilarious book about acceptence and family. I was originally captivated by the cover (props to the illustrater!) and decided to request it. I was hooked from the start which directly addressed the reader like a friend and that really showed Archie's character. He was an enjoyable character and quite funny at places. Bell and Seb were supporting and caring friends which really made them brilliant in my opinion. Archie's development with his dad and mending their relationship was truly heartwarming. I loved the theme to accepting his dad and understanding that nothing really changed. The story was well weaved and informative in a subtle way. This is the type of book the middle grade market needs right now. Five stars from me and would definitely recommend to anyone and everyone.
Thanks to netgalley and Simon and Schuster for the free copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children's UK for allowing me to read this delightful story!

I was definitely drawn to this book initially because of the cover and then when I read the summary of the book I knew it was a book I wanted to read. And I was right! This was an absolutely delightful and charming book and it's so important that diverse and inclusive books aimed at young people are created and shared. This book managed to be both heart-warming and funny at the same time and really focused on the importance of love, friendship, and family.

When Archie finds out his father is gay he worries what this will change, but the message spread throughout this book is that really, it won't change who Archie's father is - he still loves Archie and video games and wants to carry on their Friday night tradition. I love that Archie goes to pride to try and make things right again with his dad; he never once displays a negative attitude to his father (and neither do his friends) but it's just the uncertainty of what this means for Archie. I felt like it dealt with it well and explored a really important topic for young people. We get to meet a lovely host of people at pride and they are all welcomed by Archie and his friends and it's just a real feel-good book.

Definitely think this should be on the top of the children's shelves!

Out 4th February 2021 so make sure you check it out.

What do you find at the end of the rainbow? Is it good fortune, wealth, luck? For our young protagonist, Archie Albright, he discovers something greater than all the above; enlightenment. With the unrelenting support and love of his friends; Seb and Bell, Archie sets plans into motion to find what could possibly be ‘at the end of the rainbow’.

But what causes this sudden desire for exploration? Simple- understanding and for the most part, reassurance. Upon learning his dad is gay, Archie believes he faces an uncertain future where his relationship with his dad would irreversibly and indefinitely change.

Desperate for answers and driven by fear of the unknown, our 12 year old protagonist embarks on a journey of acceptance. We follow Archie as he learns to circumnavigate, overcome and embrace diversity in our modern society. He (after much fretting), eventually finds hope at a gay pride event in London where he meets an eclectic mix of people from the LGBTQ+ community, together these incredible humans inspire him to trust change doesn’t necessarily mean forgetting all that he had previously known. Moreover, Archie learns that accepting an individual for who they are is actually perfectly uncomplicated and provides that person with rightful liberation to be their most authentic self.

This book is truly beautiful, uplifting and joyous. It is exactly the type of inclusive literature that should be read by young people. A poignant novel, brimming with an overarching positive message that celebrates our differences, bravo Benjamin Dean!

A hopeful & heartfelt read! This was full of sentiment, humour and incredibly loveable characters! I adored it!

Archie is a very young and naive 12 year old whose parents have recently split up and are still arguing. Archie regularly sees his Dad and knows he is unhappy, then discovers the reason – his Dad is worried about telling Archie he is gay.
An episode about parents evening ends in disaster. Like many 12 year olds, Archie tries to claim parents evening is no big deal and not worth going, but both parents are determined to show their support for their son. However, an extremely embarrassing argument between the pair sees Archie suffer the humiliation in front of his teachers and peers.
Archie’s best friends Bell and Seb are very supportive, so much so that when Archie comes up with (not much of) a plan to go to London to discover what this Proud Parade is about, both say they will go with him even though Seb is constantly afraid of the consequences.
The mishaps when they arrive in London introduce the friends to a whole new spectrum of LGBTQ+ community, including Drag Queens, all of whom help the children along the way.
The cover of this book with illustrations by Sandhya Prabhat is wonderful and will attract readers who may be equally as bemused about dealing with a situation in which everyone worries, yet realises too late they need to talk and that love for one another is what matters, not anything else.

I adored this book, and this is one of my favourite queer books that I’ve read. I can tell that I’m going to read this book for years to come. I found Archie and his friends very reminiscent of my friend group when I was his age. This book also reminded me of the first time that I went to a pride parade. I really wish that I’d had this book when I was younger and I think that this is going to help many kids for generations to come. This is a book that everybody should read and I would recommend picking it up as soon as it comes out! Also we finally have a book where parents are present! 5/5 he of my favourite books of the year! I would recommend!

I really wanted to enjoy this, but it didn't live up to expectations. It was funny in places, but I felt the humour was shoe-horned in for the sake of it and didn't do anything to add to the story. I have to say I didn't quite get why they had to go to London. It just didn't quite deliver for me - sorry.

I absolutely loved this book. Everything about it was perfect. I loved the child characters and how realistic they were, making the same mistakes and silly decisions, looking out for their friends and having the same worries, that I remember as a child and I see in the children I work with. I loved the adults and how imperfect and caring they were. The way that Archie told the story was brilliant and this story will be perfect for fans of Stewart Foster and Onjali Q Rauf. A really great story, fab characters and, having now seen the images of the cover, beautiful illustrations too. I can't wait to share it with everyone!

This is an incredible, heart lifting story of one life altering summer for Archie Albright and his family. A celebration of family, old friends, new friends, and neighbours.
When Archie's Dad drops a bombshell of an announcement Archie feels a shift in the family dynamic and it is drastic and he is unsure of how to get it back to normal. Though he knows his relationship with his Dad is still the same, his heart and mind are at odds and he feels strange about it. Looking for answers and ideas to bridge the gap to mend this relationship, Archie and his friends devise a plan.
Archie's Dad had a flyer for the London Pride Parade and Archie is determined to go to London looking for answers and ways to feel closer to his dad. Learning more about London Pride is just the beginning of a summer of discovery for Archie.
What happens on the day of the parade is adventurous and proof that kindness still exists and new friends can be made, even in the midst of one of the largest, most joyous celebrations in the world.
This book may just be the most joyous and love affirming book I have ever read. Poignant moments with family and friends are perfectly balanced with funny events and situations. You can't help but feel moved to laugh, smile and feel a true sense of hope for the Albright family and their friends.
It is so wonderful! I will likely read it all over again!

Aww, what a great story!

Archie's Mum and Dad are getting a divorce, which is a tough situation for any kid. Then he finds out his Dad is gay and that is why they split up. Archie's character reacts in such a real way, he is quiet and unsure, which I feel is totally believable for a 12 year old. Older teens may get mad, shout, question everything, but Archie just wants everyone to be happy and things to stay the same so he doesn't express everything he thinks and feels.

As we go through the book we see his friendships, and relationships with his family, everyone is just so supportive and caring. It is really heartwarming. There are funny moments with his friends and parents that make you smile. Later when other LGBTQ characters appear they are accepted and loved by Archie and his friends which is so positive.

Perfectly written for a middle grade audience in a way they can not only understand and empathise, but feel reassured and positive if they see elements of themselves reflected in the characters.

Nothing but love for this book.