This is such a wonderfully quirky and imaginative read that will make kids (and quite a few grown-ups) grin from ear to ear. Sam Copeland has a knack for blending silly humour with just enough heart to give the story some real depth, and Uma’s adventure is a perfect example of that.

Uma herself is a brilliant character — curious, determined, and just the right amount of stubborn. When she gets her hands on a talking AI machine that claims to have the answer to absolutely everything, the story takes off in all sorts of unexpected and hilarious directions. It’s packed with laugh-out-loud moments, clever wordplay, and those little asides that will make younger readers feel like they’re in on the joke.

Underneath all the chaos and comedy, though, there are lovely messages about friendship, problem-solving, and learning to rely on your own judgement rather than looking for quick fixes. The supporting cast — both human and animal — are wonderfully eccentric, which makes every chapter feel lively and unpredictable.

It’s fast-paced, very funny, and full of imagination, making it a brilliant pick for readers who enjoy stories with a big dash of the absurd.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Hilarious & heartfelt!! Charlie changes into a chicken remains one of my all time favourite middle grade reads, and Uma has the same side-splitting humour entwined with a heartfelt story that young readers will adore.

I absolutely adored this book! This book follows Uma who lives with her father who doesn't really talk to her following the loss of Uma's mother. One day, she ends up coming across this earpiece called Athena who literally knows the answer to everything. Athena ends up helping Uma with answering some of the big questions about her life, as well as helping her realise that not all questions need to be answered. Not only that, but the creator of Athena wants it back, and so we have this rollercoaster of a plot that brings about some wacky situations for Uma.

Sam Copeland knows how to balance humour and the heavier scenes well. Uma is a very relatable protagonist who goes through grief and Sam knows how to handle that in his writing. I absolutely loved her friendship with Alan Alan. The writing style of the book, with added footnotes, was such a genius part of the story. It's fast-paced with enough laughs to keep you going, but it will tug on those heartstrings come the end!

A surprisingly touching story of alpacas, artificial intelligence and everything in between.

Uma’s life is full of big questions - questions about life and death: what happened to her mother, how can she stop her house from being sold, what can she do about a bunch of bullies? One day, after an unfortunate car crash between a drunk alpaca and an irate, gun-welding woman, Uma finds a Bluetooth device that has the answer literally everything. Will she be able to save her village or will she end up with even more questions?

Uma and the Answer to Absolutely Everything is a brilliantly bonkers, and utterly ludicrous book, with a lot of laughs and even more heart. In its own silly style, it manages to tackle some big issues, such as depression, grief and the loss of a parent. I know the children in my class will enjoy it and look forward to adding it to my bookshelf. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

A very funny, heartwarming book, heavy on the fart jokes with a villain who looks like she eats pizza with a knife and fork and sweets called Orange Orangutan Bumslaps. Perfect for young readers who love funny books with a bit of poignancy and a few drunk alpacas