The Parent Agency by David Baddiel was published by Harper Collins Children is sold at £2.80
What is the book about?
The Parent Agency follows Barry Bennett, who is tired of his parents seeming to prefer his twin sisters over him and makes a wish for better parents. When his wish comes true he discovers himself in an alternate world where kids must choose their parents and do so before they turn ten, which for Barry is only a few days away. In this world he is sent to various prospective sets of parents and has a funny and heartwarming adventure along the way.
Who is it aimed at?
This particular book is best suited for children between the ages of nine and twelve.
What was your favourite part?
By far my favourite part of reading this book was of seeing Barry interact with the various types of parents he met and the way in which the story handled its theme of what’s really important for a child and what can and should be expected of parents or guardians.
What was your least favourite part?
This is possibly my favourite children’s book I’ve read but despite my love of the themes, comedy and plot of The Parent Agency, I struggled to connect with and really love the main character Barry as much as I did with other and less focused on characters. I would have liked Barry to be a little more relatable or even have more on other characters.
Which character would you most like to meet?
Of the characters in the book, I would most like to meet Barry’s parents and get to know them a little more than I did through the story as they were vital and cleverly used characters.
Why should someone buy this book?
In my opinion, this book is the perfect gift to give to children. It’s funny and has a clear moral that is well balanced with the plot that teaches kids valuable lessons in a way that is difficult without books.
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