Friday, August 20, 2021

Book review - Velda the Awesomest Viking

 

Title: Velda the Awesomest Viking and the Voyage of Deadly Doom

Author: David MacPhail

Genre: humor

Similar books: How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell

                     The Jolley-Rogers series by Jonny Duddle

Rating:

good fun

Summary (provided by publisher): Oi, you snivelling pig-dogs! Are you ready for a Viking adventure?
Velda is a small girl with a big axe. The only problem is, everyone thinks she can't be a proper Viking because she's "just a little girl". PURLEASE! She sets sail with Freya, captain of the dragonship Valkyrie, and her notoriously ferocious crew for a life of awesome adventure (and very loud belching).
But when the Valkyrie and her crew are captured by the Queen of the Saxons, Velda is the only one who can free her friends. The small and mighty Viking must travel to the mysterious Islands of Deadly Doom, but there's just one problem, er, well more than one, actually -- she doesn't have a ship, a crew, or a clue how to get there...
Join Velda on her quest as she makes some unlikely new friends and takes on terrifying tasks, all while proving she's the awesomest Viking around.

My opinion: Given the set-up, most readers can probably predict where this book is headed. That's okay. A standard plot gives MacPhail room to include a lot of silly details that will appeal to the average kid's sense of humor. There is some gross humor but nothing over the top. It's also worth noting that the strongest, bravest, most valuable members of the crew are female. It's nice to see female characters who are bold and aggressive and ultimately positive.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

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