BRAIN FREEZE BY OLIVER PHOMMAVANH

Brain Freeze by Oliver Phommavanh

Brain Freeze is a wonderful collection of twelve funny stories for middle grade kids. Readers follow Joel, whose parents can’t choose one name for him and stick to it. Or the Luong family who go in search for an authentic Sweet and Sour Sauce recipe. Amirul takes on a dare that changes his life and Thao who goes on a crusade to buy his mum some chocolates. My favourite among this great collection is Double Bed Dreams. Abigail wants a double bed for her birthday even though she’d only young. Her single bed is too small to hold all her dreams. Her Unicorncob (a unicorn with a cob of corn instead of a horn) and her rainbow cats are all vying for space along with a man made from drinking straws — it’s all getting a little out of control in her dream-land and so a bigger bed should sort it all out.

Oliver Phommavanh’s stories tell of everyday events from the kid’s perspective. Their thoughts and how they interact with their world and the people around them, give insights that some readers may not have experienced. His books explore diversity in such a way that readers can’t help but laugh out loud. We’ve all had embarrassing parents, bullies at school and wanting to do the right thing but being frustrated by circumstances beyond our control. His short stories are great read for bedtime or even conversation starters around the dinner table.

For Ages: 9-11 years

Number of Pages: 215

Published: September 2020

Themes: Family, friendships and diversity

Rating: 3.5/5                                    

I wish: I could remember all my dreams just like Abigail.