AS FAST AS I CAN BY PENNY TANGEY

As Fast As I Can by Penny Tangey

As Fast As I Can is a Middle Grade novel about Vivian and her dream of going in the Olympics. There is one small problem ­— 10-year-old Vivian hasn’t found a sport she is good at. She has tried gymnastics, but kept on falling off the beam. She tried soccer, but couldn’t kick a ball in the right direction. She even tried swimming, but managed to knock herself out while doing a tumble turn.  It was looking hopeless. Her best friend Olivia is a great sprinter and expects to do well on the School’s Sports Day.

Vivian lives with her mum and dad and big brother Noah. She suspects they don’t really share her dream, especially Noah, who has quit footy and only wants to concentrate on music. When Vivian finally finds a sport she is good at, she has an obstacle shoved in front of her that is so big that there may be no way to overcome it.

The book is divided in to two sections. The first is all about Vivian and her dream, and the second is after her mum’s diagnosis. It is during the second part that we follow Vivian and watch as she has to come to terms with what fate has thrown in her path.

Vivian’s outlook on life is that of a typical 10-year-old and it’s lovely to see her thoughts on friendships and family as we go through this interval of her life. The struggles with friend dynamics, finding her special talent and coping with what happens when her mother is found to be ill, are all beautifully portrayed in Penny Tangey’s novel. It’s nice to see the themes of coping with life changing illness, loyalty, friendship and finding your dream, being dealt with on a younger reader level.

Penny Tangey’s novel is inspirational in its exploration of the often-overlooked emotions of younger folk.

For Ages: 8-12 years

Number of Pages: 248 paperback.

Published: March 2020

Themes: Friendship, coping with illness, life dreams and frustrations.

Rating: 3.5/5