Review - How to Train Your Parents - Pete Johnson

How to Train Your ParentsTitle: How to Train your Parents
Author: Pete Johnson
Genre: Juvenile Fiction, Humour, Diary
Publication: June 28th 2004
Pages: Paperback, 200 pages
The tale of a boy who is fed up with his hyper-competitive parents. Moving to a new neighbourhood and a new school, Louis’s parents become ultra-competitive parents, wanting him and his brother to get straight As at school and join all sorts of after-school clubs and activities like the other kids in the neighbourhood. Suddenly Louis’s life is no longer his own. Then he meets Maddy, who claims to have trained her parents to ignore her. But does Louis really want to be ignored?

I wasn't expecting to enjoy this, I actually got it for free at a Car boot Sale. I thought the cover looked a bit cheesy and that it looked more like a book for younger readers who weren't advanced in their reading. I decided to pick up this book and read it this year for the TBR challenge, as I have lots of books from about two years ago that I need to read now! Because I really don't like not reading a book and some of them are a bit too easy to read now. But this book surprised, me I actually enjoyed it, I really did. And when reading it the thought sprung to mind, exactly why you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover.

I was planning on only reading this book later this month as I am trying to stick to reading only one book/eBook at a time. I am currently reading the Red Pyramid on my kindle and my kindle needed charging, so I decided to choose a book from one of my 2012 TBR Challenge books. And I choose this one, and I must say, I really liked it...a lot. 

It is quite an easy book and the writing is quite large, which might put some older readers off the book, but I quite liked it as it was a change from what I usually read. 

What I liked about How to Train Your Parents, is that it actually dealt with some real life issues and situations, but it made it a light and airy read with the humour in the story and the diary format. 

The main character, Louis, had just moved to a new neighbourhood and left his best friends behind and now his parents were acting really weird. I felt really sorry for him as they were consistently tracking his every move and putting a lot of pressure on him to do well, whereas all he wanted to do was be a comedian and make people fall about laughing.

This was a really light hearted, children's book, that I really think you should read. It has a unique idea that I quite enjoyed. There weren't a lot of twists in the tale, but nonetheless I really enjoyed it. If you're looking for some quick, easy, funny middle grade fiction, I would give this book a try. I think you would really enjoy it! :)

I give it: 4 CUPCAKES!