The Case of the Exploding Loo

Title: The Case of the Exploding Loo
Author: Rachel Hamilton
Genre: MG
Rating: 5/5
Cover: 10/10

I would like to thank Rachel Hamilton for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What can I say? I know it's not what I usually blog about, but the blurb made it seem like a good laugh, and I'm glad to say that it was. Absolutely hilarious from cover to cover!

Rachel Hamilton really captures the essence of the pre-teen girl. Noelle is funny because we've all been there before; we've all seen conspiracy theories everywhere, and we've all fought with out sisters incessantly, while loving them to pieces at the same time. Hamilton captured that mix of innocence, confusion and utter certainty that they know all there is to be known (though in Noelle's case, she has more reason to think that way than most of us, since she's like a mini Sherlock Holmes!). That vulnerability really made her a very likeable character.
I also applaud the way Hamilton presented Noelle's father, Brian. At the start of the novel, he is an almost god-like figure to Noelle, who looks up to her father and his intelligence. But, as readers, we know that something isn't quite right when Noelle tells us about his plans to eradicate the world of people with lower IQs. It is an important message, and one that Hamilton puts across beautifully in the book - that just because they're an adult, doesn't mean that what they say is always right, and that sometimes our heroes disappoint us in the worst way possible. And Noelle goes on with her life, visiting her father in prison, but well aware of the fact that his actions were wrong.

It's safe to say that this well please Diary of a Wimpy Kid fans everywhere.