Kip of the Mountain
by
Emma Gourlay
Publication date: 1st October 2023
Genre: Middle Grade / Fantasy
Pages: 256
RRP: $24.99AU (hardcover)
Source: Own purchase
Review: Kip of the Mountain
I purchased this book for Dot hoping to entice her into the Middle Grade Fantasy genre however I was so disappointed with the delivery of the plot it never did make it into her hands.
Firstly the book is set in 1985 in Cape Town, South Africa. A time when apartheid was prevalent but this is not fully explored, just mentions of signs on the beach and a boy injured after using the wrong water fountain. A 2020's middle grade reader needs more explanation than vague mentions.
Eleven-year-old Kip lives with her eccentric father and is bullied at school by students and the teacher. On her 12th birthday a bottle drops from the sky and it contains an egg which hatches into a small furry animal and Kip is happy she now has a best friend. When Buffel is kidnapped she must face all her fears to rescue him.
The problems I had with this book were that the humour was a bit ludicrous, the conversations felt unnatural and the racism was never fully explained.
What I did love was Kip, she was strong and resilient. She didn't let the bullies worry her and didn't let her father's distant behaviour affect her.
The story dragged a bit but I have to say the cover is beautiful and that's what initially drew me to the book.
My rating 2 / 5 ⭐⭐
Recommended age 8+ years
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