Book review: 'The Amazing Edie Eckhart' by Rosie Jones

By Luke Chapman | Author, Book Reviews

Rosie always dreamed of becoming a Children's Author, now she's finally achieved that dream with the release of 'The Amazing Edie Eckhart'

Rosie Jones is most arguably known as a comedian, she's also a regular guest/presenter on various TV shows as well as writing for hit programmes such as 'Sex Education'. With all this in mind, Rosie is no stranger to writing, but writing for children is a totally different venture.

At the beginning of the book we're told Rosie's story of how she always wanted to be a children's writer, ever since... she was a child. The heart-warming introduction appears to validate the career shift and comes across an attempt to tackle the assumed thoughts from the reader that the writing venture was for monetary benefit. If a reader still has this nefarious thought in mind, it's quickly eradicated with the obvious and clear personal connection Rosie pours into the pages of this novel.

Based on the story of pre-teen Edie Eckhart, the book is structured with daily diary entries from the main character, ones that seem to have come directly from the pages of Rosie's own diary due to the glaring similarities drawn between her own upbringing and that of the story's protagonist. 

We witness the transition from primary to secondary school of Edie and her best pal Oscar and how they both deal with this through their friendship. The book also touches upon coming of age, making friends, trying new things, and of course one of the main narratives of the book, inclusion. The heartwarming book holds real comfort for any reader alongside hilarious content that would delight all ages.

We see a Christmas play, relationships, the pressure put onto youngsters at this crucial age and much more. The book presents mature narratives in a simple and concise manner providing relatability for the target demographic while allowing them to feel grown-up at the same time. It's a beautiful story and is excellently delivered by Rosie, especially for a childrens author's debut. As an adult reading this book, I enjoyed it no less than its original target age group. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone, so make sure to head here and get yourself a copy.

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