A Bowl Full of Blah - Terry Varner

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Author: Terry Varner

Genre: Children's Chapter Book
Rating: 4.5 stars.

A funny & meaningful children's story depicting a boy's experiences with his new pet goldfish.

A little boy named Zeke wins a ring toss game at the county fair. His prize is a goldfish, something that only he wants and his parents reluctantly accept. He is mesmerised by his new companion, whom he affectionately calls “Blah”. (What an apt name for a fish!) His best friend Iggy and he have long discussions over how fish work as pets. The next day, Zeke decides to take Blah secretly to school in his thermos but this clandestine adventure turns into an anti-climax. The third and final chapter is titled “The Final Flush”; you can guess what’s to come.

I loved the character sketch of the little boy, who is the first person narrator of the story. His personality is established so clearly right from the start. He talks just like kids would, and his rapport with Iggy and his dedication to Blah are a treat to read, even though the latter leads to many wrong decisions. The final chapter was a bit sad, though I admit, it was realistic. I felt really sorry for poor Blah, but it was heartening to see how Zeke realised his mistakes and vowed not to repeat them with his new pet dog.

My favourite part of the book was the bond between Iggy and Zeke ; their idea of using silly coined words for when they couldn’t think of an appropriate word was hilarious. Their friendship leads to several funny moments and their repartee was a treat to read.

Unlike what the cover suggests, this isn’t a picture book but a chapter book with some B&W illustrations thrown in. The sketches are cute and add to the charm of the story. The official reading age as per the Amazon page is 9-12 years but the language is simple enough for younger readers, though the ending might be disturbing for them. At 30 odd pages, it is a very quick read.

Definitely recommended to young independent readers who want to try out a proper story book without feeling overwhelmed by the vocabulary. The humorous situations and the life lessons are a plus.

Content warning: animal death.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author at my request and these are my honest thoughts about it.

The book is available on Kindle Unlimited.

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