Blog Tour Review + Giveaway: INKLING by Kenneth Oppel




INKLING by Kenneth Oppel


Happy Tuesday and welcome to week 2 of INKLING Book Tour! 
In partnership with Rockstar Book Tours, I have reviewed Kenneth Oppel's latest novel. Check it out below!


About the Book:
Title: INKLING
Author: Kenneth Oppel
Pub. Date: November 6, 2018
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Formats: Hardcover, eBook, audiobook
Pages: 272
Find it: GoodreadsAmazonAudibleB&NiBooksTBD

Synopsis:
From the acclaimed author of The NestThe Boundless, and Airborn comes a brilliantly funny, breakout book about a boy who discovers an ink blot that's come to life! Perfect for those who love Hoot and Frindle and sure to be a hit with kids everywhere!

The Rylance family is stuck. Dad's got writer's block. Ethan promised to illustrate a group project at school--even though he can't draw. Sarah's still pining for a puppy. And they all miss Mom. So much more than they can say.

Enter Inkling. Inkling begins life in Mr. Rylance's sketchbook. But one night the ink of his drawings runs together--and then leaps off the page! This small burst of creativity is about to change everything.

Ethan finds him first. Inkling has absorbed a couple chapters of his math book--not good--and the story he's supposed to be illustrating for school--also not good. But Inkling's also started drawing the pictures to go with the story--which is amazing! It's just the help Ethan was looking for! Inkling helps the rest of the family too--for Sarah he's a puppy. And for Dad he's a spark of ideas for a new graphic novel. It's exactly what they all want.

It's not until Inkling goes missing that this family has to face the larger questions of what they--and Inkling--truly need.

Kenneth Oppel has given us a small masterpiece of middle-grade fiction. Inkling is funny and fizzy and exciting, and brimming with the kind of interesting ideas and dilemmas that kids will love to wrestle with. And Sydney Smith is creating wonderfully inky illustrations to bring the story to vivid life. Get ready. A little ink blot is about to become your new favorite character!

Review:

INKLING is a definite original and a clever read that I have read so far! To think that I was sad whenever an ink blot was in danger is truly saying something! Oppel not only gave an ink blot personality and wit, but also gave the characters a true plot and dialogue. The main character Ethan struggles with not being as great as a cartoon drawer as his father, who has drawer's block and can't come up with something as good as his previous cartoon. In addition, to a strained relationship with his dad and taking care of little sister, who has Down Syndrome; Ethan lost his mom and misses her more each day. I really resonated with this bit the most because losing a loved one changes not only your life, but your relationships with others. Oppel portrays the change of relationship really well with Ethan and his dad. 

Of course, ink blot who Ethan has named Inkling gets Ethan into certain circumstances that of course would involve a boy wants to learn how to draw and an ink blot that wants explore all the ink the world has to offer!

Overall, I rate the book 4 stars!


About Kenneth:

I was born in Port Alberni, a mill town on Vancouver Island, British Columbia but spent the bulk of my childhood in Victoria, B.C. and on the opposite coast, in Halifax, Nova Scotia. At around twelve I decided I wanted to be a writer. I started out writing sci-fi epics then went on to swords and sorcery tales and then, during the summer holiday when I was fourteen, started on a humorous story about a boy addicted to video games. 

Photo credit: Mark Raynes Roberts

Giveaway!!
 Enter to win! 3 lucky winners will receive a finished copy of INKLING, US Only.




Check out the complete tour here!!!
Tour Schedule:
Week One:
11/1/2018- The Reading Corner for AllReview
11/2/2018- Here's to Happy EndingsReview

Week Two:
11/5/2018- Belles Book BlogReview
11/6/2018- D Wants to ReadReview
11/7/2018- Beagles & BooksReview
11/8/2018- YA Books CentralInterview
11/9/2018- Belle's ArchiveReview

Week Three:
11/12/2018- Maddie.TV - Review
11/13/2018- Cindy's Love of BooksReview
11/14/2018- Bri's Book NookReview
11/15/2018- FUONLYKNEWReview
11/16/2018- BookHounds YAReview

Week Four:
11/19/2018- Twirling Book Princess- Excerpt
11/20/2018- Book-KeepingReview
11/21/2018- A Dream Within A DreamExcerpt
11/22/2018- All the Ups and Downs- Excerpt
11/23/2018- Lilly's Book World- Review

Week Five:
11/26/2018- The Layaway DragonReview
11/27/2018- The Cover ContessaInterview
11/28/2018- The Pages In-BetweenReview
11/29/2018- Adventures Thru Wonderland- Review
11/30/2018- Oh Hey! Books.Review


Thanks for reading!
D. 


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