Really liked this book. Quite an obvious story, nothing overly original, but a nice easy read and a good story. Likeable characters.

Unfortunately, I requested this book, but didn't get to read it before it was archived. I wish I had gotten to it.

I am currently purchasing books for our secondary school library for our senior students. I am trying to provide a balance of genres and periods and really try and introduce them to a wide range of modern fiction. This book would definitely go down well with a hypercritical teenage audience as it has a bit of everything - great characterisation and a narrative style that draws you in and keeps you reading whilst also making you think about a wide range of issues at the same time. I think that school libraries are definitely changing and that the book we purchase should provide for all tastes and reflect the types of books that the students and staff go on to enjoy after leaving school. Little Big Man is the kind of book that you can curl up with and totally immerse yourself in and I think it will definitely go down well at my school. I think that it was the perfect blend of page-turning fiction with a strong message about love, and what family means. I think it would be a big hit with our seniors and will definitely recommend that we buy a copy as soon as we can.

Be prepared for all the emotions as Zac seeks to find his father. An emotional roller coaster. That is recommended reading.

Little Big Man was a great book with memorable characters. Written from three points of views including Zac who is trying to find his father. A fab book I enjoyed.

Oh my goodness, Little Big Man is the most wonderful book. It made me smile and it made me cry and it made me want to hug Zac. He's the 10 year old boy who's looking for his dad, the one that left before he was even born...didn't he? The truth is there's an awful lot more to it than that. His mum, Juliet, knows a lot more about his dad and he's determined to get more facts so that he can try and find him.

Along with his feisty, tiny friend, Teagan, he sets out on the FDM (Find Dad Mission). These two kids were just the most fantastic creations. They balanced each other out perfectly and I actually felt proud of them, even though they're not real and I'm only the reader. This is a book that got to the very heart of me and in fact, got hold of my heart and squeezed it tightly.

What I really liked about Zac and Teagan was that their voices were authentic. They didn't sound too contrived, too childlike, but at the same time it was clear they were children and had a child's way of looking at things.

I absolutely loved Juliet too. She had issues, but she recognised them and started to deal with them. She never stopped loving Liam, Zac's dad, and as the book progresses we are drip-fed details about what actually led to Liam leaving.

This is a book that deals with grief, love, guilt, weight issues, bullying - these are some meaty topics but Regan approaches them with understanding and care.

The prose is simply beautiful. Zac has been sent home with a letter from school stating that he is over the weight he should be. Juliet reads the letter and this is what she thinks:

"You want to know what hurts the most about getting that letter? The feeling that something beautiful and sacred has been soiled. Because to me, Zac has always been perfect - the only thing in my life that is - yet here's this letter in black and white telling me that he isn't; that the only thing that I'm proud of in my life isn't even good enough."

I marked that passage just because it really moved me, but I could have quoted and quoted so many beautiful passages from this book. It's a stunner of a read. It broke my heart and put it back together again many times and there was one scene in particular, close to the end, that saw me in tears. It's an absolute beauty!

PREPARE TO FALL IN LOVE WITH 10-YEAR OLD, ZAC, BULLIED BUT BRAVE!
In LITTLE BIG MAN (PanMacMillan) by Katy Regan, it's true, "sometimes it takes a little man, to see the big things in life." LITTLE BIG MAN has all the elements we love in a novel, family secrets, love, grief, lies and the hurt and damage they can do.

Ten-year-old Zac has never met his dad, who allegedly took off before he was born. But when his mom lets it slip that he’s the only man she’s ever loved, Zac turns "Columbo" and, enlisting the help of his best friend, comes up with a plan to find his father and give his mom the happy-ever-after she deserves. What he doesn’t realize, though, is that sometimes people have good reasons for leaving.

Take out the Kleenex. LITTLE BIG MAN is an emotional roller coaster. You kind of sigh at the end, but you feel better for having spent some quality time with Zac. He's the son every mother .... and father would want. I'd never heard of British author, Katy Regan, but I' glad we've been introduced. Her prose are a breath of fresh air and completely real.

I could not review this book as it was not available for the kindle and I was unable to access the other format. Sorry

Unfortunately, I couldn't read and review this book for Netgalley as it was sent in the wrong format for my Kindle, I will keep an eye out for this book and hopefully review at a later date

With his eleventh birthday approaching, Zac decides that it is time to actively look for his father. He has never met him because his father was not interested in him and left his mom before he was born. His friend Teagan is going to help him with his search and they are quite determined even though they have to keep their mission secret since in Zac’s family, it is forbidden to ever mention his father because of what he had done. But it’s not only the Dad-finding-mission that keeps Zac occupied, for months now he has been bullied due to his weight and now the school has written a letter to his mother. Life is not easy when you are ten years old. Especially when there are adults around you with secrets they want to keep.

I really loved this book even though in its story, there is not much that is positive after all. Zac’s life is all but easy: his mother Juliet is fighting, but as a single parent with a low income, they cannot afford any fancy pastime activities and the lack of a partner doesn’t make things easier. Both find relief in food which isn’t helpful after all, so another war that has to be fought. However, the love they show for each other is genuine and the only actual ray of hope.

The story is told alternatively from Zac’s, Juliet’s and Mick’s point of view – this is a bit astonishing as in the beginning you cannot really figure out why Juliet’s father Mick is that important while his wife’s perspective isn’t given. Yet, the secrets the adults have kept from Zac for more than ten years are slowly unfolded and the more you hear from Mick, the more obvious his role becomes.

Katy Regan did a great job in portraying what life in school can be for outsiders like Zac and his friend Teagan. It is hard to say, but all the bullying is just too authentic. And she also shows what this does to the kids – luckily, Zac has found a friend he can confide in. It would be a lot harder if he was on his own. The author also found the perfect voice for Zac, his diary entries sound like the one’s of a 10-year-old, a clever one but nevertheless a child.

Even though the lives of the characters are not too joyful, the novel is often full of humour and definitively of love – a classic bitter-sweet story that hits the heart.

I',m unable to download this book on my kindle so unable to review

Because this book was not compatible with my Kindle I was unable to read it

Unfortunately I was unable to review this book as despite trying numerous methods I was unable to download to my kindle.

A beautifully written captivating story about a young boy called Zac, And his determination to find his absent father and invite him to his 11th birthday party. The story is told from the views of Zac, Zac’s mother Juliet and his grandfather Mick. Each voice is unique and individual, each telling a part of the same story. The story is uplifting but equally heartbreaking, a wonderful story that tears at the heart strings.

After some difficulty downloading this book and a slow start, I wasn’t sure that I would enjoy the story but I am so glad I persevered.

Zac is ten, he has never met his dad, he was told his dad left before he was born. Juliet is bringing up Zac on her own, life has not been easy since Zac’s dad left, she’s unhappy, overweight and struggling to survive, the only good thing in her life is Zac. On discovering that his mum might still have feelings for his dad, Zac with the help of his friend Teagan decides to try to discover the whereabouts of his dad.

The story is told from the point of view of Zac, Juliet and and Juliet’s dad, Zac soon discovers that secrets have been kept and things are not as they seem.

A great story with strong characters, this is a heartwarming read which I recommend.