This is a wonderful story full of laughter, adventure and friendships of all kinds with a bank robbery thrown in for good fun!

The story follows Rex, who is going to stay at his Uncle Derm's place for the summer, on the beautiful but rainy Aran Islands. As Rex comes out of his shell with the help of his Uncle and the next door neighbour Kitty, he discovers that her dad and Uncle Derm are trying to follow in the footsteps of the legendary Pirate Queen Grace O'Malley and take from the rich and give to the local retirement building that is need of repair. The kids help them in making a plan and so begins a fantastic adventure of twists and turns!

This was 'The' book to read this past summer for so many kids and was my favourite to recommend. There was so much heart in this story behind the fun and hijinks, especially at the end that made me shed a tear or two. Rex was a great character to follow and watch grow as he became confident and open to those around him. The characters on the island were all so distinct and wonderfully weird, which made the plot so much more enjoyable to follow!

I know David O Doherty's previous series was also a great hit so I cant wait to see what comes next from this great comedian/ author!

Thank you to Penguin Random House UK (Puffin) and Netgalley for the early eArc of the book!

While some of the background to this book’s plot is dark (parental divorce, absent father, mother hospitalised, uncle terminally ill!), the story is lightly told and full of humour. When Rex meets his Uncle Derm’s neighbour Kitty, and they learn what Derm and Kitty’s dad Ronan are up to, chaotic adventures ensue.
The addition of a bumbling local police officer adds to the humour.
Rex’s mum has been overprotective but as he spends more time on Achill Island with his uncle he starts to develop and grow his life experiences and personality.
Some of the conclusions require a little suspension of science/physics disbelief but this book just works!
It gambles along, with never a dull moment and will have you laughing and cringing along with Rex. Great fun!

Rex spends his summer on a small island off the coast of Ireland with his mad uncle Derm. There he gets up to lots of madcap schemes and would you believe it, even robs a bank. Larger than life characters, lots of humour and a whacky plot bring this book to life.

This is a great book for younger readers along the lines of Noah’s Gold or The Super Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

My 9 year old loved this story about a boy Rex and his uncle Derm and a crazy summer where they robbed a bank. He loved the characters and the writing style and would recommend this to all readers that enjoy lots of laughs and mysteries. Many thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Random House Children’s UK for the ARC

The summer I robbed a bank was a heartfelt novel about family, change and loss that I really enjoyed!

The writing was incredibly witty and funny which complimented the plot! The plot in itself was brilliant and engaging. Rex and Kitty felt like realistic characters and made me root for them! The theme was carried perfectly throughout the book and the ending also reflected on that.

My only issue was that the pace towards the end was a bit slower and dragged the story on. I didn't understand why they had to rob a bank just to save a hospital when there were many other ways they could have raised money.

Other than that this was a great middle grade read that had me gripped throughout!

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the E-arc!

A well written and enjoyable story featuring great characters. I enjoyed it as it's well written and the characters are fleshed.
I think it can be appreciated by children and adults.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Rex's parents have split up and when his mum is taken into hospital he must go and stay with his Uncle Derm on a rainy Irish Island.

While on the island Uncle Drem plans to rob a bank to and use the money for a good cause on the island - what could possible go wrong?

Rex gets caught up in the robbery and along the way learns a lot about himself and what he can do.

A good book about getting out of your comfort zone and friendship.

David O’Doherty is such a natural when it comes to writing for kids. I read this with my 7 year old and he absolutely loved it (he constantly rereads the Danger series also by David O’Doherty). The Summer I Robbed a Bank is such a genuinely entertaining and heartfelt story - full of childhood innocence and fun and wonder. It is set on Achill Island off the coast of Ireland and it is a love letter to the island and its environment throughout. It is ultimately a story of friendship and love with lots of madcap belly-laugh enducing capers thrown in. It is a pure joy to read for adults and children alike. I am so thankful I got approved for an ARC from Netgalley and Penguin but we will definitely be buying a hard copy to treasure and as gifts for friends.

The Summer I Robbed a Bank is a brilliantly bonkers, map-cap and outrageous story with laughs-a-plenty and a whole lot of heart.

When shy, anxious Rex is forced to spend the summer on Achill Island with his unpredictable Uncle Derm, he worries about the sharks, the sheep and the sea. One thing he doesn’t even consider is the possibility of getting involved in a Robin Hood-esque bank robbery!

This is a fabulous book: the characters are lovable, the story is beyond unpredictable and, as well as being laugh out loud funny, it has an undercurrent of real and raw emotion. I laughed and I cried reading it. It would be perfect for fans of Frank Cottrell-Boyce’s Noah’s Gold and I can see it quickly becoming a firm favourite in my Year 5 classroom. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

This is the story of Rex and his Summer with Uncle Derm turns out to be one he’ll never forget. The characters are whacky yet lovable, the story engrosses you from the off, making this a fantastically bizarre, uplifting story of Rex finding his place in the word.
Impossible to put down, this gem of a book will have you laughing all the way to the end. The perfect read.

The Summer I Robbed a Bank is a brilliantly bonkers, map-cap and outrageous story with laughs-a-plenty and a whole lot of heart.

When shy, anxious Rex is forced to spend the summer on Achill Island with his unpredictable Uncle Derm, he worries about the sharks, the sheep and the sea. One thing he doesn’t even consider is the possibility of getting involved in a Robin Hood-esque bank robbery!

This is a fabulous book: the characters are lovable, the story is beyond unpredictable and, as well as being laugh out loud funny, it has an undercurrent of real and raw emotion. I laughed and I cried reading it. It would be perfect for fans of Frank Cottrell-Boyce’s Noah’s Gold and I can see it quickly becoming a firm favourite in my Year 5 classroom. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.