What a wonderful and long awaited book! I will be recommending to everybody and I mean EVERYBODY! Funny, sensitive, vibrant and poignant; Archie and his friends and family are a fantastically conveyed cast of characters. Reading this book made me feel as if I had made a whole new group of friends and I didn't want to let them go.

Benjamin Dean covers all experiences effortlessly - his writing is sensitive, joyful and heart-warming. Archie's voice shines out from the page - full of humour, curiosity, loyalty and love. The vibrant illustrations by Sandhya Prabhat's capture the spirit of the story beautifully.

A talented celebration of love and life in all its colours.

In Archie's own words - 'Things always get better if you only give it a little time.'

Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for a review.

This book was just so fantastic! Sad, sweet and so diverse - the relationship between Archie and his friends was beautiful, it goes to show that kids are naturally accepting and loving and are taught to hate.

We need more books like this!

I loved this book so MUCH! It's sweet and brilliantly written and the story is incredible! The characters are so complex and awesome and I loved everything!

thank you Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

oh how I adored this book. I haven't read middle grade for a while now and this made me remember how much I appreciate middle grade novels. the wholesomeness of this book y'all AAAH.

In Me, My Dad and the End of the Rainbow we follow Archie whose parents got divorced and basically hate each other now. but things take a turn when Archie's dad tells him he is gay. Archie is kind of afraid everything will change now. Can't things just go back to normal where he and his dad went to the arcade every week? is everything going to be different now? Archie does want to support his dad and he thinks that going to pride with his friends will give him all of the answers he was searching for.

I loved the relationship between Archie and his dad, and especially how it developed throughout the story. I want to be part of their family omg. I can’t recommend this book enough!

This was wonderfully vibrant, this is the kind of book that I wish were coming out when I was younger. All the kids who won’t feel so alone having more representation and diversity to consume.

In Me, My Dad and the End of the Rainbow, we follow Archie, whose parents have recently separated and who desperately want things to be like before with them all happy. Archies dad comes out to him, Archie decides the best way to fix things and maybe make himself understand things more is to go to London Pride, to find out just what he can do to help.
And it’s a book that’s very much about love. Love for your family, but also love for the LGBT community, Its wholesome and bright. Everything from the way the narrative is handled, to the way this book is targeted to middle grade. The characters were a joy to follow, I love the strong friendship Archie, Seb and Bell are all fantastic. All being there to support each other, they were also funny and adorable. The setting couldn’t have been better a prideful book might be a better way to describe this, but the diversity isn’t the only thing that’s great the writing was perfect and I loved it being from Archies point of view.

Overall this is a book I would recommend to everyone it’s a middle grade that can be enjoyed by all ages and if you looking for a book for younger reader I would recommend this.

Joyful, warm and heartfelt.
Filled with strong characters and empathy, Benjamin Dean, has created a heartfelt novel about family, love and identity.
An wonderful read.

Well this is just a bloody fantastic read!! I always think the more diversely we can convince our children to read, that better the world will be. This book flowed really naturally and followed Archie trying to come to terms with his gay dad and just followed this beautiful story packed with a diverse cast of characters and a lovely adventure story!

I have already bought myself a physical copy!

Me, My Dad and the End of the Rainbow by Benjamin Dean is one of the most heartfelt middlegrade books I have ever read. It is beautifully written from start to finish in the perspective of twelve year old Archie who after discovering a secret his parents had been keeping from him, embarks on a multicoloured adventure with his two best friends. Archie, Seb & Bell are the best characters, their humour and support really made this novel such a delight to read. I love the strong support system of friendship these three characters share.

This novel has such an important message about self acceptance, family and friendship, wrapped up in the most heart-warming story you’ll read this year. This is a refreshingly new and unique take on an LGBTQ+ novel that I haven’t encountered before, we experience the shock and unknown of Archie’s thoughts and feelings on the page with him. Benjamin Dean has written a very nuanced character who processes his thoughts in a careful and loving manner, although Archie had many questions he was polite and caring in the way he approached them. I think this would be an amazing novel to gift to someone you’re hoping to come out to.

Me, My Dad and the End of the Rainbow is definitely one of the very best diverse LGBTQ+ books I have ever read. It was hilarious and yet heart-breaking, but mostly it felt like being wrapped up in the cosiest hug! I would recommend this book to all age ranges. And I can’t wait to read what Benjamin Dean writes next!

Thank you to Simon & Schuster’s and NetGalley for an early copy!

Oooooh boy. This made me feel all the feels and I absolutely enjoyed every second of it!

I’m sure this book will help quite a lot of young people find their way and find out more about who they are, and this truly makes me very happy.

The thing I enjoyed most, though, was how you could feel in each and every word how much Benjamin Dean enjoyed writing it.
It’s a fun read, and it explains well LGBTQ+ topics to younger kids, and it makes my heart melt to know children will get to read it.
Just awesome!

What a gloriously wonderful Middle Grade story! It was such a joy to read!

We had a story with Black lead characters, LGBT+ issues and characters with a lot of diversity (I have read several reviews from other reviewers saying some characters show signs of anxious and one character maybe being autistic). All of this being tackled beautifully for the target audience. Same with the issue of divorce and showing that adults/parents aren't perfect. Plus, this was funny. I chuckled multiply times while reading this because I got Archie's humour and I remember myself thinking exactly the same thing when I was younger.

Yes, there are one or two tiny niggles I had with this (it's me. Of course I spot things that niggle at me), but I get why these issues are in the story and written in the way it was. And yet, this book was a joy to read and these niggles didn't effect my reading.

I loved this book and can't wait to see what Benjamin Dean writes next!

I love middle-grade (which you’ll know if you’ve been following me for longer than four days) but every so often a book comes along which elevates that love to a whole new level. Not only has ‘Me, My Dad and the End of the Rainbow’ launched itself to the top of my middle grade rankings for 2021, it’s secured itself a place among my all time favourites.

Archie Albright is having a difficult time. It’s been three months since his dad moved out and it seems like his parents can’t go more than five minutes without arguing. Worse than that, he gets the distinct impression that there’s something they’re not telling him, something big. When his dad tells Archie that he’s gay, he’s left with thousands of questions he can’t quite find the words to voice and in their absence, a gulf opens up between them. Desperate to reconnect, Archie and his friends devise a plan to find answers at the end of a rainbow, even if they have to break a few rules along the way.

What a beautiful, uplifting and joyful story. I honestly loved everything about this book, the normalisation of not only feeling your feelings (something we don’t see enough of in children’s books with a male protagonist) but opening up to your friends, the complex but loving familial relationships (both those we’re born into and those we choose for ourselves), the varied and wholly positive queer rep… and all of it tied together by a lovely, laugh-out-loud-funny and heartfelt adventure.

I loved the characters, the friendships, the story and I loved all of the love. There definitely isn’t enough queer representation in middle-grade stories and it’s such a joy to start seeing authors like Ben Dean filling that gap with such positivity, heart and joy.

Me, My Dad and the End of the Rainbow is the heartwarming tale of Archie, who is struggling with his parents' recent separation and their constant arguing. When he accidentally finds out the reason for his parents' split is because his dad is gay, he is left with a lot of questions and not many answers. Together with his best friends, Archie comes up with a grand plan to help him reconnect with his dad and bring his family back together, which leads them on an hilarious adventure.

It is great to see more diverse, inclusive children's books being published and it is refreshing to see LGBT+ represented and normalised. With books such as this one, hopefully more children will see themselves and their families reflected in what they read. This is a lovely book for UKS2 children and I am sure they will enjoy this funny, touching story.

This is one of the best Middle Grade books I have ever read! Archie has such a genuine voice, and the topics of race and sexuality are done so perfectly.

Firstly, I love that this book exists and I love that more books about the LGBTQ+ community are being published. It makes me happy knowing that kids can start to read these stories and learn from a young age that we are all humans and no matter who we love we should all be treated equally.

I enjoyed the way 'Me, My Dad and the End of the Rainbow,' was written, because it felt to me like Archie was very relatable to young kids nowadays who may be picking up this book not knowing much about Pride and the LGBTQ+ community. Archie was funny and emotional and what he was going through and discovering was very informative and done in such a way that I think kids will take to and learn from. I think this is so important. While Archie might be going through such a BIG problem at the time, I hope reading this book will make kids realise that it's not actually a BIG problem really and therefore start to see the world through a multi-coloured lens, thus creating a better, more equal future.

This book had adventure and excitement in all the right places, with humour that made me laugh out loud, but it also dealt with family issues, school and home life sensitively and lovingly. Not to mention the messages to kids about not trying this at home and staying safe - I think my heart was in my mouth for a good portion of the end of the book!! I forget what it's like to be 12 and how young that is!

With memorable characters - I had a soft spot for Oscar, an engaging storyline and a wonderful, wonderful message to tie it all together, I highly recommend this book for young and old readers alike. I would really love to see it in school libraries too! Congratulations Benjamin Dean on a brilliant debut with 'Me, My Dad and the End of the Rainbow.'

I started to read this as an arc on netgalley (thank you) and then I got it on audiobook as soon as it became available.
This was such an important lgbtqia+ middle grade read. For both children who have parents who are divorced/splitting up and for families who want to talk more about lgbtqia+ lives.

This tells the story of Archie whose parents have not long split up and are arguing a lot. He also feels like he isn't being told the whole story.
So with the support of his 2 best friends they go on a quest of discovery making friends along the way, learning about different walks of life and the amazing people who live them.

This is a must read for children and indeed anyone above age of 9. Great writing and a wonderful addition to my library.

A really fun book and a great introduction to LGBTQ+ community without delving into adult themes.

Lovely, relatable characters among the kids and a variety of adult characters that are eye opening to younger readers; these people feel real, human, and truthful with no dumb-ing down.

I really enjoyed this read and will recommend it to many customers.

A heartwarming take of adjusting to family change, and navigating a parent coming out as gay.

The friendships and family relationships in the book are strong and caring, which is lovely to read. Even the relationship between Archie's mum and dad feels realistic but hopeful as they argue abd cry and figure it all out but nevertheless support each other and support each other in supporting Archie.

This is not just a book which celebrates diversity (which it does, with bells on) but normalises it. For those children who find themselves here when they've not seen themselves in books before, there's so much reassurance, positivity and affirmation.

I have to be honest, I didn't absolutely love the characters and some of the behaviours/knowledge/'worldliness (or lack of) felt a bit off, but that is a really personal thing and wouldn't stop me recommending this.

The way it balances humour and real life will make it hugely appealing to young readers and its LGBTQ+ themes and the way it explores them openly, sensitively and with such joy and positivity makes it a really important book to get into young readers' hands.

And I absolutely LOVED the descriptions of pride and the pride family reuniting the following year. As, someone who goes to Manchester pride every year with an ever expanding pride family made up of so many people we've met there year to year and now our children too, this felt so real and brought joy to my heart (it also has me yearning for our next gay Christmas!)

The biggest warm hug of a b0ok and one that has made my heart so so happy. A glorious read that I would recommend to all!

This is the story of Archie Albright, a young teen struggling with the break-up of his parents. He desperately wants things to go back to normal, to his Friday nights in the arcade with his dad and his mum not locking herself in her room. But, unable to shake the feeling that there is a secret being kept from him, Archie searches for the answers until a colourful flyer falls from dad’s pocket, and he learns that his dad is gay. Despite support from his family, friends, and neighbours, Archie feels his world has changed forever, even his arcade trips feel different, tense somehow. So he and his friends set out on an exciting but hasty plan to follow the rainbow and find out more about the colourful world he is now a part of.

The vivid array of background characters they meet at pride feel like a genuine family, who welcome the Archie, and the reader, with open arms. Although Archie and his friends don’t always make the most sensible decisions, they are driven by love and wanting to accept Archie’s dad, for whoever he truly is. Sen and Bell make excellent allys, supporting Archie, listening to him, and helping him to explore and find out more about the LGBTQIA+ world. Oscar in particular serves as a brilliant mentor to Archie, he’s a calm and reassuring presence (despite the calamities of the trip!) and provides words of wisdom to Archie and to the reader, “It’s just interesting… What some people think is a big deal. People love to freak out over things that don’t really matter at all.”

The overwhelming reaction to “Me, My Dad and the End of the Rainbow” seems to be one of relief that this book exists – I’ve heard so many describe it as the book they wished they’d read when they were a child. While I feel a pang of sadness that such a book is still so vital in 2021, I am glad that I’ll be able to share this book with the next generation, and that it will not only open their eyes to a world of rainbows and acceptance, but also teach them how to be an ally to others in our increasingly vibrant and diverse world. This is a really wholesome exploration of a parent coming out, perfect for a middle-grade audience. It struck just the right note, balancing the acknowledgement of the discomfort Archie experiences, and the sadness of his Mum, but their drive to accept him and love him for who he is. A good introduction to the LGBTQ+ world, a little idealistic perhaps, and doesn’t explore the complex emotions or conflict which often comes with such a story, but at the end of the day, this is how it should be… No great fuss or commotion, just figuring out that things are, infact, exactly the same as they always were. Beautiful illustrations from Sandhya Prabhat set the book off perfectly. It’s gentle, it’s open, it’s full of love, joy, and acceptance – I can’t wait to put this on my class bookshelf.

First and foremost, I will get this book for my library, recommend it to both children and adults, and would recommend others do the same. It is a sweet, light-hearted introduction to LGBTQ+ issues with a unique perspective and some much-needed voices. The writing style is bouncy and dynamic, and the humour will appeal to lovers of 'funny' books, even though this is a more serious topic.

Unfortunately, there are a few things that hold this back for me. Ultimately it doesn't get beyond the surface, he never actually discusses his father's sexuality with him, not directly articulates or confronts some of the more difficult questions (e.g. questions of truthfulness, lying to family, the meaning of his parents' relationship). These questions are difficult, hurtful and usually misguided but they do come up, and by not confronting them this book really missed a chance to help children process this difficulty in its pursuit of upbeat positivity.

I also felt that was an underlying sexism in the way the mother was characterises, with her being described as literally 'shrilling' some of her speech. Her character and relationship with her ex husband often felt inconsistent and 2D - she goes from calmly discussing his being gay to the next night bursting into tears just at seeing a pride flyer.

Overall, as I say, the good far outweighs the bad and I'm sure this will be a treasured title for many. I am just disappointed to see what could have been a truly standout book lagging behind, and wish that people had truly pushed for this to be all it could be.