Can Vincent go or not? [Review]

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Title: Vincent Can’t Go (hOle book)
Author: Mariyam Fatima
Illustrator: Habib Ali
Publisher: Duckbill Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House India
Type: Paperback
Pages: 73 pages
Recommended Age: 7 – 10 years

hOle books are super interesting with age-appropriate font size and illustrations. We were quite excited when Asha ji suggested to review a new hole book. My 7-year-old daughter Ananya dived into it the moment it arrived and has been giggling to herself ever since.

Meet Vincent. He is an 8-year-old shy boy from a multicultural family. He comes from a family where both parents work and shares a close bond with his father. When his father is sent abroad on a year-long project, life at home changes. Vincent feels this is a punishment for Abu’s hard work. He maintains a diary with a section – Thoughts for Enlightenment where he writes down his highly valued life lessons. “Never be too good at your job” stands first in his list of life lessons, as he feels you are then sent away from loved ones.

His mother, Henrietta (aka Henry), is a nurse with a hectic, unpredictable schedule. She watches over Vincent with quiet determination, often saying NO to sleepovers, playdates, and parties. Vincent notices the sparkle in her eyes has dimmed, replaced by worry that shadows her once joyful smile. He misses the laughter that used to fill their home.

Siraj is his only close friend among the few he has. Vincent has been quietly wishing to join Siraj’s birthday party on a weekday when his mother would be away at work. But every time he tries to bring it up, he stops himself. His mother is always so busy – he worries she’ll say no, or worse, not really listen. He feels an itch behind his ear every time things get a bit hard and felt his mom would say a NO. So instead, he keeps it to himself, hoping she’ll somehow just know what he wants without him having to say it out loud. Will Vincent manage to go to Siraj’s party? Will he have the courage to speak his mind? Will Henry understand what Vincent wants?

The characters are well portrayed, with vivid details that made them feel real and relatable. The author’s description brought out their personality and emotions in a way that truly connected. It was easy to imagine the character’s world and understand their feelings. Illustrations complement the story well.

Your voice is your power. Never let it be silenced.

Ananya liked the quotes that Vincent wrote in his diary the most. In fact, she quotes them frequently!

“Never be too good at your job”

Happy Reading!

All of Duckbill’s hOle books come highly recommended for the topics they cover and of course, their humour.

The bookset of 25 hOle books is also available and works out awesome for gifting throughout the year!
NEW! The Library of hOles Box Set Product Bundle – Import, 22 May 2023 – This box set has 33 hOle books – Buy 30, Get 3 free!!

If you are intrigued to know more about Vincent and whether he managed to speak his mind or not, do get your own copy from Amazon (kbc affiliate link).

CLICK & BUY NOW!

Disclaimer: Pooja and Ananya are a part of the #kbcReviewerSquad and received these books as review copies from the publisher via kbc.