Sam Copeland: Uma and the Answer to Absolutely Everything (Puffin Books 2021)
Uma is not a main character who has any special abilities or gains them during the story. She is just as normal at the beginning of the story as she is at the end. She just got lucky and found an omniscient artificial intelligence, Athena, who can answer any question. This comes in handy because Uma has a lot of questions. For example, why did her mother leave them? Or will her father talk again? Is a parking lot being built on the place of their town? Uma tries to find the answers with the help of Athena and her best friend Alan Alan (yes, twice).
Like other Sam Copeland books, here too, he deals with a difficult topic, but he takes the edge off by humor and makes it digestible and enjoyable. Uma’s character is very kind and smart. Alan Alan is also likable, although less smart… I recommend it to anyone who loves animals, as you might even learn a few phrases in alpaca. Who knows when it will come in handy?
Sam Copeland was born in Manchester and currently lives in London with his family. He is still looking for an answer to the question „Who am I?”. His first book Charlie Changes into a Chicken won numerous awards and was followed by two sequels. The author’s books always convey important and serious topics, but he lightens the mood with humor. I will definitely read the author’s other books.
