Bim Blake’s Hot Takes: My Pencil Case Doesn’t Define Me

‘Laugh out loud, full of heart and fantastic fun! I predict that the hot take among young readers will be that they completely love it!’ * A.F. Steadman, author of the Skandar series *
‘A perfect tween diary with a strong, immediate voice and relatable struggles, from accidentally flashing your class to first crush horrors.’ * Louie Stowell, author of Loki: A Bad God’s Guide to Being Good *
‘Authentic, funny and painfully real – this diary-style book is a perfect companion for tweens navigating the ups, downs and all the changes that come with secondary school.’ * Hannah Gold, author of The Last Bear *
‘I loved Bím Blake’s Hot Takes on familiar tween firsts, like bra fittings, starting high school and experiencing her first crush, all whilst dealing with her well-meaning (and completely lovely) family. Amongst the comedy, some serious topics were dealt with sensitively, giving the story depth. Plus, Bím’s affirmations were both wise and uplifting. Ariana Taylor’s brilliant illustrations add to the fun yet realistic tween voice Tolá Okogwu has created for Bím, and the warmth of a Nigerian heritage family really shines through. Funny, warm and relatable – the perfect book for tweens moving up into year seven.’ * Jen Carney, author of The Accidental Diary of B. U. G. *
‘A witty, wonder of a book!’ * Lisa Thompson, author of The Goldfish Boy *
‘Relatable, funny and heartwarming! Bím Blake is sure to be everyone’s new favourite fictional best friend.’ * Sharna Jackson, author of High Rise Mystery *
‘Brilliantly funny, full of heart, and the storyline had me hooked from the start – I couldn’t put it down!’ * Abigail Balfe, author of This is NOT the Diary of Izzy Dobson *
‘Perfect for fans of Lottie Brooks and Dork Diaries, this fun new diary-style book with its fantastic cast of characters gives us a window into the world of Bím Blake as she navigates family, friendships, feelings and the very messy business of transitioning to secondary school.’ * Rashmi Sirdeshpande, author of Hari Kumar, Ultimate Superstar *
‘Honest, heartfelt and incredibly relatable, Bím Blake’s Hot Takes is absolutely perfect for readers navigating the emotional rollercoaster of starting secondary school. I loved the fierce friendships and affirmations, and the journal-style writing, mixing diary with text chat and illustrations, is highly readable.’ * Vashti Hardy, author of Brightstorm *
‘This is the book eleven-year-old me would have adored. Full of relatable embarrassments, drama and friendships, it’s packed with humour and warmth. And so many small details that gave me immense inner Black girl joy.’ * Claire Linney, author of the Time Tub Travellers series *

Tola Okogwu (Author)

Tola Okogwu is a bestselling British-Nigerian children’s author and journalist. Born in Lagos, Nigeria, but raised in London, England, she studied Journalism and spent some years exploring the world of blogging, haircare and freelance writing before returning to her first love … fiction. Her debut middle-grade book, Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun, was Waterstones Book of the Month and shortlisted for the British Book Awards. She has published three books in this series and a World Book Day spin-off, alongside a number of picture books.

Ariyana Taylor (Illustrator)

Ariyana Taylor is a freelance illustrator and character designer based in Brooklyn, New York. In 2020 she graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology with a bachelor’s degree in illustration. Since then, she has illustrated for both small businesses and larger animation companies, such as Netflix, Titmouse and Bent Image Lab.

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