Ages ago I asked for a reader copy of Cross My Heart and Never Lie and was lucky enough to receive a copy. However, in the crazy that is my life, I finally found time to read it, but like any book this was the right time. It turned into an interesting book that is in a diary format, which is familiar, as is the theme of growing up, coming of age and the stages we find ourselves in, in comparison to our friends, but it is all done in a way that is fun and fresh. As it is not set in the US or UK, it has a slightly different feel to it, but it is also comforting to know that no matter where we are, we are the same with our ups and downs when it comes to the growing pains of our preteen and teen years.
Nora Dasnes takes on her experiences with poetic licenses, and makes the story modern and classic. The simpler illustrations of Dasnes, represent a pre-teen/teens style of drawing, are colorful and make the tone of things be more upbeat. The GLBTQ+ theme is handled well, and the father of our narrator is realistic (she wants to go shopping, he gives the environmental speech, she mentions the need for an “undergarment” and dad quickly ahs the “well SUUUURE GOOO… it’s all GREAAAT! Here’s money!”) Overall, a good read and while probably best for ages 10 and up, adults should read, and younger readers could read as the content is not “over their heads” but, as always, know your reader.
I was pleased that Matt Bagguley’s translation was smooth, as I can have issues with Scandinavian/Norwegian translations. This allowed the flow of things to be almost effortless. Any bumps I had were due to things such as how the grade Tova is in is mentioned or other cultural differences. My only real issue is the book I had was oversized, as if it was a very thick notebook, or the journal Tuva was actually writing in. This made it hard for me to hold, but otherwise, I enjoyed this book, and look forward to recommending it. Available in both hardcover and paper, this would be a lovely gift for your favorite pre-teen/early teen reader. I look forward to reading Save Our Forest! (coming in July 2024) that focuses on the characters of Cross My Heart and Never Lie, but takes another character as the lead.