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The Great (Food) Bank Heist
Written with great empathy and Rauf’s trademark humour, The Great (Food) Bank Heist is a moving story that gives a child’s-eye view of the increasing problem of food poverty.
On Thursdays, Nelson, Ashley and Mum head out to the bank. But not just any old bank – the food bank. With its shining tins and packets of food stacked from floor to ceiling, Nelson thinks it’s the best kind of bank there is. But there’s a thief in town, and the shelves of the food bank are getting emptier each day, leaving people hungrier than ever. For the sake of his family and everyone else’s, Nelson needs to make them stop. But can he and his friends really be the ones to catch the bank robber?
On Thursdays, Nelson, Ashley and Mum head out to the bank. But not just any old bank – the food bank. With its shining tins and packets of food stacked from floor to ceiling, Nelson thinks it’s the best kind of bank there is. But there’s a thief in town, and the shelves of the food bank are getting emptier each day, leaving people hungrier than ever. For the sake of his family and everyone else’s, Nelson needs to make them stop. But can he and his friends really be the ones to catch the bank robber?
104 pages, Paperback
Published July 1, 2021
11 people are currently reading
184 people want to read
About the author
Onjali Q. Raúf
28 books289 followersOnjali Q. Rauf is the founder of Making Herstory, an organisation mobilising men, women and children from all walks of life to tackle the abuse and trafficking of women and girls in the UK and beyond. In her spare time she delivers emergency aid convoys for refugee families surviving in Calais and Dunkirk, and supports interfaith projects.
Her first novel, The Boy at the Back of the Class, has sold over 100,000 copies and won multiple awards. Her second book, The Star Outside My Window, publishes in October 2019.
Her first novel, The Boy at the Back of the Class, has sold over 100,000 copies and won multiple awards. Her second book, The Star Outside My Window, publishes in October 2019.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
November 12, 2021
The plot of this book is so very Raúf - having read The Boy at the Back of the Class a little while ago, I can hear the same adventurous, child-friendly, conversational voice that I enjoyed.
However I'm going to probably outrage some people and say I prefer this book by a mile!
It's a simpler, shorter, more accessible book and, although they are obviously both about very different important issues, I think this does exactly what The Boy did, but better.
It has a diverse main cast (no paletable white saviour complex here), beautiful illustrations, the same child-led adventure and heroic community ending, and covers very intense emotions and economic unjust in a clear, empathetic and easy to discuss way. It even manages to create real world parallels for discussion (for example 'Noah Equiano' the famous footballer...) and gives explanations and ideas aboit food banks and food poverty at the back - perfect for a teacher. Although I could definitely go without ever having to read the word 's/hero' ever again please...
This would be a great book to use in a class to discuss food banks, economic disparity, actvism and Marcus Rashford - a book to hook even those who may struggle to get into reading.
Slight spoiler ahead:
I would love to discuss how the book might have ended differently, or chidrens' feelings about the thieves, if they had been stealing the food for themselves rather than to sell off... I can see a really interesting moral discussion occurring in the right classroom.
However I'm going to probably outrage some people and say I prefer this book by a mile!
It's a simpler, shorter, more accessible book and, although they are obviously both about very different important issues, I think this does exactly what The Boy did, but better.
It has a diverse main cast (no paletable white saviour complex here), beautiful illustrations, the same child-led adventure and heroic community ending, and covers very intense emotions and economic unjust in a clear, empathetic and easy to discuss way. It even manages to create real world parallels for discussion (for example 'Noah Equiano' the famous footballer...) and gives explanations and ideas aboit food banks and food poverty at the back - perfect for a teacher. Although I could definitely go without ever having to read the word 's/hero' ever again please...
This would be a great book to use in a class to discuss food banks, economic disparity, actvism and Marcus Rashford - a book to hook even those who may struggle to get into reading.
Slight spoiler ahead:
I would love to discuss how the book might have ended differently, or chidrens' feelings about the thieves, if they had been stealing the food for themselves rather than to sell off... I can see a really interesting moral discussion occurring in the right classroom.
August 14, 2021
This is an excellent read. I think it’s so important that children read about others that aren’t as fortunate as themselves or that they can see themselves in literature.
November 3, 2021
Fabulous kids book. Real story, leaves an impression and opens a discussion.
July 29, 2021
Yet again another amazing book by Onjali. The way in which she write about such sensitive topics is AMAZING!!! She can make me cry and laugh equally through every book. A gift that should be recognised and praised in equal measure!
August 12, 2021
This book was amazing I definitely recommend it to any age i won’t give it away but it’s very good. Read if you enjoy fun adventures books if not still read
🙂😜
🙂😜
July 3, 2021
Child poverty is a big problem in the UK, though one that a lot of people probably don't like to acknowledge exists. We hear of families that barely have enough food to live, of children going hungry and worrying about whether or not they're going to eat the next day or not and a lot of people will imagine it happening in third world countries, of distant parts of the world that are different from our own. But the sad fact is that it happens here, that there will be people where you live who have to go to food banks in order to survive.
It's easy to pretend that it isn't happening around us, that it's something far removed, something that we can't change. But that's wrong, because you'll have seen people who are starving, who need help. The Great (Food) Bank Heist is trying to raise awareness of this issue, it's showing people who might never have even thought about it before that it's happening all around us. The story might be exaggerating certain things, it might be throwing in some artistic license, but the children in this book who have empty cupboards at home, who need their schools breakfast clubs and help from the food bank just to survive is very real; and it's something that we all need to acknowledge.
The book follows Nelson, a young boy who lives with his mother and little sister, Ashley. The story begins with Nelson explaining how he and his family play a lot of games, a lot of make believe, like imagining their cupboards are full, that they're eating full meals, and that their food is something different; they do this because it's the only way to get by when things are difficult for them. Luckily, Nelson and his sister have a little help from kind people. They get to go to the breakfast club before school, where they get a good meal, and they get school lunches too. But their favourite thing is when they get to visit the food bank once a month.
They love going into the bank, seeing the kind people who work there, and coming away with bags of food and supplies that will help to get them through the month; that will stop their stomachs from aching for a little while. However, things start to look bad for them when they visit the food bank and only get half of what they normally would. It turns out that people have been stealing from the food bank.
Despite this, they struggle on, and when they get even less the next month Nelson realises something has to be done. He's hungry all the time, he's in pain, and he can hear his sister crying herself to sleep at night because she's so hungry. He also sees that it's not just his family, but so many others who are struggling to survive. Nelson turns to his friends, Krish and Harriet, and reveals to them how bad things have gotten. Together, the kids come up with a plan to track down the people who are stealing the donations, and are determined to stop them.
I was a little surprised at how dark the story got whilst reading this book. I have to admit that this is a fault of my own. I expected the story to deal with the realities of poverty in Britain, of how so many go hungry, but I was so ill educated on the severity of this issue that being faced with the reality of how bad it is for some people was painful to read. But that isn't a bad thing. I think it's something that a lot of people are unaware of, and that those who do know that there is poverty in this country probably don't realise how bad it is.
The Great (Food) bank Heist doesn't shy away from this reality. It doesn't sugarcoat the issue or try to make it more palitable so as to avoid the painful truth. It shines a light on a real issue, one that is affecting so many, and it makes that reality hit home. I'm sure there will be some people who would say that this is too harsh for a children's book, that kids want to be wowed by adventure and happy stories rather than being faced with these kinds of topics; but I have to disagree with that sentiment. We all need to understand how bad this is, and hiding it from children only leads to adults ignorant of the issue.
More importantly, however, there will be children who read this book who have friends facing these issues, or may be facing it themselves. It's important to show kids that not everyone around them is as lucky as them, that some people struggle even just to survive. There's nothing shameful about this, everyone needs help sometimes, and reading this book could spur kids on to ask their parents to donate to their local food banks, to volunteer to do some good, to raise awareness.
The book isn't all sadness though, as the story ends on a note of hope. It shows that people standing up and doing the right thing, of helping others and fighting against these awful things is not only the right thing to do, it's the moral thing to do.
The book is also filled with some great illustrations, an example of which you can see on the book's cover. Artist Elisa Paganelli provides artwork throughout the book, and these select moments help to highlight key parts of the stories. We get to see Nelson struggling to stay positive at home with empty cupboards, we see how much he loves his family, we see the moment where he finally snaps and reveals what's going on, and we get to see the triumph the kids have at the end. These moments not only help to break up the text for younger readers, but really put you into the story too.
I think it can sometimes be easy to write-off children's literature as just stories, as throw-away narratives that are just there to entertain and nothing else. But that's not always the case. Sometimes there's a little more to it than that. And this book is one of those times. It has something important to say. It's there to teach and to try and make the world a better place.
It's easy to pretend that it isn't happening around us, that it's something far removed, something that we can't change. But that's wrong, because you'll have seen people who are starving, who need help. The Great (Food) Bank Heist is trying to raise awareness of this issue, it's showing people who might never have even thought about it before that it's happening all around us. The story might be exaggerating certain things, it might be throwing in some artistic license, but the children in this book who have empty cupboards at home, who need their schools breakfast clubs and help from the food bank just to survive is very real; and it's something that we all need to acknowledge.
The book follows Nelson, a young boy who lives with his mother and little sister, Ashley. The story begins with Nelson explaining how he and his family play a lot of games, a lot of make believe, like imagining their cupboards are full, that they're eating full meals, and that their food is something different; they do this because it's the only way to get by when things are difficult for them. Luckily, Nelson and his sister have a little help from kind people. They get to go to the breakfast club before school, where they get a good meal, and they get school lunches too. But their favourite thing is when they get to visit the food bank once a month.
They love going into the bank, seeing the kind people who work there, and coming away with bags of food and supplies that will help to get them through the month; that will stop their stomachs from aching for a little while. However, things start to look bad for them when they visit the food bank and only get half of what they normally would. It turns out that people have been stealing from the food bank.
Despite this, they struggle on, and when they get even less the next month Nelson realises something has to be done. He's hungry all the time, he's in pain, and he can hear his sister crying herself to sleep at night because she's so hungry. He also sees that it's not just his family, but so many others who are struggling to survive. Nelson turns to his friends, Krish and Harriet, and reveals to them how bad things have gotten. Together, the kids come up with a plan to track down the people who are stealing the donations, and are determined to stop them.
I was a little surprised at how dark the story got whilst reading this book. I have to admit that this is a fault of my own. I expected the story to deal with the realities of poverty in Britain, of how so many go hungry, but I was so ill educated on the severity of this issue that being faced with the reality of how bad it is for some people was painful to read. But that isn't a bad thing. I think it's something that a lot of people are unaware of, and that those who do know that there is poverty in this country probably don't realise how bad it is.
The Great (Food) bank Heist doesn't shy away from this reality. It doesn't sugarcoat the issue or try to make it more palitable so as to avoid the painful truth. It shines a light on a real issue, one that is affecting so many, and it makes that reality hit home. I'm sure there will be some people who would say that this is too harsh for a children's book, that kids want to be wowed by adventure and happy stories rather than being faced with these kinds of topics; but I have to disagree with that sentiment. We all need to understand how bad this is, and hiding it from children only leads to adults ignorant of the issue.
More importantly, however, there will be children who read this book who have friends facing these issues, or may be facing it themselves. It's important to show kids that not everyone around them is as lucky as them, that some people struggle even just to survive. There's nothing shameful about this, everyone needs help sometimes, and reading this book could spur kids on to ask their parents to donate to their local food banks, to volunteer to do some good, to raise awareness.
The book isn't all sadness though, as the story ends on a note of hope. It shows that people standing up and doing the right thing, of helping others and fighting against these awful things is not only the right thing to do, it's the moral thing to do.
The book is also filled with some great illustrations, an example of which you can see on the book's cover. Artist Elisa Paganelli provides artwork throughout the book, and these select moments help to highlight key parts of the stories. We get to see Nelson struggling to stay positive at home with empty cupboards, we see how much he loves his family, we see the moment where he finally snaps and reveals what's going on, and we get to see the triumph the kids have at the end. These moments not only help to break up the text for younger readers, but really put you into the story too.
I think it can sometimes be easy to write-off children's literature as just stories, as throw-away narratives that are just there to entertain and nothing else. But that's not always the case. Sometimes there's a little more to it than that. And this book is one of those times. It has something important to say. It's there to teach and to try and make the world a better place.
Read
December 6, 2023read it in english class i cried
February 10, 2026
Fantastic children’s book!
August 7, 2021
First of all, the illustrations are fabulous - I recognised Elisa Paganelli's work and was excited to see how it looked, such a great addition to the story. The illustrations add to the story perfectly.
Next is the accessibility of the text, I love the spacing of the text and the colour of the pages. These small changes make a huge difference to who can access the book.
Then there is the story, I was cautious of reading as it's a challenging topic to cover. However it is dealt with truthfully and with sensitivity.
It's awful to think how many children go to school hungry and how many families that depend on food banks. This book opens up this fact of life in the UK and you can tell the story is researched and accurate. It tells the story of a single parent who works as much as she can, who loves her children and who will go hungry to ensure they are fed. This all becomes harder when the food bank has less food, what has happened to the food? Is someone stealing it? Nelson, with the help of his friends investigate further...#nospoilers.
I do think this book can be shared with many children and I would be interested in the conversations that classes will have all over the UK after reading this book.
Next is the accessibility of the text, I love the spacing of the text and the colour of the pages. These small changes make a huge difference to who can access the book.
Then there is the story, I was cautious of reading as it's a challenging topic to cover. However it is dealt with truthfully and with sensitivity.
It's awful to think how many children go to school hungry and how many families that depend on food banks. This book opens up this fact of life in the UK and you can tell the story is researched and accurate. It tells the story of a single parent who works as much as she can, who loves her children and who will go hungry to ensure they are fed. This all becomes harder when the food bank has less food, what has happened to the food? Is someone stealing it? Nelson, with the help of his friends investigate further...#nospoilers.
I do think this book can be shared with many children and I would be interested in the conversations that classes will have all over the UK after reading this book.
July 20, 2021
This is such a powerful and current book that should be in every school.
I will be putting it on the must read list for staff in our KS2 classes without a doubt.
This is a book that children can relate to for many reasons. For those who use food banks it’s an important reminder that you are not alone and for those that don’t it’s an important message that it could be anyone you know.
Inspired by Marcus Rashford - which I am sure all children are aware of.
A touching story that is told in an honest but empathetic way.
I will be putting it on the must read list for staff in our KS2 classes without a doubt.
This is a book that children can relate to for many reasons. For those who use food banks it’s an important reminder that you are not alone and for those that don’t it’s an important message that it could be anyone you know.
Inspired by Marcus Rashford - which I am sure all children are aware of.
A touching story that is told in an honest but empathetic way.
September 30, 2021
Very impressive child viewpoint of food poverty and life on the breadline. An interesting take, reflecting similarities with the Marcus Rashford influence on the socio-economic crisis! Loved the storytelling and love Onjali Q. Rauf’s work and a lovely ending to a heart wrenching tale of truth.
June 11, 2022
This is such a fun and interesting story which highlights an important issue in a great way. Nelson and his sister Ashley are hungry. There’s hardly any food left in the house and Nelson’s mum has to regularly go to the food bank because they just don’t have enough to eat. Nelson loves the food bank, and dreams of all the wonderful foods that he hopes to get there, but after he visits the bank with his mum, there’s a problem, they don’t have as much food as they usually get at the food bank and it seems someone is stealing the food meant for them and others in need. But who could be stealing from a food bank and can Nelson and his friends stop them?
This is a really great story and I enjoyed it from the first page. Nelson is looking after his younger sister after school when she asks him for some food because she’s hungry. Nelson is hungry too, but they can’t afford to use up the last food in the house, so Nelson plays a game with his sister instead. But both children are hungry every day, despite Nelson visiting Breakfast Club at school every morning, and he soon finds out that there’s a problem at the food bank, a problem that will make everyone relying on it even more hungry. I liked Nelson’s character from the start and how he tries to distract his sister with games when she’s asking for food. As the story progresses we find out more about Nelson’s family and their money problems and why his mum has to resort to a food bank to keep the family fed. I like how this issue was introduced through Nelson’s eyes, with him narrating the story and us finding out about how difficult his family’s struggles with money are. I also like the story shows Nelson trying to hide it from his friends, which is what many children end up doing as they feel ashamed or embarrassed of being in the situation they are in.
The story is good and funny in parts. I have to say I really like the friendship between Nelson and his two friends, and I like what happens when they make a plan to try and catch whoever is stealing the food from the food bank. There are some very funny moments especially with Nelson’s friend Krish, and I love what happens at the end, with things resolving well for everyone. There are a few pages after the book with author’s notes and information on food banks and breakfast clubs and why children (and their families) might need to visit them. This was written in a great and easy to understand way for children to read and I do like how this whole issue of food poverty is shown and explained well.
There are some really great illustrations dotted throughout the book, sometimes filling part of a page and sometimes a whole page. I like the way all of the characters look, especially Ashley appearing all the time with a toy Freddy and the way Krish looks, especially when donning the spider man mask. The illustrations really do add to the story and you can see the expressions on all the characters faces. I also love the detail in the pictures which all appear in grey, black and white. Being a Barrington Stoke book it’s especially made to help dyslexic readers with a special font used for the text and a larger sized text and spaced out paragraphs. Each of the pages has a yellow colour making it easier to read and thick pages mean there’s no shadow of the text from the other side of the page. The size of the book being around100 pages makes this idea for reluctant readers too, although anyone can pick up a copy of this book, even avid bookworms, as it’s such a great read and a portion of all the profits of this book go to the Trussell Trust and Greggs Foundation which help provide breakfasts.
I have really enjoyed this book and would recommend this to all children as it can help them understand the issue of food poverty especially as it is something they might encounter in their own classroom. Many children today face food poverty and food banks and breakfast clubs really help those in need to have a good meal and I like how this story highlights this issue but doesn’t focus too much on the negative thoughts around it, instead focusing on the characters and them attempting to discover the mystery and save the food bank. It’s a great book and the fact that some money is donated with each book bought, just makes this all the more worth buying and reading.
-Thanks to Barrington Stoke for a free copy for review.
This is a really great story and I enjoyed it from the first page. Nelson is looking after his younger sister after school when she asks him for some food because she’s hungry. Nelson is hungry too, but they can’t afford to use up the last food in the house, so Nelson plays a game with his sister instead. But both children are hungry every day, despite Nelson visiting Breakfast Club at school every morning, and he soon finds out that there’s a problem at the food bank, a problem that will make everyone relying on it even more hungry. I liked Nelson’s character from the start and how he tries to distract his sister with games when she’s asking for food. As the story progresses we find out more about Nelson’s family and their money problems and why his mum has to resort to a food bank to keep the family fed. I like how this issue was introduced through Nelson’s eyes, with him narrating the story and us finding out about how difficult his family’s struggles with money are. I also like the story shows Nelson trying to hide it from his friends, which is what many children end up doing as they feel ashamed or embarrassed of being in the situation they are in.
The story is good and funny in parts. I have to say I really like the friendship between Nelson and his two friends, and I like what happens when they make a plan to try and catch whoever is stealing the food from the food bank. There are some very funny moments especially with Nelson’s friend Krish, and I love what happens at the end, with things resolving well for everyone. There are a few pages after the book with author’s notes and information on food banks and breakfast clubs and why children (and their families) might need to visit them. This was written in a great and easy to understand way for children to read and I do like how this whole issue of food poverty is shown and explained well.
There are some really great illustrations dotted throughout the book, sometimes filling part of a page and sometimes a whole page. I like the way all of the characters look, especially Ashley appearing all the time with a toy Freddy and the way Krish looks, especially when donning the spider man mask. The illustrations really do add to the story and you can see the expressions on all the characters faces. I also love the detail in the pictures which all appear in grey, black and white. Being a Barrington Stoke book it’s especially made to help dyslexic readers with a special font used for the text and a larger sized text and spaced out paragraphs. Each of the pages has a yellow colour making it easier to read and thick pages mean there’s no shadow of the text from the other side of the page. The size of the book being around100 pages makes this idea for reluctant readers too, although anyone can pick up a copy of this book, even avid bookworms, as it’s such a great read and a portion of all the profits of this book go to the Trussell Trust and Greggs Foundation which help provide breakfasts.
I have really enjoyed this book and would recommend this to all children as it can help them understand the issue of food poverty especially as it is something they might encounter in their own classroom. Many children today face food poverty and food banks and breakfast clubs really help those in need to have a good meal and I like how this story highlights this issue but doesn’t focus too much on the negative thoughts around it, instead focusing on the characters and them attempting to discover the mystery and save the food bank. It’s a great book and the fact that some money is donated with each book bought, just makes this all the more worth buying and reading.
-Thanks to Barrington Stoke for a free copy for review.
October 18, 2021
🛒 The great food bank heist by Onjali.Q.Rauf 3/5 🛒
Nelson hates being hungry. Not having much food at home doesn’t make it any better. Make-believe games with his sister and mom helps take his mind off food. This is until they can stock up from the food bank. One of Nelson’s favourite places.
However, when donations start to go missing Nelson and his friends search for the mysterious thief. But in this game there isn’t any make-believe. Only hunger for the truth. And maybe a chocolate muffin if he’s lucky…..
*****************************🛒***************************
A short sweet adventure story about a boy’s determination to save himself and his family from food shortages. “The great food bank heist” highlights the the unheard plight of hungry families and the importance of food bank donations.
Nelson and his families unfortunate situation is narrated initially in a realistic and relatable manner. This is especially true for his experience with the food bank and breakfast club.
It would have been better if Nelson was bullied for his behaviour in school. Or he had some friends from who he’d purposefully kept his situation a secret. As the food bank heists continue, he is forced to risk his friendships by telling them the truth.
Also, the mystery behind the thief was completely pointless as the villain was not somebody you knew. This was a previous problem I found In “the night bus hero” and was repeated here. The thief being someone the reader knew would have made the conclusion more interesting .
Nelson throwing a bunch of fresh food at the car window was a little bit counterintuitive to his condition. For example, he is hungry because he doesn’t have much food. However, he seems to be wasting fresh food by throwing it at the car window of the thief? 🤷🏽
I enjoyed the moment when Nelson risks his life when standing in front of the van and found it to be a suspenseful and unexpected moment. However, the driver could have easily reversed the van and sped off.
Would have been better if the thief decides to drive the car towards Nelson. Nelson jumps away just in time, but not before splattering the windshield with slime. Later on, the slime on the windscreen allows police to find the criminals and capture them.
I felt that Noah Equaino’s role in this story was underdeveloped . Especially his random entrance to school to congratulate Nelson and his friends. His admission to being part of the breakfast club and using food banks as a child was a little awkward. Primarily, because he was entirely absent from their adventure and could easily have been included in catching the thief.
Would have been better if Noah was actually the food bank thief. When he was Nelson’s age he wouldn’t get anything from the food banks and was unfairly treated. As a act of revenge, he decides to steal the food donations using his speed. Nelson teaches his hero a important lesson of not being resentful about a past experience.
Although being insightful and endearing, “the great food bank heist” follows a simple narrative with few surprises and action scenes.
I feel the story has potential to be a longer novel, especially in relation to finding and catching the thieves. Once again, in the end Onjali uses the book to highlight important topics for children and adults. It would be good to see a book by Onjali in the future that includes a host of social problems and not just one as a central theme.
Nelson hates being hungry. Not having much food at home doesn’t make it any better. Make-believe games with his sister and mom helps take his mind off food. This is until they can stock up from the food bank. One of Nelson’s favourite places.
However, when donations start to go missing Nelson and his friends search for the mysterious thief. But in this game there isn’t any make-believe. Only hunger for the truth. And maybe a chocolate muffin if he’s lucky…..
*****************************🛒***************************
A short sweet adventure story about a boy’s determination to save himself and his family from food shortages. “The great food bank heist” highlights the the unheard plight of hungry families and the importance of food bank donations.
Nelson and his families unfortunate situation is narrated initially in a realistic and relatable manner. This is especially true for his experience with the food bank and breakfast club.
It would have been better if Nelson was bullied for his behaviour in school. Or he had some friends from who he’d purposefully kept his situation a secret. As the food bank heists continue, he is forced to risk his friendships by telling them the truth.
Also, the mystery behind the thief was completely pointless as the villain was not somebody you knew. This was a previous problem I found In “the night bus hero” and was repeated here. The thief being someone the reader knew would have made the conclusion more interesting .
Nelson throwing a bunch of fresh food at the car window was a little bit counterintuitive to his condition. For example, he is hungry because he doesn’t have much food. However, he seems to be wasting fresh food by throwing it at the car window of the thief? 🤷🏽
I enjoyed the moment when Nelson risks his life when standing in front of the van and found it to be a suspenseful and unexpected moment. However, the driver could have easily reversed the van and sped off.
Would have been better if the thief decides to drive the car towards Nelson. Nelson jumps away just in time, but not before splattering the windshield with slime. Later on, the slime on the windscreen allows police to find the criminals and capture them.
I felt that Noah Equaino’s role in this story was underdeveloped . Especially his random entrance to school to congratulate Nelson and his friends. His admission to being part of the breakfast club and using food banks as a child was a little awkward. Primarily, because he was entirely absent from their adventure and could easily have been included in catching the thief.
Would have been better if Noah was actually the food bank thief. When he was Nelson’s age he wouldn’t get anything from the food banks and was unfairly treated. As a act of revenge, he decides to steal the food donations using his speed. Nelson teaches his hero a important lesson of not being resentful about a past experience.
Although being insightful and endearing, “the great food bank heist” follows a simple narrative with few surprises and action scenes.
I feel the story has potential to be a longer novel, especially in relation to finding and catching the thieves. Once again, in the end Onjali uses the book to highlight important topics for children and adults. It would be good to see a book by Onjali in the future that includes a host of social problems and not just one as a central theme.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 20, 2021
As an adult setting out to read this book, I imagined that the goal of the book was to bring awareness to a specific issue, food insecurity, and to rally support to help others with this basic need. The beauty of Muslim author and activist Onjali Q. Rauf, however, is that even with such a clear intent, the storytelling, character building, and enjoyment of the book makes you connect to the plot and issues and feel the message, not just be told it. For children seven through 12 with no prior expectation of the book, they will be emotionally effected by the reality shown and feel empathy and compassion for characters that will hopefully translate into their real life. My 10 and 12 year old boys read the book in about an hour, not realizing what the book was going to be about and hounded me to read it with glowing reviews. This 103 page middle grades book has diverse characters (none are Muslim), and is a great story, a great educational tool, a great empathy check, and a great resource for how to get involved to start helping food banks, and breakfast clubs, all while being funny, relatable, kind, and engaging.
SYNOPSIS:
Nelson, his younger sister Ashley, and their Mum work together to make hard "tricky" months manageable. They are creative with their meals, they go to breakfast club, and they use their vouchers on Thursdays at the food bank. Some times though, it isn't enough, Mum has to pawn her jewelry, they go without meals, and generous friends share their snacks. When the food bank starts running low, Nelson breaks his secrecy about breakfast club and his close friends Krish and Harriet are determined to help figure out why donated food isn't reaching the bank and what they can do to make sure it does.
WHY I LIKE IT:
I love that it shows how the family has food insecurities on a day-to-day basis and how never feeling full affects so much of the characters' attention. I also love that it shows their mom works, she is a nurse and works really hard, they don't steal or load up on food that is donated, they are very grateful for all assistance given and their friends don't judge them. It shed light on a different narrative that many children perhaps don't think about: that people they know and are close with, might be hungry. I think the maturity of the kids is a lesson to adults reading the book too, that reminds us that kindness and assistance doesn't need to come with judgement or arrogance. The characters are all really likeable, they aren't perfect, but even though the book is short, you feel your heart being affected by them in their handling of the mystery and the larger concept of hunger.
FLAGS:
None
TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
I would read this book aloud in a classroom (2nd-5th), and if I get a chance to participate in Lunch Bunch (where a book is read to children while they eat their lunch) at our local Islamic School, I will start off with this book. I think kids have bigger hearts than we often think they do, and while they might not recall the less fortunate when you want them to finish all the food on their plate, they often notice kids without lunches at school and share without prompting.
Happy Reading!
SYNOPSIS:
Nelson, his younger sister Ashley, and their Mum work together to make hard "tricky" months manageable. They are creative with their meals, they go to breakfast club, and they use their vouchers on Thursdays at the food bank. Some times though, it isn't enough, Mum has to pawn her jewelry, they go without meals, and generous friends share their snacks. When the food bank starts running low, Nelson breaks his secrecy about breakfast club and his close friends Krish and Harriet are determined to help figure out why donated food isn't reaching the bank and what they can do to make sure it does.
WHY I LIKE IT:
I love that it shows how the family has food insecurities on a day-to-day basis and how never feeling full affects so much of the characters' attention. I also love that it shows their mom works, she is a nurse and works really hard, they don't steal or load up on food that is donated, they are very grateful for all assistance given and their friends don't judge them. It shed light on a different narrative that many children perhaps don't think about: that people they know and are close with, might be hungry. I think the maturity of the kids is a lesson to adults reading the book too, that reminds us that kindness and assistance doesn't need to come with judgement or arrogance. The characters are all really likeable, they aren't perfect, but even though the book is short, you feel your heart being affected by them in their handling of the mystery and the larger concept of hunger.
FLAGS:
None
TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:
I would read this book aloud in a classroom (2nd-5th), and if I get a chance to participate in Lunch Bunch (where a book is read to children while they eat their lunch) at our local Islamic School, I will start off with this book. I think kids have bigger hearts than we often think they do, and while they might not recall the less fortunate when you want them to finish all the food on their plate, they often notice kids without lunches at school and share without prompting.
Happy Reading!
June 13, 2023
This is an absolutely heartwarming book that tackles a difficult subject but in child friendly terms much like the other two books that I read. While her earlier books dealt with the refugee crisis and domestic violence, this one deals with poverty, and food shortage in the UK. Now the UK being a developed country, it hardly seems possible that there would be people struggling to get a decent meal three times a day, but apparently it is a reality that many prefer to ignore. The book throws light on the issue in a way that little kids would relate to and might be inspired to even do something about.
The story comes to us from the POV of Nelson, who lives with his mother who is a nurse, and Ashley, his younger sister. Many days the kids have nothing to eat and they have to pretend that they are eating good wholesome food which is filling. But pretensions can go only so long. The kids are so hungry that Ashley keeps crying with hunger and is unable to sleep.
The kid's favorite day of the month is the day they go to the food bank and get to withdraw things to eat. But someone has been stealing the food meant for food banks and every month they are getting less and less to go by. Until Nelson decides to take matters in his own hands and find out who the thief is.
Like the other two books, the kids are the heroes of this book too. Nelson's friends Krish and Harriet make for interesting characters and bring a lot of diversity into the book. They are shown to be caring and thoughtful people and it broke my heart to read how Nelson felt he had to keep the fact he had breakfast at breakfast club, from them as he was ashamed. This felt too real, and it hits hard how kids feel the need for secrets if they feel ashamed.
There is adventure in the book too which makes sure all the talk of poverty and food shortage does not get overwhelming for young kids. The planning, preparation and actual execution of the scheme is interesting and full of excitement for the readers who become participants through the pages.
The book ends on a note of hope and with a subtle push for charity. But more importantly it leads to conversation around a difficult topic and leads to more awareness about the state of things which is an admirable step. Special mention to the big fonts and wide spaced paragraphs which make reading easier for kids of young age. Heartily recommended to everyone, the young and the young at heart.
The story comes to us from the POV of Nelson, who lives with his mother who is a nurse, and Ashley, his younger sister. Many days the kids have nothing to eat and they have to pretend that they are eating good wholesome food which is filling. But pretensions can go only so long. The kids are so hungry that Ashley keeps crying with hunger and is unable to sleep.
The kid's favorite day of the month is the day they go to the food bank and get to withdraw things to eat. But someone has been stealing the food meant for food banks and every month they are getting less and less to go by. Until Nelson decides to take matters in his own hands and find out who the thief is.
Like the other two books, the kids are the heroes of this book too. Nelson's friends Krish and Harriet make for interesting characters and bring a lot of diversity into the book. They are shown to be caring and thoughtful people and it broke my heart to read how Nelson felt he had to keep the fact he had breakfast at breakfast club, from them as he was ashamed. This felt too real, and it hits hard how kids feel the need for secrets if they feel ashamed.
There is adventure in the book too which makes sure all the talk of poverty and food shortage does not get overwhelming for young kids. The planning, preparation and actual execution of the scheme is interesting and full of excitement for the readers who become participants through the pages.
The book ends on a note of hope and with a subtle push for charity. But more importantly it leads to conversation around a difficult topic and leads to more awareness about the state of things which is an admirable step. Special mention to the big fonts and wide spaced paragraphs which make reading easier for kids of young age. Heartily recommended to everyone, the young and the young at heart.
December 30, 2021
Nelson hated having to pretend there was food in the house when there wasn’t, he hated that breakfast club and school dinners just didn’t fill him up enough, he hated that despite working hard his mum couldn’t afford to buy food for them. His one respite was the vouchers for the food bank and the excitement of what treats those bags could hold. Until the bags got less and less and he knew that they would probably be starving by the end of this month.
But when he heard that the food was being stolen from the stores, the food meant for struggling families like his, he knew he had to do something about it. Gathering his friends, Nelson planned a stake-out at their local supermarket. They just had to find out who was stealing the food before he and his family starved.
Onjali Q Rauf creates an incredibly emotive tale told from the viewpoint of Nelson. We share his hunger, his pride, and his hopes as part of a family struggling to survive in the current climate. Prompted by the work of Marcus Rashford, Rauf shines a light on these real-world struggles from a child’s point of view. It is a book that should be shared widely, not only to educate others to the lifeline that is a food bank but to encourage others to help support those in their time of need.
But when he heard that the food was being stolen from the stores, the food meant for struggling families like his, he knew he had to do something about it. Gathering his friends, Nelson planned a stake-out at their local supermarket. They just had to find out who was stealing the food before he and his family starved.
Onjali Q Rauf creates an incredibly emotive tale told from the viewpoint of Nelson. We share his hunger, his pride, and his hopes as part of a family struggling to survive in the current climate. Prompted by the work of Marcus Rashford, Rauf shines a light on these real-world struggles from a child’s point of view. It is a book that should be shared widely, not only to educate others to the lifeline that is a food bank but to encourage others to help support those in their time of need.
January 16, 2022
Oh my heart, this book just tugged at my heartstrings- like all of @onjalirauf’s work!
Genre: MG Chapter Book (90 pages)
Ages: 7-10
Available: Amazon
Screening: clean
Nelson and his mom and sister struggle with poverty and lack of food. School offers breakfast club and lunches, but at home- there isn’t much food until food bank day. At the food bank, Nelson’s family usually get four and five bags of food but this time, they only give him two. It turns out that a thief has been stealing the donations for the food bank. Can Nelson and his friends catch the food bank thief and stop him??
Oh man, the way these kids were hungry just hurt my heart. The games Nelson plays to distract from the hunger and the way he describes not having enough food is truly humbling to those who haven’t experienced hunger.
I enjoyed reading the way Nelson is so responsible and caring, and how determined he is to solve the thief problem. And as with all of Onjali Rauf’s books, the kids rise up to be heroes of the story and teach the adults, as well as learn something about themselves.
This book teaches kids and adults alike the importance of food banks and giving to those who need it.
Genre: MG Chapter Book (90 pages)
Ages: 7-10
Available: Amazon
Screening: clean
Nelson and his mom and sister struggle with poverty and lack of food. School offers breakfast club and lunches, but at home- there isn’t much food until food bank day. At the food bank, Nelson’s family usually get four and five bags of food but this time, they only give him two. It turns out that a thief has been stealing the donations for the food bank. Can Nelson and his friends catch the food bank thief and stop him??
Oh man, the way these kids were hungry just hurt my heart. The games Nelson plays to distract from the hunger and the way he describes not having enough food is truly humbling to those who haven’t experienced hunger.
I enjoyed reading the way Nelson is so responsible and caring, and how determined he is to solve the thief problem. And as with all of Onjali Rauf’s books, the kids rise up to be heroes of the story and teach the adults, as well as learn something about themselves.
This book teaches kids and adults alike the importance of food banks and giving to those who need it.
March 31, 2023
My 2nd Onjali child book. Such a reflective book to challenge the society on whether it's fair at all when some kids have mountains of treats in the house and some don't even know what it's like to feel full. I will keep being thankful for what I have and come up with ideas on what more I can do to help. Are the items I've been putting into the food bank trolleys those in need really want? Can I give up on buying some unnecessary stuff and instead, spend more to help somebody else? I also wish that Onjali can keep writing these meaningful books to raise awareness for all kinds of problems and inequality we face in the UK or even around the globe every day. I can't think of any other more effective ways than to touch somebody's hearts with a story and adorable characters so that they will take actions and help.
November 11, 2021
Onjali Q Raúf writes excellent and concise stories for children about things that matter to them and affect many of them - this one is about food poverty. It's written for a slightly younger audience than her books that came before it, but deals with the subject in a mature and non-patronising way. Some of the royalties from this book are going to organisations with help with child poverty, which is good, as they're very much needed.
I have tried to score the above as how I might have voted as an 8 year old - as an adult, it was rather lacking in substance, but then I'm about 17*, not 8!
*in my head! :p
I have tried to score the above as how I might have voted as an 8 year old - as an adult, it was rather lacking in substance, but then I'm about 17*, not 8!
*in my head! :p
July 14, 2021
Nice short read. Good story which highlights an important overall message but keeps children engaged. Focuses on a very serious issue within the UK (and other countries) which children should be educated about. Diverse range of characters is also a good point for this book.
July 11, 2022
An inspiring teaching tool about the workings of a food bank and the lives it touches. I'm excited to share this with my students. I appreciate the coloured legend at the back marking genre, social-emotional/themes.
Read
January 23, 2024good to read to class if talking about disadvantaged backgrounds - about a family that needs to use food banks because their mum can’t afford to feed them. basic words and not very complex but the message of the book is quite mature. aim for year 4/5. can talk about food banks and what they are.
July 9, 2021
Very cute story which is dyslexia friendly and raises both money and awareness for a very important cause. What's not to love?
July 18, 2021
Another brilliant book raising awareness of yet another important reality that goes on in the UK and all over the world.
July 23, 2021
Short book but powerful.
September 20, 2021
Good short book suitable for struggling readers.
About food banks and child poverty
Inspired by Rashford
About food banks and child poverty
Inspired by Rashford
February 24, 2022
Quick, meaningful, heartfelt read. A good lesson about hunger, family, friendship and the good winning in the end.
July 11, 2022
I loved this read as it was nice and light hearted and made me feel good while reading it and think its a great read for younger kids.
December 31, 2022
Fantastic book for children and adults alike. Good lessons.
February 27, 2023
Another incredibly well written book by Onjali Q Rauf that allows children to read about kids like themselves or to find out about food banks and food poverty.
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