10% off all books and free delivery over £40
Buy from our bookstore and 25% of the cover price will be given to a school of your choice to buy more books. *15% of eBooks.

The 10pm Question Reader Reviews

Back To Book Page

The 10pm Question

The 10pm Question was a beautiful and funny book, it was touching and heart-warming, hilarious and sad.

The 10pm Question was a beautiful and funny book about anxiety, mental health and just life in general. It was touching and heartwarming, hilarious and sad. From dogs called Ray Davies to late night conversations with skulls this book really has everything a reader of any age could want. I would recommend this book to pretty much anyone. I loved this book and thought it was really well written. I would love to explore more of Kate De Goldi’s work.

Barney Clark

This engaging story explores how Frankie can manage when he feels he has to think up solutions for the problems that are all around us. What can he learn that may help us all?

Have you ever thought about something so much it becomes the only thing you can think about? We can all probably relate with Frankie, the protagonist of this story, to some degree. Frankie has a well-established daily routine which includes asking his mum at bedtime about the pressing issues on his mind. Whether that is about changing the batteries in the fire alarms or the nature of a rash he’s spotted on his chest. One day Frankie’s routine changes as a girl joins his school. Can Frankie cope as his world widens to include worrying about his new friend? What happens when you feel like you can’t think up solutions for the problems that are all around you? This book has some really interesting ideas and engages you more and more as it goes on. I really like the use of flashbacks and flashforwards in the story, as they create suspense. The book has a very strong message that we should all look after our mental health and look out for anyone who may be struggling with theirs.

Lucas Blake

I loved reading this very intriguing book. It was full of interesting and hilarious characters, who made me laugh out loud. I found Frankie really fascinating, with complicated thoughts and feelings, and I got to really like him. The book made me think about what goes on in other people's lives. Once I started reading it I could not put the book down, and was desperate to know the ending, and what would happen to Frankie and his Ma.

Every night at 10pm Frankie hears what he calls a rodent voice, telling him all the things he's scared of. Every night he goes to Ma's room and she listens to all his fears, and reassures him that everything will be ok. The one thing he doesn't say is that he's worried about Ma, who hasn't left home in nine years. A new girl comes to school, funny, eye-bulging Sydney, and they become friends. He likes to talk and ask questions and he discovers he likes to talk as well and all at once life feels better. I loved reading this intriguing book. It was full of interesting and hilarious characters, who made me laugh out loud. I found Frankie really fascinating, with complicated thoughts and feelings and I got to really like him. The book made me think about what goes on in other people's lives. Once I started reading it I could not put the book down, and I was desperate to know the ending, and what would happen to Frankie and his Ma.

Chloe Oulahan

The 10pm Question strikes me to be an immensely innovative, realistic and witty novel as it thoroughly explores the ideas behind the conventional experience of one understanding or adapting to life’s complex and intricate ways.

The 10pm Question strikes me to be an immensely innovative, realistic and witty novel as it thoroughly explores the ideas behind the conventional experience of one understanding or adapting to life’s complex and intricate ways. Frankie is a sensible, thoughtful and intelligent young character whose every waking second is invaded by worries about whether the batteries in the smoke alarm are working, if “The Fat Controller” has enough cat food or if the world will explode due to the rising cases of bird flu. Most of the people that Frankie’s world seems to revolve around seem to keep untroubled, whether that is his irritating sister, his adventurous brother or his fat whiskey-swilling aunts, it is only his beloved Ma that handles his never-ending persistent questions. However out of all of his 10pm questions, there is one that he is hesitant to bring himself to ask.

The protagonist of the book, Frankie Parsons is driven by control, organisation and structure as he starts the day by reciting his school items protractor, calculator, oxford dictionary, PE Kit, Lunch, School Project and so on, Frankie and his friend Gigs follow a particular path to school down the zig-zag and then into the bus with the secret code where they occupy their usual left corner of the long bench at the back of the bus. Therefore, when the new girl, Sydney Vickerman strolls up to Frankie and Gigs with her own relentless and inevitable questions, their world is upended into chaos. Personally, I found this book extremely fascinating as I believe that the author displays a deeper connotation of growing up as the captivating storyline progresses and Frankie’s carefully controlled world starts to unravel. Thoughtful readers will enjoy the bittersweet truth in the printed pages as it narrates the story that many young children will fondly relate to. I especially found the front cover enthralling as the position of the title is very significant and the illustration stands out to me to be representing the ideals of growing up and being free of worries as there are two different coloured birds one inside and the other outside the cage.

This mind-blowing novel investigates all corners of literacy techniques as it is impeccably humorous and heartbreaking and I’m certain that Frankie’s story has a place in every reader’s heart. I would love to recommend Kate De Goldi’s The 10pm Question to all diligent readers that are passionate about reading authentic tales that carry a sense of possibilities and hope.

Prisha Yadav

https://prishayadav.blogspot.com/2024/06/the-10pm-question-by-kate-de-goldi.html

Following Frankie and his challenges with being a compulsive worrier and seeing how his life changed with he becomes friends with the new girl. Dealing with mental health issues in a way that sometimes add a little humour this is a read that will keep your attention and have you caring what happens to Frankie.

A well written book though we felt it would probably suit a slightly older reader. The book follows the story of Frankie the worrier who worries about everything and his new friendship with the new girl in school who is more carefree.
It tackles subjects of mental health in a way that brings a little humour too.
It sometimes leads you down a path about some of the characters then as you read on you change you mind.
It is really good to see how Frankie changes during the course of the book.

Olivia