What’s the book about?
All Kim wants to do is play Dungeons & Dragons with his friends and ride his bike around the local lake. But he has always lived in the shadow of his younger sister. Eila is a prodigy, and everyone talks about how smart she is, though in Kim’s eyes, she has no common sense. So when Eila finds an enigmatic, otherworldly globe which gives her astonishing powers, Kim not only has to save his sister from herself, he might also have to save the world from his sister!
With his trademark creeping menace and a strong sense of 1970s nostalgia, bestselling fantasy author Garth Nix (Sabriel, Mister Monday, The Left-Handed Booksellers of London) has expertly crafted this pacy and exciting standalone middle grade novel.
Recommended for:
Ages 9+
Three reasons to read it:
- We Do Not Welcome Our Ten-Year-Old Overlord serves up a side of satire that pokes fun at the tropes of authority, power dynamics, and the often absurd expectations placed on kids and adults alike. Nix cleverly critiques societal norms through the lens of a ten-year-old, Eila, with an inflated sense of self-importance, leaving you both laughing and reflecting on the ridiculousness of adult life. It’s a smart commentary wrapped in a lighthearted narrative.
- From the precocious young overlord, Eila, her brother, Kim, to their beleaguered parents, the characters are vividly drawn and utterly memorable. You’ll find yourself rooting for the underdogs (aka the parents) while simultaneously laughing at Eila’s antics. The interplay between the characters is rich with tension and humor, making for a compelling read that’s hard to put down.
- Imagine your sweet, innocent child suddenly becoming a pint-sized dictator. This book taps into the universal fears and absurdities of parenthood, turning the typical family dynamic on its head. It’s like watching your kid take control of a board game, but the stakes are hilariously high. Nix’s sharp humor will have you chuckling as you recognize the quirks of family life, making all parents feel seen in the chaos of modern parenting.
Buy a copy of We Do Not Welcome Our Ten-Year-Old Overlord here.
About the author:
Garth Nix has been a full-time writer since 2001, but has also worked as a literary agent, marketing consultant, book editor, book publicist, book sales representative, bookseller, and as a part-time soldier in the Australian Army Reserve. Garth’s books include the Old Kingdom fantasy series: Sabriel, Lirael, Abhorsen, Clariel, Goldenhand and Terciel and Elinor; SF novels Shade’s Children and A Confusion of Princes; fantasy novels Angel Mage; The Left-Handed Booksellers of London and sequel The Sinister Booksellers of Bath; and a Regency romance with magic, Newt’s Emerald. His novels for children include The Ragwitch; the six books of The Seventh Tower sequence; The Keys to the Kingdom series; and Frogkisser! His short fiction includes more than 60 published stories, some of them collected in Across the Wall, To Hold the Bridge and Sir Hereward and Mister Fitz. He has co-written several books with Sean Williams, including the Troubletwisters series; Spirit Animals Book Three: Blood Ties; Have Sword, Will Travel; and Let Sleeping Dragons Lie. More than seven million copies of Garth’s books have been sold around the world, they have appeared on the bestseller lists of The New York Times, Publishers Weekly, The Bookseller and others, and his work has been translated into 42 languages. He has won multiple Aurealis Awards, the ABIA Award, Ditmar Award, the Mythopoeic Award, CBCA Honour Book, and has been shortlisted for the Lodestar, the Locus Awards, the Shirley Jackson Award and others.
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