The Great (Food) Bank Heist

Product Information

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. 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. 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. 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.

The Great (Food) Bank Heist by Onjali Q. Raúf - Barrington Stoke The Great (Food) Bank Heist by Onjali Q. Raúf - Barrington Stoke

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. 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. 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.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 . The intriguing mystery is underpinned by a wealth of information about food poverty, expressed in a straightforward manner which is easy for children to understand.

The Great (Food) Bank Heist by Onjali Q. Rauf | WHSmith The Great (Food) Bank Heist by Onjali Q. Rauf | WHSmith

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. This book is important because it highlights a key issue – food poverty. The story is told with empathy and sympathy. We share a child’s perspective on what is like to be dependent on a food bank and a breakfast club. We feel for mum who tries to provide for her children. There are heroes too, such as Mrs Bell the teacher who spends her own money buying children treats. In “The Real Hunger Games” we are shown some of the games the family plays to keep their spirits up. There is also a fun element. The children set out to find the Food Bank Thieves. The stake-out is tense and the final chapters are very exciting. A short, easy read for younger children, with a simple plot and a happy ending. Designed to inform readers about food banks, why some families are forced to rely on them and inspired by Marcus Rashford's contribution to informing people about his experiences and the current situation. This delightful detective story has an engaging plot and likable characters. It subtly explores new friendships, the importance of community and issues of food poverty and online bullying, plus includes some easy-to-follow recipes.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. Nelson loves Voucher Thursdays as Mum takes him and his little sister Ashley to the food bank, the best place in the world. They swap their vouchers for bags of food, generously donated via the local supermarket and distributed by friendly volunteers, who don’t make them feel embarrassed for not having enough money to buy it themselves. 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. However, there’s a shortage of donations to the food bank and the shelves are looking bare, leaving Nelson feeling hungrier than ever. Can someone really be stealing the supplies? When Mum is forced to pawn her ring to buy food, Nelson is determined to find out. Together with his best friends Krish and Harriet, he plans a covert stakeout of the supermarket to catch the culprits. 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.