I very rarely read contemporary fiction, especially contemporary middle grade, and would almost certainly not have picked this book up if it had not been a book club pick. Despite that, I really enjoyed it. 

It's the tone of the book that makes it so good - the quote on the cover is "joyful, funny and heartfelt" and that's exactly right. There are emotional moments, but it never crosses over into angst. Archie's confusion over his dad coming out as gay is written really well, and does not (as I had feared going in) result in homophobia. Family is a strong theme throughout the book, both the family you're born into and the one you find. 

This book deserves to be in every public and school library in the UK and beyond.