I want to start this review by thanking both the Publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for the honest unbiased review below..
This book is about a boy called Leon (and his baby brother) who goes into the Care of Social Services on the UK when it’s discovered his mother can’t care for them due to her mental health Issues. It was a well written book with lots of interesting information in it about the Children in Care system in the Uk, reflective of the fact that the author is an ex social worker.. However no matter how interesting the information about UK Social Services cared for children was Leon’s story itself was really slow moving almost sluggish in places which made it hard to get absorbed into the story. The characters are well written and developed which allows the reader to have an insight into what it’s like for all involved in the cared for children’s system in the UK from the children themselves to the parents, social workers and foster parents..
This isn’t a book that I will read again but I would recommend it to anyone who I think would enjoy reading a book about a child in care in the UK.

This book practically broke me it was that emotional. I started reading this book and thought no this won’t get to me but goodness me it did. I cried big tears in places. Wonderful read.

I feel like this is such a heartbreaking but informative read. It definitely tugs at your emotions as you see what this family is going through but is so so important to read!

Kit de Waal is such a talented writer. I absolutely loved this story. I normally shy away from stories written with a child narrator, sometimes I find the over egging of the child’s voice annoying- usually much younger than the child’s supposed age. This is not the case here, Kit manages to portray that it is a child talking whilst not ruining the story with overly babyish language. LeonS story is heartbreaking, placed with a foster family, there is talk of splitting him up from his brother. Race, family, love and hope all inter mingle to bring about a story that is just brilliant.

This book should go to every single Social worker and all those in the welfare of children out for fostering or adoption.

Do not break up siblings, just don’t do it.

This story is told through the eyes of a young boy who is broken, and can’t explain his feelings, wants, needs and desires. He just doesn’t own the vocal words yet.

This broke my heart into zillions of pieces until the author could lighten it again with hope and experiences, expectations and reality through the eyes of a child then through the eyes of me, the reader.

Many have read this book already, this one slipped through my net.
If you’ve not read it, get the tissues.

A beautiful but sad book! I loved Leon, and my heart ached for him and everything he was going through. The setting in the eighties brought back a lot of memories, so thank you to the author for that trip down memory lane. Maureen was a wonderful character, a very realistically drawn, wonderful woman. Everyone needs a Maureen in their life. Overall, I do recommend this book, but with a warning to have tissues nearby, and not to read it in public, as you will cry!

My Name is Leon had been on my ‘to be read’ list for a while and after releasing that the release date for it was looming, I dived straight into it and I am so glad that I did just that. This book took me on an emotional journey that I’m not sure I will overcome any time soon.

My Name is Leon, follows the story of nine year old mixed race Leon, who after his mother becomes unfit to look after him and his newborn brother Jake, is taken into foster care. He longs to stay with Jake, but unfortunately is separated from him when he’s adopted. We follow Leon as he tries to do everything he can to find his younger brother, as he’s the only thing that matters to him in a world with no home or no family.

I am going to come right and say it – this book turned me into an emotional wreck. I only got a few pages in and I was already sobbing. I became so emotionally invested into Leon’s story that it was starting to become part of me. I literally just wanted to go into the book and hold Leon tightly and just tell him that everything was going to be okay. That’s how real it felt to me.

I absolutely loved a few relationships that formed within the book. Leon’s brotherly love for Jake just melted my heart. You could tell how honestly true his love for him was, from when he was looking after to him to when he wanted to find him. My heart broke when Jake was taken away. Leon’s relationship with Maureen, his foster carer was that of a grandmother/grandson. I loved reading about their relationship blossoming and how much Maureen grew to care about him like he was her own. She mothered him a lot and think he really appreciated that, after what happened with his own mother. I also found his bond with Tufty to be quite likeable. Tufty took him under his wing and became somewhat of a father figure, which is understandable as Leon often mentions Tufty reminding him of his own father.

As the story was set in 1980’s it was interesting to read about the real life events that took place in that time, within the story. I was born well after that era so I was really intrigued to read about events, some of which I didn’t even know had happened. This added a unique edge to the story and kept me hooked. As well as this, the many themes within also kept me hooked. Some of them being relationships, family, racism, friendship and loneliness. These themes actually taught me some lessons, which hasn’t happened to me from a book in a while.

My Name is Leon is an emotional read that will take you on one hell of a journey. I found myself thinking about Leon long after I read the last sentence and it is a book that will stay in my mind for a long time to come. For a debut novel this is just excellent and I can’t wait to see what Kit de Waal writes next.

I feel bad because I’ve heard such great things but this was a DNF for me I’m so sorry. I wish I had more to say.

'My Name is Leon' is one of those books that once read, are never forgotten. It is a beautifully written book which is all about Leon, an nine year old boy who, along with his baby brother, is fostered out, after his mum has an emotional breakdown. Leon has always been the main carer for his brother, and when Social Services decide that it is better for the brothers to be separated, finds it difficult to accept that he is a boy who should be looked after himself. The book is a great insight into the mind of a young boy who looses everything important to him, including his prized possessions of the Action Man figures he received as a present, his young brother and his mother who, although he should of felt resentment towards her for not looking after them both, was worried about her. It is also a great piece of social history, with the marriage of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer, the riots and also the issues of being an Afro-Carribean person living in Great Britain during the time.
The story is told by nine year old Leon and his childish view of the world is a very clever way to tell this story. The things that are important to Leon, his Action Men figures, Curly Wurlys, the one photograph of his young brother are throughout the story and added to the freedom Leon has through the bike his Social Worker gifts to Leon all give a small insight to how Leon is feeling and what he feels unable to express through his conversations with others.

This is a relatively short book, however it is a very thought provoking story which I am sure would be perfect as a book group read. There are many issues and themes which lend themselves to in depth conversations between fellow readers. The book also gives an insight into the fostering and adoption process and gave me much to think about in relation to the issues concerning this.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants a book that stays with them long after they have read the last paragraph, however I do recommend that you have some tissues to hand as there are a few heart breaking moments within the book.

Kit De Waal, the author is taking part in the Unbroken Voices panel event at Chipping Norton Literary Festival on Saturday 29th April 2017. I usually attend this festival and was looking forward to meeting Kit, but am now unable to visit the festival. I hope some of my blog visitors can make the festival - it is a great weekend.

Thank you to the publishers, Penguin, for sending me the book to review and for inviting me to take part in the blog tour to celebrate the paperback publication of My Name is Leon.

I absolutely loved this, read it all in one sitting too. Such an emotionally charged story that had quite a few laughs and was so easy to read. Until a certain Royal Wedding was mentioned, I would never have guessed that this was set in the early 80s, unfortunately certain themes in the story are still prevalent to today's society. Thoroughly recommend this.

Bit late on reading this one, however, it was brilliant. Really enjoyable a one more chapter read.

This was a surprisingly good read. My heart broke at times for Leon, but there were also moments of warmth.

The story takes place in England in the 1980's, and follows a young boy named Leon. Leon has a baby brother called Jake, and they are both living in a family situation that isn't healthy for anybody. They have different fathers, both of whom are absent, and their mother is struggling with addiction and mental health battles. As a result of this, the two boys are taken into foster care. Shortly after this however, Jake is adopted by a family looking for a baby. Leon is not. The reason for this, Leon is told, is because he is black, whereas his baby brother is white.

Thus follows a bitter tale of a brother's love for his sibling, of a search for family and a sense of belonging, and an understanding of life when you are different to those around you. Set against the backdrop of race riots, a Royal wedding, and a country struggling with austerity, the tale of Leon is one that both breaks your heart and warms it at the same time.

A story I would very much recommend to others.

A heart tugging read which flows beautifully & will appeal to a wide audience not just because of the subject matter but it's an easy grab commute or beach read. Books narrated by children can be tricky but this author has pulled it off . Highly recommended 👍

Such a heart warming honest book, love thats its told from the perspective of the child. So beautifully written

It’s really difficult to describe My Name is Leon, as there are so many layers to the story. There is the underlying tragedy of Leon and Jake’s situation and their mum, Carol’s, struggle with her mental health with little support, but there is also humour in how Leon sees the world, and the array of foster carers and social workers within it.

The novel takes place in 1981, and a divided Britain of excited followers of the Royal Wedding contrasted with bubbling racial tensions that dramatically explode are pefectly written from Leon’s narrow point of view. You can imagine a child of 9 or 10 picking up on elements of what is happening in the world outside his street without seeing the whole picture.

I loved how Leon’s discovery of the allotments, and some unlikely allies, was used in giving Leon a purpose. While in foster care, and struggling at school, it was lovely to see him find a sanctuary and something at which he could excel. The system would not let Leon take care of Jake, but by planting seeds and watching them grow, he has something to care for, something into which he could pour all his love for Jake.

As the heart of the book, Leon is a beautiful character. He is trying to be a grown-up boy, but he is still too young to understand what life has thrown at him. It is so hard to see him struggling to understand, and put the pieces together in his own mind. Once you realise what he is planning to do, it is enough to make you weep.

It wasn’t hard to give this book five stars – it really is that good.

The heart breaking book about Leon who is put into foster care and then separated from his baby brother. The story deals with Leons feelings and how he hopes to one day find his little brother.
A wonderful, beautifully written story that will leave Leon in your heart for a long time after you are finished it.
A must read for all.

This heartbreaking tale is set in the 1980's and follows 9yr old Leon and his baby Brother Jake.
Leon and Jake have different Fathers and skin colour and their Mum struggles to cope with looking after them due to her mental health. The boys are then placed in to social services care system where they ultimately end up separated and this book is about Leon's thoughts, his fears and feelings.
The scene was set well with the mention of the Royal Wedding & London riots and the references to BMX'S, Starwars, Action Man and sweets like Curly Wurly's placed the time period well and made it very imaginable having grown up then myself.
It is such a compelling read, you can't help forever routing for Leon right to the very end and your left imagining situations where this has not been fiction.
So shockingly thought provoking it makes you think about the care system and issues of race tension that went on.
The characterisation was very good and although yes the book is upsetting it is uplifting too!.
A book I needed tissues for and found hard to put down.
My thanks go to the author, publishers and Netgalley in providing me with a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

My name is Leon
I really enjoyed this book.
The story only covers a relatively short length of time concerning a young lad, his mum and baby brother.
Leon is a young mixed raced boy who's mum is seriously struggling to cope with caring for the 2 boys and eventually they are both taken into care and given to a 'temporary foster mother. The story follows Leon over about the next 6 months. A very moving story dealing with some very serious topics but the book somehow remained light and enjoyable and not a demanding heavy read.
Will look for more from this author in the future.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley.