What do you think?
Rate this book
The Doughnut Club
Donor conceived Quinn loves her family, but she often feels the odd one out. Not only because she’s the only one with red hair and green eyes, but because she would rather be quietly drawing than surfing or rock-climbing or whatever mad activity her mums and brother Olly might like to do on holiday.
But when Quinn’s mums tell her and Olly they have sixteen donor siblings, Quinn is really excited. Maybe one of them will be more like her! The only problem is her parents want them to wait until they are older to contact anyone.
As she tries to secretly find out more, Quinn starts to lose sight of what really important – especially when she starts to believe her worst enemy could be one of her siblings! Can she find a way back to her family, whilst finding a way to tell them how she really feels?
But when Quinn’s mums tell her and Olly they have sixteen donor siblings, Quinn is really excited. Maybe one of them will be more like her! The only problem is her parents want them to wait until they are older to contact anyone.
As she tries to secretly find out more, Quinn starts to lose sight of what really important – especially when she starts to believe her worst enemy could be one of her siblings! Can she find a way back to her family, whilst finding a way to tell them how she really feels?
288 pages, Paperback
First published May 8, 2025
4 people are currently reading
54 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
Read
February 21, 2025While I've read a lot of YA that's centered around donor-conceived stories, this was my first middle grade! Sometimes I feel like I have to really brace myself when a donor recipient parent writes a donor conception story, but I thought The Doughnut Club did a really accurate job with describing how a donor-conceived child may come to terms with finding donor siblings (I do hate the term diblings and actively cringed every time I read it).
My only real critique is that it read a little young for middle grade and it felt a little bit like free publicity for Donor Sibling Registry. Even though DSR wasn't mentioned by name, the description of the site and the fee match up with what Quinn describes in the book, and I don't love that readers could potentially be pointed that website's way (there's a thread from Feb. 2025 on r/donorconceived that explains why DSR is problematic if you're interested). I also don't love how canonically Quinn has 16 donor siblings -- it's a super common trope in DC books that I'd love people to steer away from. It opens up a can of worms that I don't appreciate as a DC person!
Overall, I think it works as a great piece of representation for donor-conceived kids and works well as an introduction to donor conception for kids.
My only real critique is that it read a little young for middle grade and it felt a little bit like free publicity for Donor Sibling Registry. Even though DSR wasn't mentioned by name, the description of the site and the fee match up with what Quinn describes in the book, and I don't love that readers could potentially be pointed that website's way (there's a thread from Feb. 2025 on r/donorconceived that explains why DSR is problematic if you're interested). I also don't love how canonically Quinn has 16 donor siblings -- it's a super common trope in DC books that I'd love people to steer away from. It opens up a can of worms that I don't appreciate as a DC person!
Overall, I think it works as a great piece of representation for donor-conceived kids and works well as an introduction to donor conception for kids.
April 18, 2025
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Kristina Rahim masterfully crafts a narrative that transcends a simple adventure story. Through Quinn’s perspective, readers explore well-developed themes that resonate with audiences of all ages. The book delves into the complexities of family dynamics, the importance of individuality, and the quest to find one's place within a diverse family framework.
The characters are well-developed, relatable, and occasionally humorous in their unique ways. Quinn is a relatable protagonist whose creative nature is central to her character. Her struggle with identity is portrayed with honesty. As Quinn seeks to meet and learn more about her donor half-siblings, her interactions with secondary characters—especially her brother Olly and her mothers—illustrate how different family members cope with being donor-conceived. This diversity adds depth to her story. Olly is a mischievous, game-loving, and adventurous child who enlivens the more serious themes with his humor and outgoing spirit. Olly and Quinn's mothers provide a realistic portrayal of how parents can differ yet unite to create a harmonious and loving blended family. Monika serves as a compelling antagonist, capturing Quinn's fears and insecurities while offering readers a character with an unexpected story arc. Monika's role also influences Quinn and Olly's sibling dynamics, highlighting the challenges that arise from age gaps and differing interests. Secondary characters such as Fred and other locals at the beach where Quinn's family vacations offer insights into various perspectives on relationships, family dynamics, friendship, and life. The vacation setting provides a humorous and relatable backdrop that complements the plot. Rahim’s writing style is engaging and approachable, making "The Doughnut Club" appealing for middle-grade readers. The language is straightforward yet descriptive, allowing readers to visualize Quinn's vibrant world. The author addresses complex themes without resorting to complicated language, making the book both accessible and enjoyable. While the plot is well-developed, it occasionally feels prolonged. More focus on all characters, rather than just Quinn, in exploring the donor siblings and family dynamics would have enhanced the reader's connection to the characters. The book excels in its discussion of identity and belonging. Quinn's artistic pursuits symbolize her desire for self-expression in a family that enjoys outdoor adventures. Olly's desire for adventure, coupled with his wish to spend time with Quinn, symbolizes his longing to keep his family close and his fear of losing them. Readers are encouraged to reflect on their own identities and recognize the significance of individuality within family ties. The narrative emphasizes that families can take many forms without diminishing love or connection. Rahim illustrates that understanding our roots—whether biological or chosen—is crucial to feeling grounded in the world. "The Doughnut Club" explores family, self-discovery, identity, friendship, and the importance of communicating one's interests and fears with loved ones, while also representing donor families. Readers of all ages can connect with Quinn's journey. Rahim's story invites not only children but also families and caregivers to engage in meaningful conversations about identity and acceptance. Although this book stands alone, it has the potential to evolve into a series following Quinn, Olly, and their family's journey in meeting donor half-siblings.
Kristina Rahim masterfully crafts a narrative that transcends a simple adventure story. Through Quinn’s perspective, readers explore well-developed themes that resonate with audiences of all ages. The book delves into the complexities of family dynamics, the importance of individuality, and the quest to find one's place within a diverse family framework.
The characters are well-developed, relatable, and occasionally humorous in their unique ways. Quinn is a relatable protagonist whose creative nature is central to her character. Her struggle with identity is portrayed with honesty. As Quinn seeks to meet and learn more about her donor half-siblings, her interactions with secondary characters—especially her brother Olly and her mothers—illustrate how different family members cope with being donor-conceived. This diversity adds depth to her story. Olly is a mischievous, game-loving, and adventurous child who enlivens the more serious themes with his humor and outgoing spirit. Olly and Quinn's mothers provide a realistic portrayal of how parents can differ yet unite to create a harmonious and loving blended family. Monika serves as a compelling antagonist, capturing Quinn's fears and insecurities while offering readers a character with an unexpected story arc. Monika's role also influences Quinn and Olly's sibling dynamics, highlighting the challenges that arise from age gaps and differing interests. Secondary characters such as Fred and other locals at the beach where Quinn's family vacations offer insights into various perspectives on relationships, family dynamics, friendship, and life. The vacation setting provides a humorous and relatable backdrop that complements the plot. Rahim’s writing style is engaging and approachable, making "The Doughnut Club" appealing for middle-grade readers. The language is straightforward yet descriptive, allowing readers to visualize Quinn's vibrant world. The author addresses complex themes without resorting to complicated language, making the book both accessible and enjoyable. While the plot is well-developed, it occasionally feels prolonged. More focus on all characters, rather than just Quinn, in exploring the donor siblings and family dynamics would have enhanced the reader's connection to the characters. The book excels in its discussion of identity and belonging. Quinn's artistic pursuits symbolize her desire for self-expression in a family that enjoys outdoor adventures. Olly's desire for adventure, coupled with his wish to spend time with Quinn, symbolizes his longing to keep his family close and his fear of losing them. Readers are encouraged to reflect on their own identities and recognize the significance of individuality within family ties. The narrative emphasizes that families can take many forms without diminishing love or connection. Rahim illustrates that understanding our roots—whether biological or chosen—is crucial to feeling grounded in the world. "The Doughnut Club" explores family, self-discovery, identity, friendship, and the importance of communicating one's interests and fears with loved ones, while also representing donor families. Readers of all ages can connect with Quinn's journey. Rahim's story invites not only children but also families and caregivers to engage in meaningful conversations about identity and acceptance. Although this book stands alone, it has the potential to evolve into a series following Quinn, Olly, and their family's journey in meeting donor half-siblings.
May 5, 2025
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central
Quinn and her brother Olly have always known that their two mothers, Jodi and Sam, conceived them with the help of a donor, and both kids are secure in their identity... most of the time. When the family takes a vacation to a beach hotel, Quinn has to deal with Monika, whom she has met in previous years. When they were younger, Monika asked why Quinn didn't have a father, and misinterpreted "donor" as "doughnut". Monika is mean and snarky, but the two keep getting thrown together in the acitivities at the hotel. Quinn has started to question why she's the only one in her family with red hair, and why she doesn't like the same activities that they do. When her mothers talk about finding the other children of her donor, Quinn is very interested, and doesn't want to wait until she is older. She logs into the account, and even upgrades it with the family debit card so she can message other members. She's already suspicious that one of the staff members might be related to her, but when she finds out that one of the donor siblings (or "diblings", as she puts it) lives nearby, she arranges to meet up with the family. All the while, she is afraid that Monika might be related to her, and spends so much time on her far flung family that she ignores Olly. When he runs off after Quinn doesn't watch him closely enough, she realizes that he means more to her than people she hasn't met. She has to come clean to her mothers about her investigations as well as her feelings of not belonging and not being understood.
I'm not sure where exactly this was set, but I would have loved to spend a week at this hotel! It's near a beach, but had the feel of an all inclusive Pocono Mountains family camp. Since the author lives in England, and this is based on her own family's experiences, there must be family centered hotels on the British coast somewhere. Finding them may be my new life goal!
It was good to see that while Quinn did have questions about her background, she was fairly happy with her family situation. She even gets along with Olly, even though she doesn't pay as much attention to him while she is dealing with Monika and trying to connect with her donor siblings. Monika's experience of being a donor child who was told later in life about her family history was a nice contrast to Quinn having known about her background for as long as she could remember.
This reminded me strongly of the summer vacation stories Levy's The Family Fletcher Takes Rock Island and Moon's Family Week that also showcase LGBTQIA+ families, or Robert's Nikki on the Line, which is one of the few middle grade books that specifically addresses children who are conceived through artificial insemination with donors. The Doughnut Club is the only book I've read that specifically addresses finding possible siblings.
Quinn and her brother Olly have always known that their two mothers, Jodi and Sam, conceived them with the help of a donor, and both kids are secure in their identity... most of the time. When the family takes a vacation to a beach hotel, Quinn has to deal with Monika, whom she has met in previous years. When they were younger, Monika asked why Quinn didn't have a father, and misinterpreted "donor" as "doughnut". Monika is mean and snarky, but the two keep getting thrown together in the acitivities at the hotel. Quinn has started to question why she's the only one in her family with red hair, and why she doesn't like the same activities that they do. When her mothers talk about finding the other children of her donor, Quinn is very interested, and doesn't want to wait until she is older. She logs into the account, and even upgrades it with the family debit card so she can message other members. She's already suspicious that one of the staff members might be related to her, but when she finds out that one of the donor siblings (or "diblings", as she puts it) lives nearby, she arranges to meet up with the family. All the while, she is afraid that Monika might be related to her, and spends so much time on her far flung family that she ignores Olly. When he runs off after Quinn doesn't watch him closely enough, she realizes that he means more to her than people she hasn't met. She has to come clean to her mothers about her investigations as well as her feelings of not belonging and not being understood.
I'm not sure where exactly this was set, but I would have loved to spend a week at this hotel! It's near a beach, but had the feel of an all inclusive Pocono Mountains family camp. Since the author lives in England, and this is based on her own family's experiences, there must be family centered hotels on the British coast somewhere. Finding them may be my new life goal!
It was good to see that while Quinn did have questions about her background, she was fairly happy with her family situation. She even gets along with Olly, even though she doesn't pay as much attention to him while she is dealing with Monika and trying to connect with her donor siblings. Monika's experience of being a donor child who was told later in life about her family history was a nice contrast to Quinn having known about her background for as long as she could remember.
This reminded me strongly of the summer vacation stories Levy's The Family Fletcher Takes Rock Island and Moon's Family Week that also showcase LGBTQIA+ families, or Robert's Nikki on the Line, which is one of the few middle grade books that specifically addresses children who are conceived through artificial insemination with donors. The Doughnut Club is the only book I've read that specifically addresses finding possible siblings.
February 7, 2026
So I love the concept of a donor conceived child’s coming of age and the family-focused story where she feels like she doesn’t fit in. I feel like this is giving upper middle grade from the concept and character’s age but tonally feels on the much younger side of middle grade so it wasn’t my fav. The protagonist’s feelings towards the other girl were plot relevant but the amount that she consumed her thoughts at the start just put me off the story a lot but that’s a personal thing but I do feel like she could’ve been more well-rounded from the start to not fall into an overused trope. I feel like there was too much telling on the part of the parents, like they seemed to be talking like pieces of the plot instead of real people and I think a bit more mystery on their thoughts or else incorporating them more naturally would’ve made this flow better because it seemed like everyone in this story apart from the main girl and Fred and Pat were filling a trope for story purposes instead of being real nuanced people. It became a little too goody-two-shoes in that respect, like trying to teach kids a lesson on the right way to navigate a situation instead of showing a difficult situation that every character is struggling through and just letting it be that. Even the protagonist by the end seems to be overcome by the spirit of saying things to her family for the purpose of plot, despite telling us that she doesn’t say everything and just agrees to keep the peace. I get that it was her coming of age but it’s like she just switches her personality off rather than exposing just enough to reach the understanding.
I personally hated the holiday camp setting so that grew my understanding of protagonist’s views on it, the idea of days of outdoor activities year after year referred to as a holiday- sounds like an absolute nightmare and 10 year old me 100% would’ve empathised with everything the protagonist was going through because that place sounds TERRIBLE.
I personally hated the holiday camp setting so that grew my understanding of protagonist’s views on it, the idea of days of outdoor activities year after year referred to as a holiday- sounds like an absolute nightmare and 10 year old me 100% would’ve empathised with everything the protagonist was going through because that place sounds TERRIBLE.
May 28, 2025
A debut book from the author Kristina Rahim which was sent to me by Nosy Crow, so many thanks to them. This is superb! Family issues, intrigue and 16 siblings!
Quinn and Olly have two mum's - technically they're half siblings because each has a different mum because Quinn's mum is Mama and Olly's mum is Mum! But they used the same sperm donor as a father. They have always known this. But now they find out about a website that allows you to see how many other children your donor has had....and in their case it's 16!
Quinn can't get them out of her head, because some of them might be like her. She loves her family but really they are adrenaline junkies and she wants to paint and read books!
On the annual family holiday (to the same hotel) Quinn is dared by Monika (arch-enemy and the reason Quinn and Olly are the Doughnuts) to go on the bouldering wall - from which she falls and breaks her wrist. No more extreme sports so now she gets to go on walks, and on painting workshops.
She finds out (not that she should be looking at the website) that someone who is also on holiday there has the same father....and also that Monika is a donor child. She can't be, can she?
The intrigue surrounding the donor siblings, the rivalry with Monika and Olly's disappearance make this book hard to put down till the end.
I like Quinn's friendship with Fred, who makes her see that she should tell everyone what she likes to do....turns out Mum and Mama have already seen some of Quinn's work.
Really good debut. I am looking forward to placing this straight into the hand of one of the year 6 girls as I know she'll then pass it round!
Perfect for fans of Benjamin Dean, Sarah Hagger-Holt, Simon James Green and Radhika Sanghani. And anyone that loves a bit of family drama!
Quinn and Olly have two mum's - technically they're half siblings because each has a different mum because Quinn's mum is Mama and Olly's mum is Mum! But they used the same sperm donor as a father. They have always known this. But now they find out about a website that allows you to see how many other children your donor has had....and in their case it's 16!
Quinn can't get them out of her head, because some of them might be like her. She loves her family but really they are adrenaline junkies and she wants to paint and read books!
On the annual family holiday (to the same hotel) Quinn is dared by Monika (arch-enemy and the reason Quinn and Olly are the Doughnuts) to go on the bouldering wall - from which she falls and breaks her wrist. No more extreme sports so now she gets to go on walks, and on painting workshops.
She finds out (not that she should be looking at the website) that someone who is also on holiday there has the same father....and also that Monika is a donor child. She can't be, can she?
The intrigue surrounding the donor siblings, the rivalry with Monika and Olly's disappearance make this book hard to put down till the end.
I like Quinn's friendship with Fred, who makes her see that she should tell everyone what she likes to do....turns out Mum and Mama have already seen some of Quinn's work.
Really good debut. I am looking forward to placing this straight into the hand of one of the year 6 girls as I know she'll then pass it round!
Perfect for fans of Benjamin Dean, Sarah Hagger-Holt, Simon James Green and Radhika Sanghani. And anyone that loves a bit of family drama!
June 28, 2025
⭐️: 4.25/5
💬: "Well, of course you’ll feel alone if you don’t share things with them. You need to be honest and show them the whole you.”
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
I haven’t read many books the feature donor-conceived children, so when I saw the premise for this book, I was immediately intrigued - I have been an egg donor in the past, so it was really interesting to read about characters who have been on the receiving end of a donation.
💜 What I liked about it 💜
🍩 It was so refreshing to read a book about a family where the children are donor-conceived and I also appreciated how open Quinn and Olly’s moms were about this, giving their children the space to ask questions. I think this book will be a great way to open up conversations with younger readers about donors, fertility and conception, in an age-appropriate and accessible way.
🍩 It was interesting to see how the news of them having 16 donor-siblings (“diblings”) affected Olly and Quinn in different ways. Quinn became obsessed with tracking them down and couldn’t understand Olly’s reluctance to do the same. It took her a while to realise that her eagerness to find these new siblings was actually making her little brother feel like he was being replaced.
🍩 I also appreciated how the story explores and normalises the diverse nature of families, showing us that every family is unique, which is what makes them so special.
🍩 There’s a lot of focus on identity and belonging here. Quinn felt a bit out of place in her family, as she’d rather be going on hikes and sketching in her notebook, instead of forcing herself to join in with all the physical activities the rest of her family seemed to favour. It was a joy to watch her learn to embrace who she truly is and share those parts of herself with others.
🍩 This is a fast-paced story and with the holiday setting, it will make the perfect summer read for younger bookworms!
✨️ What to expect ✨️
🌱 Coming-of-age elements
🤰 Donor-conceived siblings
👪 Family-focused story
��️🌈 Queer characters
🤔 Themes of identity and belonging
💫 Many thanks to Pride Book Tours and Nosy Crow for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
💌 Follow me on Instagram and TikTok at @jodierosereads
💬: "Well, of course you’ll feel alone if you don’t share things with them. You need to be honest and show them the whole you.”
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
I haven’t read many books the feature donor-conceived children, so when I saw the premise for this book, I was immediately intrigued - I have been an egg donor in the past, so it was really interesting to read about characters who have been on the receiving end of a donation.
💜 What I liked about it 💜
🍩 It was so refreshing to read a book about a family where the children are donor-conceived and I also appreciated how open Quinn and Olly’s moms were about this, giving their children the space to ask questions. I think this book will be a great way to open up conversations with younger readers about donors, fertility and conception, in an age-appropriate and accessible way.
🍩 It was interesting to see how the news of them having 16 donor-siblings (“diblings”) affected Olly and Quinn in different ways. Quinn became obsessed with tracking them down and couldn’t understand Olly’s reluctance to do the same. It took her a while to realise that her eagerness to find these new siblings was actually making her little brother feel like he was being replaced.
🍩 I also appreciated how the story explores and normalises the diverse nature of families, showing us that every family is unique, which is what makes them so special.
🍩 There’s a lot of focus on identity and belonging here. Quinn felt a bit out of place in her family, as she’d rather be going on hikes and sketching in her notebook, instead of forcing herself to join in with all the physical activities the rest of her family seemed to favour. It was a joy to watch her learn to embrace who she truly is and share those parts of herself with others.
🍩 This is a fast-paced story and with the holiday setting, it will make the perfect summer read for younger bookworms!
✨️ What to expect ✨️
🌱 Coming-of-age elements
🤰 Donor-conceived siblings
👪 Family-focused story
��️🌈 Queer characters
🤔 Themes of identity and belonging
💫 Many thanks to Pride Book Tours and Nosy Crow for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
💌 Follow me on Instagram and TikTok at @jodierosereads
February 23, 2025
This is one of my most hotly anticipated reads for 2025 and I’m delighted to report it is every bit as good as I’d heard.
Quinn is apprehensive when we first meet her. She’s with her family who are on their way to their annual seaside holiday on the South Coast. Her little brother Olly and her two mums like all-out action while she prefers to take life at a slower place. Not that her family seem to take any notice about what she likes. She wishes she had more in common with them.
Quinn and Olly have always known they were donor conceived. What they didn’t know until that day is that they have sixteen donor siblings. Quinn can’t wait to meet them and to find out if they are more like her, but Mama is nervous about taking this next step. She thinks Quinn and Olly are too young to handle what could be an emotional journey.
But Quinn can’t let it go and so begins her heart-felt and often funny attempts to discover her donor siblings in secret. Mistakes are made, identities confused, and friendship and family are put to the test in this wonderful, inclusive and humour-filled story of a girl searching for who she is.
Quinn is apprehensive when we first meet her. She’s with her family who are on their way to their annual seaside holiday on the South Coast. Her little brother Olly and her two mums like all-out action while she prefers to take life at a slower place. Not that her family seem to take any notice about what she likes. She wishes she had more in common with them.
Quinn and Olly have always known they were donor conceived. What they didn’t know until that day is that they have sixteen donor siblings. Quinn can’t wait to meet them and to find out if they are more like her, but Mama is nervous about taking this next step. She thinks Quinn and Olly are too young to handle what could be an emotional journey.
But Quinn can’t let it go and so begins her heart-felt and often funny attempts to discover her donor siblings in secret. Mistakes are made, identities confused, and friendship and family are put to the test in this wonderful, inclusive and humour-filled story of a girl searching for who she is.
July 26, 2025
Quinn and her brother Olly have grown up knowing that their moms took turns using the same sperm donor in order to have them, making them half siblings. During their summer holiday to the beach their moms let them know that there is a database where they can see if they have any other half siblings from the same donor. Quinn is excited to see what her other half siblings are like since she has always felt out of step with the rest of her adventurous family. Olly doesn’t seem all that interested in these related strangers and the moms are reluctant to reach out to any of them. After Quinn fractures her wrist, saving her from surfing lessons, she gets more time to try the things she likes and sneak around to try and contact her new half siblings. This is a calm story about family, secrets, and dealing with bullies that does a good job of showcasing the various ways children conceived through donors might perceive their experience. The characters are relatable and distinct making for an engaging read. Recommended for any library serving children in grades 3rd through 6th.
September 6, 2025
I loved this book! It was a really fun read, and it was quite interesting as I’d never read anything like this before!
Some people think Quinn’s family is different. She has two mums, so her brother Olly share a donor rather than a dad. But that’s not why she feels so.. different.
So, when her mums tell her she has sixteen other donor siblings in the world, she’s determined to learn more! Maybe, she could find someone in her family that’s more like her…
I loved this book! I read it for my Fable book club, The Enchanted Readers Society, and I absolutely loved it! It was so fun, and very interesting as I’ve never read something like this, which is quite sad if you think about it, as I feel like all children should be able to read books like this, so there should be more books like this out there for everyone to read. I loved Quinn’s character, and I loved how she befriended some people she may not have thought were friends before, which I loved. I definitely recommend this book, and I hope to read more of Kristina’s work in the future!
Some people think Quinn’s family is different. She has two mums, so her brother Olly share a donor rather than a dad. But that’s not why she feels so.. different.
So, when her mums tell her she has sixteen other donor siblings in the world, she’s determined to learn more! Maybe, she could find someone in her family that’s more like her…
I loved this book! I read it for my Fable book club, The Enchanted Readers Society, and I absolutely loved it! It was so fun, and very interesting as I’ve never read something like this, which is quite sad if you think about it, as I feel like all children should be able to read books like this, so there should be more books like this out there for everyone to read. I loved Quinn’s character, and I loved how she befriended some people she may not have thought were friends before, which I loved. I definitely recommend this book, and I hope to read more of Kristina’s work in the future!
September 30, 2025
I loved this book. My sister has donor kids and I realised after I finished reading The Doughnut Club that, much like the protagonist Quinn, I’d never stopped to consider how other people might view that or how the kids experience of growing up might differ. Kristin Rahim has created a sensitively handled and completely authentic-feeling main character but managed to add wonderful depth and nuance to all the supporting cast too. Her depiction of family life is funny, heartwarming and so relatable no matter if you are a donor family or not.
I think the themes on family and difference are a universal experience and this book should not be looked as niche or other. It is absolutely relevant and enjoyable for anyone - 8/9+ and anyone who’s parenting or been parented.
It’s so well written you’ll race through it. I loved it.
I think the themes on family and difference are a universal experience and this book should not be looked as niche or other. It is absolutely relevant and enjoyable for anyone - 8/9+ and anyone who’s parenting or been parented.
It’s so well written you’ll race through it. I loved it.
June 20, 2025
Quinn doesn't feel as though she fits into her family. They love surfing. She loves drawing. They are more gregarious. She's quieter. She feels unseen, unheard, and misunderstood.
On the way to their yearly beach trip, her moms break the news that they've found out that Quinn and her brother have sixteen donor siblings. With so many half-siblings, Quinn thinks there must be at least one who is more like her, and she's desperate to find out more. How far will she go to find out if she's not alone after all? What if what's she's looking for was there all along?
This is a delightful, unputdownable middle grades read. I highly recommend it for classroom and school libraries.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC! All opinions are my own.
On the way to their yearly beach trip, her moms break the news that they've found out that Quinn and her brother have sixteen donor siblings. With so many half-siblings, Quinn thinks there must be at least one who is more like her, and she's desperate to find out more. How far will she go to find out if she's not alone after all? What if what's she's looking for was there all along?
This is a delightful, unputdownable middle grades read. I highly recommend it for classroom and school libraries.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC! All opinions are my own.
May 1, 2025
This was a good older child’s book about children from donor eggs or sperm, the author writes at the back of the book that every state school in England will have children that were conceived by a donor egg or sperm. I find this true and it’s a good book to show how the children feels about it. Quinn and her brother Olly were both conceived by donor and she wants to find out how many half siblings she has. She goes behind her mums back to find out this. It’s a good subject that is best read by a high schooler. A nice book to discuss with an older child. 4 stars. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy.
April 29, 2025
A really lovely, sweet, uplifting book.
Although the story contains 'Big Issues', it's not done in an in-your face, overbearing way. It doesn't feel like the author is lecturing or hectoring, and although the plot revolves around being a donor conceived, it's sympathetically and gently done. What I enjoyed was how the author writes about things to which we can all relate - annoying family members, frenemies, working out who we are - regardless of our background and previous experience.
I would definitely recommend!
Although the story contains 'Big Issues', it's not done in an in-your face, overbearing way. It doesn't feel like the author is lecturing or hectoring, and although the plot revolves around being a donor conceived, it's sympathetically and gently done. What I enjoyed was how the author writes about things to which we can all relate - annoying family members, frenemies, working out who we are - regardless of our background and previous experience.
I would definitely recommend!
May 30, 2025
Brilliant book about feeling different and finding your place, whoever you are! Quinn and Olly are both donor conceived, but Quinn feels like she's the odd one out compared to her mums and her brother. So she sets out to find her donor siblings.
I don't think I've ever read a book that deals with donor conception for this age group, and it's handled perfectly. A lovely, engaging and sometimes very funny story.
I don't think I've ever read a book that deals with donor conception for this age group, and it's handled perfectly. A lovely, engaging and sometimes very funny story.
February 24, 2025
What a lovely book for middle stage readers. I really enjoyed the story and was pleased the potentially expected ending wasn't wrapped up in a bow as other may have been tempted to provide. Gently thought provoking and a light examination of familial love and bonds. Will read again with my daughter. Thank you for my ARC - review is my own.
July 3, 2025
A gentle but moving story about family and identity. Full disclosure, I was sent an ARC. I read this over a few days. I loved Quinn as a main character and was really invested in her journey of discovery. There’s a lot of talk about reading for empathy at the moment and I can’t think of a book that fits that remit better than this one.
September 25, 2025
Great bk. Quinn and her brother know they’re donor-conceived, but they find out they have 16 genetic siblings. While on vacation, they might have a chance to meet one. Will it happen?
January 23, 2026
heartwarming read
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews