Too Small to Fail [Paperback]

Oliver's parents both work long hours at an investment bank and are so busy making money that they hardly have any time for him. Oliver isn't worried about having all the latest gadgets that money can buy though, he would just like them to spend time together as a family and he would really like a pet dog. He spends his time watching a dog through a pet shop window trying to come up with ways to convince his parents to let him bring the dog home. When a lady buys the dog and threatens to harm him if Oliver doesn't get his parents to return the money she invested with them he doesn't think things can get much worse. Until he discovers that there is a problem with the bank and he realises the money has been lost. Can he find a way to repay the lady and save the dog?

I really enjoyed Morris Gleitzman's last book Grace so was looking forward to reading Too Small To Fail. I'm pleased to say that the story doesn't disappoint and I enjoyed it just as much. Morris Gleitzman has a way of writing that will capture the attention of younger readers, he writes about current events in a humorous and light way but still manages to offer a lot of insight into the financial crisis. I loved the way he manages to talk about investment banking in a way that will make sense to even the youngest readers and I think even adults can learn something from the story.

Oliver is a lovely main character, he is young and in some ways naive but he is sweet, loves his family and has a strong sense of right and wrong. He may be hopeless at maths and come up with some crazy money making schemes but he is trying to correct his parents mistakes. The story is hilarious, partly due to the things that Oliver gets up to but also with thanks to the antics of the dog Bailey and Moo the camel, I actually laughed out loud several times when I was reading it.

Like Grace, Too Small To Fail is a relatively short book and one that it is easy to read in one sitting. It is a fun story with a serious edge to it and a strong moral undertone. I definitely need to start working my way through the rest of Morris Gleitzman's back list and am looking forward to seeing what he comes up with next.

4½ Out of 5
Oliver's parents are incredibly rich, and busy with their bank. Oliver doesn't care about money. All he wants is the dog behind the glass at the pet shop. So when a lady comes along and buys the dog, he doesn't think it can get any worse. Until she threatens him (the dog-him; not Oliver-him). Apparently his parents took her money and she wants it back. If Oliver doesn't get her money for her in one week, the dog dies. Then... it gets even worse. It turns out that the woman has sixteen camels who may die from lack of water. And it's all his parents' fault! What will Oliver do, and how on earth can he save those innocent camels from dying?
This was my first Morris Gleitzman book, and I can honestly say I absolutely adored it! We all know that when some adults write as `children', it feels fake, forced. With Gleitzman's book, on the other hand, I could actually feel Oliver's age, his innocence. I looked through his eyes, and saw the world just as a ten-year-old would. Somehow, Gleitzman managed to create a believable voice narrating a funny, sweet, yet somehow serious story. It was addictive, humorous and I stayed up late especially to finish it.
Oliver was such an amazing lead. He was practical, intelligent, slightly naive and bad at maths. He had this way of seeing things, and coming to sensible conclusions, no matter how insane and unbelievable they truly were after the fact. Oliver had a strong moral compass, which is something that - in my opinion - every good hero should have. But no one took him seriously: he was always worrying too much, or just had an overactive imagination. All he wanted to be respected by parents who were there for him more. Oliver was so sweet, young and innocent; seeing the crisis through him was absolutely intriguing.
The other characters were perfect as well. Nancy, who appeared to be bad in the beginning, but turned out to just be desperate. Her daughter Rose, whose obvious loathing of Oscar was almost amusing at times; though that may just have been the ways she expressed herself. How many girls march into someone else's school, just to punch them in the stomach? And I loved Barclay: the little dog who was the only solid thing Oliver longed for. Oh, and Moo. She was cute when she wasn't stamping on peoples' heads.
Gleitzman managed to explain the economic crisis in a way that everyone can understand, no matter how young they are. With statements such as "big bikkies" and "in the poo", he even managed to make the crisis fun, odd as that may be. And, although it's aimed at middle-grade readers, Too Small to Fail easily crosses over into adult fiction. After all, it is about an adult problem, and they may even learn something valuable from the book: I know I did!
The story line was so strong, there were completely unexpected twists, and a very powerful moral undertone. It was also absolutely hilariously funny: there's something about Gleitzman's writing style, I think. However, family loyalties played a major theme: how far should you go to do the right thing - even if it means hurting the ones you love? Plus, the plot was so ridiculous, it was almost believable. And, yes, I am aware of how strange that sounds, but if you read the book, you may understand what I mean. All I'm certain of is that I'm definitely going to be on the lookout for more of Gleitzman's books from now on!

This is a really good ensemble novel. There is a main character, Oliver, and his desire to be reunited with his (sort of) dog who has been (sort of ) kidnapped is at the heart of the story. But other characters also shine through: Haydn, the disappointed banker; Rose, the stroppy camel-farmer; even the long-line of short-lived housekeepers.
Each character brings a new angle, both to Oliver's story and to our understanding of the complexities of the international banking system (really).
This book is very entertaining and deserves to be much-read on Wall Street.