POP is an adventure story about an overly popular drink called mac-tonic. The story starts where the drinks secret formula is lost at sea and a Mac-Tonic lover called Queenie finds it on the shore. The story continues with the trillion-dollar Mac-Tonic company’s attempts to regain the recipe of their bestselling drink.
I enjoyed the book. The many plot twists and lies fed to the consumers – and the overkill marketing schemes – made the whole novel packed with adventure, discovery, and shocking truths about the company, which many of the population relied on to produce their favourite sugar and caffeine-packed drink. Another great theme to the book is its many morals and messages related to climate change, greed, and addiction. I thought the book touched well on these areas while still appealing to younger children (7–10-year-olds) as well as young teens.
I can’t say I disliked any aspect of the book as it was such an incredible read. The messages are well put out and it has a very real side as it shows the evil of the Mac-Tonic corporation and its extreme marketing, which is a strategy that some companies use today.
Mitch Johnson has a theme running through his two books- well written messages for the world today- kick his debut novel tackling children’s rights.
I loved reading Pop – a well written adventure novel for a wide age range.
About the book
An outrageous theft. A huge reward. Two friends on the run.
An uproariously funny, action-packed new adventure about the power of courage, standing up for what’s right, and fizzy drinks, from the award-winning author of Kick. Queenie stares out at the ocean and dreams of a world beyond her small-town. She’s about to get her wish…
When the priceless recipe to the world’s most popular drink – thought to be lost forever – washes up at her feet, Queenie’s life instantly changes. Everyone wants it, and with a $10 million bounty on her head, Queenie’s soon on the run. Pursued by bounty hunters, black-ops helicopters and angry mobs, Queenie’s journey involves a trip to Area 51, a man-eating alligator and an unlikely new friend, Todd.
But being on the run also makes Queenie begin to see the world around her more clearly – a world in which a big corporation’s excess has left the planet covered in its plastic bottles and waste. Suddenly, the home she always dreamed of escaping, and the ocean she grew up with and took for granted, don’t seem so bad. If Queenie and Todd can bring down the bad guys, maybe she can go back home and make a difference…