By Kristina Rahim (author)
"What makes a family, and what makes an individual? An authentic, empathetic and warm-hearted dual narrative story about two half-siblings, their families, their struggles, and the things that make them who they are."
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I absolutely adored Kristina Rahim’s debut novel The Doughnut Club , and the way she captures family dynamics and pre-teen emotional turmoil with real authenticity and humour. Max and Ella, Stuck Together is an equally refreshing and empathetic exploration of such themes as self-confidence, confronting change, and what make us who we are.
Max and Ella’s worlds begin to collide when, to help him reignite his former confidence, Max’s mums suggest setting up a meeting between Max and Hari, a friend of the family who helped conceive Max through sperm donation. Ella – Hari's daughter – is already grappling with losing her best friend to a new secondary school and missing her busy mum more than she cares to admit – how will this new half-sibling further shake up her life? The narrative reaches a pinnacle when, through a few twists of fate, Max ends up unintentionally gatecrashing Ella’s family’s weekend plans, resulting in an awkward – and subsequently dangerous – hiking trip with trio Max, Ella and Hari.
There are plentiful opportunities for empathy-building, most prominently through the dual narrative format that allows an intimate look at each protagonist’s perspective, and the way their individual struggles compliment, bump up against, and gradually start to mend one another's. I also appreciate the space given to the identities and backstories of the grown-up characters – it's nice to see not just blank ciphers of Mums and Dads, but fleshed-out, flawed and loveable humans in their own right.
What’s particularly refreshing is not only the representation of a family with same-gender parents and the demystifying of donor conception, but the casual inclusion of other family constructs as well, including unmarried parents and a single-parent family. In all, this is a well-written and warm-hearted story, by a talented emerging author going from strength to strength.
From the author of The Doughnut Club, comes a warm, heart-filled story, for every reader who needs help being true to themselves.
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Max hadn't thought about meeting his donor parent until his mums suggested it. After a tough year starting secondary school, where he was bullied, his confidence has been knocked and he's struggling to enjoy the music he used to love. With a charity concert coming up, the last thing Max wants to do is let down his friends. Maybe meeting his donor, Hari, will help him figure out who he wants to be.
Hari is Ella's dad and was a sperm donor before she was born. She's fine with it, but she's not fine with the idea of sharing him with some other kid she's never met. With her mum working abroad and her best friend starting a different senior school, Ella's dealing with enough change already. Now this decision her dad made in his past is messing with her future and she's not happy.
When Max ends up gatecrashing Ella's family weekend, things do not go to plan, and they are both pushed to the edge in more ways than one.
Will they stay stuck, or will they find a way to come together and the path to their true selves?
"Rahim weaves complex matters into a mystery with an absorbing plot, driven by its plucky, warm-hearted heroine" - The Telegraph
"A poignant, joyful, and warm-hearted celebration of family, friendship, and the things which make us all unique" - Simon James Green
Kristina Rahim is a writer and lives in London with her wife and two daughters. Before writing, Kristina worked in the property industry, building homes out of disused garages and scraps of land. She now spends her days building middle grade and YA novels. She was runner-up in the Golden Egg Award fiction competition 2022. Her début middle grade novel, The Doughnut Club , was named as the winner of the PFD Queer Fiction Prize 2023 and was published in 2025 by Nosy Crow.
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From the author of The Doughnut Club, comes a warm, heart-filled story, for every reader who needs help being true to themselves. Max hadn't thought about meeting his donor parent until his mums suggested it.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Max and Ella, Stuck Together and determined it is suitable for children aged 11-14 years old
Max and Ella, Stuck Together features in the following genres: Featured Books for 11+ readers, Featured Books for 13+ readers, Stories about Family and Friends, PSHE: Family Issues, Children’s / Teenage personal and social topics: LGBTQ+, Recommendations, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Personal Social Health Economic (PSHE)
Paperback. £7.19, down from the £7.99 cover price. In Stock.
Max and Ella, Stuck Together was written by Kristina Rahim and published by Nosy Crow an imprint of Nosy Crow Ltd
Max and Ella, Stuck Together has 255 pages
£7.19, reduced from £7.99. In Stock.
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