Helena Pielichaty

Read this with my ten-year-old. It's really hard to find a good book for the junior-school age group these days, so much shelf-space in the bookshops is packed with those mass-produced series written by shadowy teams of authors under a paper-thin pseudonym that are really the same story churned out time and time again and padded out to justify a £5 price tag (stand up 'The Rainbow Fairies'). This book, on the other hand, is interesting, exciting, gritty and humorous, covering the sort of issues faced by the average pre-teen, without straying into those dangerous areas (snogging and the like) that parents are not ready for yet!!

Featuring an impressive variety of regional accents, it was great fun to read aloud too! A big thumbs up - highly recommended.… (more)

From the cover of this novel I had no idea whether to expect adult chick-lit froth or a girlie young adult novel. Not wanting complaints from parents if I shelved an adult romance in the teen section of our bookshop by mistake, I thought I'd better read it first! That done, I'd definitely place it as a top-age young adult novel, girlie and great fun. Erin is in year ten, and she is having to move from her posh house onto the local council estate following her dad's bankruptcy. Not only is the family struggling to make ends meet and fighting between themselves as they settle into their new home, but to Erin's horror they're now living just down the street from Liam, the arrogant class stud. Of course, events throw them together and as time goes on each realises the other isn't so bad after all. Ever few chapters the viewpoint switches between these two chalk-and-cheese characters, so the reader can sit back and watch their walls being knocked down and their prejudices fading away.

Pielichaty is a teacher by profession and her understanding of teenage life shines through. She touches on everything from alcohol to sex, money to friendships, moving house to family identity, with sensitivity and insight, and throws in a hefty helping of humour and a stirring message of loyalty, generosity, and How We're All The Same Really. The interactions between friends, classmates and siblings ring with authenticity, and the sweet growing attraction between Liam and Erin is the icing on the cake. The verdict? Pure fluff, but it's fresh and smart and for older teens it really hits the mark.… (more)