I think a lot of readers will find Harper Drew to be relatable and will enjoy listening to her charming but bemused anecdotes of her family and friends. The "Drew Dial Rating" which she assigns to each individual in terms of their "bizarre, odd, weird, and totally ridiculous" behaviour is funny and an effective way of showing where she stands herself on the rating scale. She never makes these judgements about them in a negative disparaging manner; you sense that despite knowing they are eccentric and unruly, she herself is easy-going, affable, and accepts them for who they are (even her very annoying older brother). She realises that by them being who they are is what makes her who she is. I really liked her introduction to them by comparing them to sweets and found it refreshing that she is confident and self-assured. Despite wanting to be friends with the spoilt brat of the class, she never questions or tries to change herself. My parents and my grandparents, Leslie and Weslie, have signed up for a TV house swap makeover challenge, and while my mum is decorating their house in calming tones, my grandparents have chosen leopard print wallpaper for ours… wait until mum sees it! Hoewel ik heel erg moest wennen aan de combinatie van herinneringen en gebeurtenissen van die dag, was het verhaal zeer vermakelijk. Lizzie brengt alles goed en er zit toch een diepere laag in het verhaal. The fundraising aspect was undoubtedly my favourite aspect of the book. Not just because it puts Harper in a great many hilarious, awkward situations, such as the car boot sale, but also because of what the fundraising is for. Harper’s best friend Edward is disabled and their school is inaccessible to him, and while I don’t want to make this all about me, I’ve been in similar situations, so seeing Harper be such an ally made me love her even more than I otherwise would have. I finished this book wishing that it had been more focused on Harper's relationship with her friends and her younger brother Prune (who at the young age of six years old was the only one that seemed to know how to navigate his family without being taken advantage of so here's to you kid!). I reached the end of the book without seeing her parents go through any growth so I decided to write them off but thankfully the same could not be said for Harper who reached the end of the book with a new look at what was really important in her life.

The Nottinghill Carnival takes central stage in this story about families, memories and the power of dance and festivals. Author Yaba Badoe tells... Before starting work on her children’s fiction series, Kathy had quite a few jobs. She was better at some than others. But I need to focus on organising a talent show to raise money for the local foodbank. It's going to be great ... apart from the fact Troy seems to care more about gaining more followers, aka his "DesTroyers" on his YouTube channel, than he does about helping me out. My name is Harper Drew. I'm using my new journal to take note of all the totally ridiculous things that seem to go on around me with my family and friends. I seem to be the only one who sees all of this stuff for what it is. Completely beyond normal.What's New, Harper Drew? introduces us to Harper's family and friends. Through Harper's diary entries, we are able to witness the ill-fated yet hilarious trip to France, her brother Troy's attempts at making a skateboarding vlog and the suspicious behaviour of her Uncle Paul (who is supposed to be a Hollywood movie producer though no one has ever seen any of his films). All this while Harper tries to get on the good side of the very popular Maisie Felix to bag an invite to Maisie's garden party. My name is Harper Drew. I started this journal to write down all the mayhem happening with my friends and family. Is it just me or is it getting a whole lot more chaotic around here lately?

For starters there is a snake on the loose in my neighbourhood – a 6ft Python called Betty to be exact, my dad’s decided to re-tile the bathroom and NOBODY is allowed in there, and my older brother Troy seems to be constantly kitted out in expensive designer clothing. I’m the only one who has noticed he’s acting shifty … Written in a diary format, the book follows the drama and antics of the Drew family, recorded by Harper, middle child and probably the only sane person in the family (except for her little brother, The Prune, but he's still young so there's time for that to change). On one - it is an illustrated, high-jinx drama diary about Harper Drew, who seems to be the only sane person in her family 🤣 She is wont to saying, “is it just me, or…(insert totally incongruous situation right in front of her and her reader)? This particular title did make me laugh out loud and I thought Harper was an interesting heart-warming character who is sensible, logical, considerate, and very resourceful in solving the problems created by her chaotic catastrophe-prone family. I thought the way in which she wonders whether "making stuff happen (and) fixing situations" could be 'her thing', like her friends' ambitions to be a doctor or actress, was endearing as she realises that this is something she is good at and is a useful talent. For example, she takes it upon herself to replace the school's broken lift that her wheelchair-user best friend relies upon through an extensive and inventive fund-raising programme. She is relentless, focused and even when things don't go to plan (because her chaotic relatives have hampered events), she is not discouraged for long.Harper always finds a way to solve the problem! If you enjoyed Diary of a Wimpy Kid, I think you'll enjoy this as well, a funny, light hearted read! She has worked on the music counter at WH Smith, been an investment banker, a waitress, a property developer, investigated missing millions for The Sultan of Brunei, founded a successful consulting business, worked for HM Treasury restructuring banks, oh….and cooked dinners at a care home for the elderly. But her love of writing was sparked when collaborating on the best-selling children’s non-fiction titles You Are Awesome (April 2018) and Dare to be You (September 2020) with Matthew Syed. Kathy believes that children should all have confidence in their own potential, and not be limited by the beliefs they (or others) hold Before starting work on her children’s fiction series, Kathy had quite a few jobs. She was better at some than others.

While the story is funny throughout and a great humorous read, it also brings up some great issues about friendships and even has some disability representation which I liked as the focus was on the character rather than their condition though it still played a part in the story. My name is Harper Drew. I’m using my new journal to take note of all the totally ridiculous things that seem to go on around me with my family and friends. I seem to be the ONLY ONE who sees this all of this stuff for what it is. Completely BEYONDnormal. Overall this is such a great and funny read and I’d recommend it to anyone who loves a funny story with lots of silly things happening. There is never a dull moment in this book and so many silly things happen that it will keep you laughing out loud throughout. It also ends in a way that leaves you with a smile on your face, not just from laughing but because things wrap up well for Harper and her friends and family too. This book is the first in a series of Harper Drew books and I can’t wait to see more of what will happen to Harper and her family. If this book is anything to go by then the rest of the series should be brilliant! 😀 The start of a relatable new illustrated series, all about embracing your family, and finding unique ways to deal with life's dramas. About This Edition ISBN: Fizzing with fun. From friendship dramas to family catastrophes, it's a perfect choice for fans of funny!" - Jen Carney, author of The Accidental Diary of B.U.G

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My name is Harper Drew. I wasn’t sure I was going to carry on with this journal. I started it in the summer holidays to write down the mayhem happening around me. I thought it might have calmed down by now but I should have known better!