REVIEW: Brave New Girl by Catherine Johnson

Name: Brave New Girl

Author: Catherine Johnson

Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children's Books

Date published: 3rd Nov 2011

Number of pages: 191

Source: Luisa Plaja

Rating: 3.5 stars

"I can make things happen - good things - I know it!" Seren is so full of brilliant ideas - it's just that she always seems to put her foot in it! First there was the dance routine where she fell off the stage. And now her plan to get her sister Sasha noticed by gorgeous Luke Beckford looks like it could backfire… Seren reckons she's just hopelessly accident-prone! But there's one person who believes in Seren. Her mate Keith is making a film for a national competition and he wants Seren to be in it. Could Seren turn out to be a star after all? This is a funny, big-hearted story with a lovable heroine who will make you laugh and cry.

I was quite hesitant to start reading Brave New Girl mainly because it's aimed at younger children.  But when I started it, I found myself actually enjoying it. 

Seren is a wonderful character who tries to make everything good for everyone but in doing so, she makes things worse.  She is kind and bubbly and desperate for everyone to see that she's just trying to help.  I felt quite sorry for her at times but I did laugh at some of the things she does!  She has the qualities where you just want to hug her and tell her that everything's okay.  And her best friend Keith is such a geeky, lovely person that I really warmed to him as well.  He sees Seren and her big-heartedness and stands by her as a true friend.

Apart from believable characters, the setting is perfect for this year.  It is set before the London Olympics and is a kind of sub-plot because it is intertwined throughout the novel and many of the characters are involved in it in some way.  It was a great read to get me in the sporting spirit!

Overall, I did enjoy this book but I would have loved it much more if I had read it as a younger child.  There are a few flaws here and there but I think that is only due to the fact that it is for a younger audience, and I loved the mention of White Rabbit Chinese sweets (they are so yummy!). Brave New Girl is a beautifully warm, hilarious book filled with family love, friendship and the Olympics! It would be perfect for little sisters or as a light read for yourself as I'm sure older teenagers would like it as well!

Happy reading!