Talent Show Takeover: Book 2 (What's New, Harper Drew?)

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And to top it off our school playing field is going to be turned into a supermarket. But not on my watch! 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! 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 ... 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. 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. Dad is highly accident-prone and gets Harper into more scrapes even with the best intention. And Mum is obsessed with bleaching every surface and going to…supermarkets. Yup. (Sounds a little like me on holiday 🤣💨)

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. With the help of her real friends and her perfectly imperfect family, can Harper find the inner confidence she needs to stop trying to impress Maisie and just be herself?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

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 … 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. Harper and her brother face a difficult dilemma caused by Troy. They decide to host a talent show to resolve the problem. Troy enters the talent show…Will he win it? Read this book now to find out. I read it first to see what I thought - Harper is a great character. Clever, resilient and funny. Her friends (and her choice of friends) are nicely created and drive through a refreshing story in a traditional device (diary). The format worked well for my children as it made the plot, the characters, the jokes and the morals of the story entirely accessible and relevant to them. 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.

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. 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 BEYOND normal. 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. In this story of hope and endurance, we follow a scientist and her team during their search for the elusive 'Giant Arctic Jellyfish'.