Published August 2012 Hardie Grant Egmont
From the publisher:
There's something wrong with Hazel Atherton she just knows it. She's not a kid anymore, but she's not grown-up either. Hazel hasn't even kissed a boy and she's not sure she ever will. Although that doesn't stop her from thinking about Leo in the year above... Hazel wishes she could talk to her mum about it - but these days her mum is too busy hanging out with her new boyfriend. Does anyone understand what's going on with Hazel?
When I was a young girl of 11 or so, the book that was being passed around at school was Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret? by Judy Blume. In fact I am not sure anyone ever actually borrowed it from the library, we just used to crowd around it and read it at lunchtime. This book, is the first in a new series called, Girl V The World, and they have been marketed for those ‘in between ‘ readers. They’re not little girls anymore, but they’re not quite teenagers yet either.
The thing that the main character, Hazel, is waiting for in this book is her period. She is the only girl in her group who hasn’t got it, and she is convinced there is something wrong with her. She has even made her Mum book an appointment with their GP. The girls have just started High School, so Hazel is worrying about her period, as well as dealing with all of the other issues girls struggle with at High School.
There's a lot more to this book than the blow by blow description of first periods. There's also the issue of popularity in High School, and the Hot List that the boys made up, ranking the girls in level of 'hotness'. It's about girls and friendships, and questions why things have changes since Primary School. What makes one girl popular in Primary School, and not even on the 'hotlist' in High School? Hazel starts to realise that it's possible to be yourself, and be friends with different kinds of people.
The other problem Hazel has is the 'Feral', her Mum's new dreadlocked boyfriend. She resents the time her Mum spends with him, and she knows she is being selfish, but can't help how she feels.
The books are quite short and easy to read, I think that there is a place for these books, and there hasn't been anything like it for years. I have only read the one book in the series, and they are all written by different people, but I am confident that once one book has been read, the others will be in high demand.
Who will like this
book: Girls age 11+
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