Always Angel: Selected for Bookbuzz Secondary 2026

About this book

Angel and school don't get on. She's starting Year 8 late, having missed most of Year 7. She's had endless detentions already. No one understands. She doesn't mean to cause trouble. It's just difficult to explain why she reacts like she does. Her main hope is that her mum gets well soon and they can live together again. But with her new friend Tiana encouraging her to make certain choices, it seems like Angel is running out of second chances. Can the school bake-off competition help Angel find her way through the chaos?

A gripping book about how easy it is to be misunderstood when you're struggling with circumstances beyond your control. Most readers will relate to being frustrated by school rules and unfair punishments, and trying to fit in with new friends. Angel is also worrying about her mother, who has bipolar disorder and has been in hospital, and grappling with living in foster care, without many personal belongings. Kimberly Whittam sensitively explores these themes with great empathy, alongside those of other characters, such as a young carer and someone with severe eczema. The tone is not heavy, though - it's readable and real and will grip readers who like to read about teenagers like them.