
Ella on the Outside
by Cath Howe
Interest age: 8 to 11
Reading age: 8+
Published by Nosy Crow, 2018
About this book
Ella is facing some big changes. She's just had to start at a new school, she's moved away from her best friend Grace, her eczema is acting up, and on top of all that, she has a huge secret to keep about her family. So when Lydia, the most popular girl in school, wants to start hanging out, things must be on the up... right?
The only problem is, Lydia really wants to know what Ella's hiding and she's also desperate for intel on the quiet girl in class, Molly. So just how far will Ella go to keep her new friendship?
Ella on the Outside is a hugely relatable tale that will strike a chord with anyone who has felt the pressure to please a new friend or has struggled to fit in. Ella makes mistakes, but she's also hugely likeable, and author Cath Howe perfectly captures her anxieties and worries.
But Ella on the Outside is also enormous fun to read – you'll speed through its pages without realising how quickly it's flown by, with big revelations and short chapters keeping things snappy. It's impossible not to root for Ella to be brave and make the right decisions, and the urge to find out whether she will powers this warm, considered and entertaining novel.
More books like this
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My Life on Fire
by Cath Howe
9 to 12 years
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Call the Puffins!
by Cath Howe, illustrated by Ella Okstad
6 to 9 years
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The Insiders
by Cath Howe
9 to 12 years
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My Dog
by Olivia Wakeford, illustrated by David Litchfield
9 to 12 years
Lists of recommended reads
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Books about family illness
Books can help if you and your family are going through tough times. It is comforting to know that you're not the only one. This is a selection of stories where a member of the protagonist's family is ill. It includes mental illness, as well as physical.