Jelly

Angelica – Jelly for short – is the ‘Funny One’ at school, known for her clever impressions and comedy sketches. But being funny is a fine line and behind all the humour, Jelly’s hiding anxieties about her weight. If they’re laughing with her, they’re not laughing at her, right? And she has another secret too, a secret hobby: writing poetry. Into this she channels all her worries. Nobody knows, not even her mum, and as far as Jelly’s concerned, nobody can ever know. Then her mum gets a lovely new boyfriend who encourages Jelly to show the world the real her. Can she find the courage she needs to stop hiding?

Perfect for readers looking for a real-life story about anxieties, family and school, with themes of body image and self-confidence. Jo Cotterill sensitively layers together the story while Jelly’s concerns – her fear that perhaps people don’t actually like her – are cleverly reflected by the supporting characters. Jelly herself has a strong, positive and inspiring story arc – everyone will be wanting to write and perform their own poetry by the end.

Read an extract from Jelly