The Accidental Diary of B.U.G

Billie Upton Green is not at all in favour of the recent craze at her school to call everyone by their initials, as she notes in her accidental diary, which was supposed to be a spelling practice book.

Reading her diary, we also find out about Janey McVey, the new girl in class, who is pretty annoying, and the rather more exciting news that Billie’s two mums are about to get married. Woohoo!

When a teacher’s purse is stolen at school and the headmaster asks Billie to 'keep her ear to the ground' for information, Billie instantly suspects Janey. She’s smug, new to the school and she had new scrunchies in her hair the day after the purse went missing. Coincidence?

And when Janey tries to steal Billie’s BFF Layla, Billie hates her even more – but is Janey hiding something? And if the thief isn’t Janey, why is she acting so strangely?

An illustrated diary-style novel in the mode of Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Tom Gates, The Accidental Diary of B.U.G has a sparky narrator who perfectly captures the voice of an upper primary age girl and her thoughts about life. The fact that Billie has two mums and was adopted by them is totally normal for her (as it should be. It’s also Billie’s knowledge of the fact that families take all shapes that helps Janey, whose parents have just divorced.

Friendship drama, school ups and downs and family changes all combine in a sensitive and funny story.