Welcome to the laugh-out-loud world of Harper Drew… there’s a whole lot of drama, but luckily she has tried and tested methods to deal with it! Perfect for fans of Dork Diaries. This is book two in the series.
My name is Harper Drew. I started this journal in the summer to write down the mayhem happening around me. I thought it might have calmed down by now, but I should have known better!
For starters there is a snake on the loose in my neighbourhood, my dad’s decided to retile the bathroom and NOBODY is allowed in there, and my older brother Troy is acting shifty…
I need to focus on organising a talent show to raise money for the local foodbank. Can I find a way to show Troy that kindness is more important than being popular…?
My Review:
What’s New Harper Drew? Talent Show Takeover is the kind of book that has you laughing out loud, shaking your head at the chaos and grinning from ear to ear. There is a fresh honesty about the challenges of growing up and the kind of craziness we can all identify with from time to time. From Mum’s obsession with supermarkets to Dad’s disastrous DIY to Troy’s desperation to be cool, there is a bit of every family in this story.
In the midst of it all, Harper is trying her best to make things right. She wants to be a good friend and fit in. She wants to help others and make sure everything is alright in the end. She absolutely has a heart of gold!
This is the perfect series for readers age 9+ who feel like their own lives are a bit out of control and this just don’t understand their family members. It celebrates the inherent goodness in children and how important it is to laugh.
Thank you so much to Hachette Children’s for inviting me to be a part of the blog tour!
I’m pleased to welcome author Kathy Weeks with a special guest post:
Finding the funny in the everyday… especially in Children’s fiction!
Creating the world of Harper Drew has been hilarious and a total joy to write. One of the things I have always loved to do is to see the funny side to ordinary situations. Things that happen every day to all of us.
Much of the inspiration for What’s New, Harper Drew? is taken from my own family and my own childhood experiences. I wanted to write about an ordinary family. But I have realised that there is no such thing. All families are different, brilliant, and hilarious in their own way.
And Harper’s family is no different. There is chaos and drama happening all the time. Take Harper’s brother Troy. He is effortlessly popular with everyone at school. And has just started his own super cool skateboard Vlog. But… guess what… he only owns half a skateboard. Then, there is Harper’s Dad. How many school minibuses can one man crash or lose?
The book is Harper’s diary of her mayhem filled world which she manages to navigate with her two best friends Priya and Edward. There’s a lot of fun, laughter… and a lot of eye rolls too!
Writing a diary, is a wonderful opportunity to get right inside the mind of your main character. Harper Drew is a little bit like me (but more confident, I think) so I was able to understand her feelings, thoughts, and emotions as she reacts to all of the things going on in her world.
The story made me laugh out loud as I was writing it. And I wanted that for the readers too. Laughter helps to reduce anxiety and build self-esteem and foster friendships. So, creating a world which children find funny and can escape to was important to me. Harper Drew has an inner confidence which is born out of being able to see the humour in ordinary situations. I hope that children will take inspiration from her and her outlook on life.
I also wanted to encourage children who have been reluctant readers. A book which they can relate to and laugh at will hopefully make them want to keep reading to the end and through the rest of the Harper Drew series.
There is much more chaos and fun still to come from Harper and her family.
Books by Kate Heap:
Scope for Imagination 