The Embarrassing Confessions of Gracie Sparks (Fiona Harris, Affirm)
In The Embarrassing Confessions of Gracie Sparks, Fiona Harris (Musical Markus) introduces 12-year-old “Rock Goddess” Gracie Sparks, who is devastated to be starting at a different high school than her best friends. Despite this, she plans a relatively straightforward transition to Middleton Grammar: identify the coolest Year 7 kids and join their group. She hopes this will also prove her cred to her popular older sister, Imogen, who, since their mother died several years ago, has been increasingly difficult to be around. Unsurprisingly, the plan – along with many others Gracie cooks up – proves subject to the frustratingly unpredictable influences of other people and circumstances beyond her control. But as she documents her tribulations in her new diary, Gracie discovers that the unpredictable can also be fascinating, quirky and wonderful. She learns valuable lessons about how to make, recognise and keep real friends; the true depth of family connections; and why you should simply be yourself. Harris’s tone, style and occasionally bolshy protagonist follow in the footsteps of epistolary classics such as Robin Klein’s Penny Pollard series or, more recently, Katie Kirby’s Lottie Brooks series, with clear appeal for readers of Terri Libenson’s Emmie & Friends series. The Embarrassing Confessions of Gracie Sparks will suit readers aged 9 to 12 who are keen to shift from graphic to text-based novels. Though the conceit of the myriad time-stamped entries sometimes disrupts the narrative flow, Gracie’s determination and engagement ultimately shine through, and her emotional journey is entertaining and rewarding.
Books+Publishing reviewer: Anica Boulanger-Mashberg is a freelance editor and writer, and a bookseller at the Hobart Bookshop. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.
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Category: Friday Unlocked reviews Reviews
