It’s the start of the summer holidays and twelve-year-old Bertie is worried. Next year she’s going to a high school in the city, while all her friends stay behind in Merri, the small town she’s lived in all her life.
To help her feel better prepared for high school, her best friend, Claire, makes a list of tasks Bertie has to complete over the summer. They start working through the list together, only to find that some of the cracks in their friendship are beginning to show. Soon, Bertie’s not even sure she’ll have one friend by the end of the summer.
All the Little Tricky Things is a charming, heartfelt novel about a time when everything is changing, and a girl who’s trying to make sense of it all.
High school is a daunting place full of change and growth. It’s not something that protagonist Bertie is fully prepared for, and it’s starting to get to her. The anxiety that Bertie is feeling about school and her friends was extremely relatable. Mental health is such an important issue that many students in high school have to face, so it’s great to see children’s fiction exploring these difficult themes.
McEwen is the president of the Victorian branch of the Children’s Book Council of Australia, as well as a school librarian. So, it’s no surprise that she’s able to portray Bertie so well. Writing realistic and believable kids can be hard, but through her everyday interactions with them, McEwen nails Bertie’s voice and makes her feel very relatable as an anxious yet hopeful teenage character.
All the Little Tricky Things is a wonderful middle-grade debut from McEwen about facing your fears and growing up. This is a must-read for any kids struggling with the anxieties and pressure of fitting in. For mature readers aged 8+, and perfect for kids about to transition into high school.
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