Penny has been waiting all summer for her very best friend in the world to return from summer camp. Penny and Violet usually do everything together, so it seems like forever since they’ve played all their favourite games, and enjoyed drawing in Art Club at school.

But, to Penny’s confusion, Violet has come back from camp almost a different person. She thinks Art Club is for babies, and will hardly look at Penny, let alone talk to her. And what’s even weirder is Violet is almost glued to another girl in their class – Riley Miller. Riley is the complete opposite to Penny. Riley is confident and popular for her parties and her mother’s amazing snacks on school trips.

Penny in comparison is a worrier. She worries about everything. From falling flagpoles, to model aeroplanes falling from the classroom ceiling, to what her mum and dad seem to be hiding from her and her little brother Juice Box. (You’ll have to read the book to find out why he is called that.)

Trying to calm down her worries in public even worries her. What if pushing down her worries makes them build up so that she eventually explodes? To Penny’s surprise, she isn’t the only kid in 5th Grade (Year 6 NZ) that visits the school psychologist. There are popular kids and even the biggest and toughest kid at school, coming out of the ‘Feelings’ teacher’s office.

Still, Penny struggles with what she has done wrong to make Violet ditch her. She does what she can to try and fit in with Violet and Riley and finds herself in a tricky situation. Does she agree with the nasty things they are saying about others, or say nothing at all? Does she ditch her new friends to get her best friend back?

Along the way, Penny learns a few things about herself, Violet and also Riley. She realises that worrying doesn’t have to consume everything she does, but that her anxiety is a part of her and that’s okay.

This is the 1st book in the Penny Draws series and is perfect for girls aged 8 and up, and even younger if read with a caregiver or parent. This age-old dilemma of morphing friendships during school is not something that has faded over time, in fact social media has made it worse.

Friendships naturally mold and change as children grow, but it’s when it becomes nasty or toxic that it becomes a problem and even in worst cases, all consuming for the child left out, ghosted or bullied by the people who used to be their friends.

Penny Draws shows young readers Penny’s journey through this problem with her own best friend through her funny diary written to her dog Cosmo. Illustrations showing dialogue and situations during her learning curve about friendships add even more humour. Penny Draws is engaging, drawing the reader into Penny’s school and home life, and everyday events that are easy to relate to.

Really looking forward to more in this series about Penny and her trials and tribulations, some funny and some not so – but handled lightly with humour.

No. 2 in the series (in which you get a sneak peek in the back of this episode) will be out Sept 2023 – Penny Draws a School Play.

Author / Illustrator – Sara Shepard

Age – 8+

Read another review of a book about Friendships not going to plan (Click on the Cover)

(2023, Text Publishing, School, Home, Friendships, Drawing, Art Club, Anxiety, Worry, Worries, Dog, Diary, Humour, Funny, Toxic Friendship, Left out, Growing up, Series)