Scarlett is 10 years old, in Year 5 at school, and really cross.

She’s been working extra hard to get class Positivity Points so she can take the class hamster called Nibbles home for a weekend. But, it turns out she’s been robbed!

A classmate called William has been awarded more points in the last afternoon of the competition. Although mad at the injustice of it all, Scarlett is not surprised. William’s mum is not only their class teaching assistant, and a powerful member of the school PTA (Parent-Teacher Association), she’s an ex-lawyer. Instead of fighting for people’s rights in the community, now she is always hovering to make sure William gets – everything – he -wants!

Home isn’t much better. Ever since her step-dad Jakub lost his job, Scarlett wishes he would hurry up and find it again.

Apparently he was given the sack, but she hasn’t seen any sack about their house? Now her mum is working lots of hours to make ends meet, which as an engineer is probably quite important. Nobody wants any buildings to fall over, do they?

Scarlett’s anger outbursts have got her into trouble at home and school before, but with everything going on – namely Mum forgetting incredibly important things, a strict new teacher and her birthday party cancelled, Scarlett’s anger has become something else.

No matter how she tries to calm down, do breathing exercises or blow out her fingers (read this book to find out why), her anger will not be tamed. To her horror, it begins to make things around her explode!

With a family wedding coming up, William being nastier than ever, and a new girl who seems to have everything Scarlett has ever wanted, keeping her cool is getting harder and harder. What if she ruins her auntie’s special day?

The voice of Scarlett Fife is wonderful, true to life, and funny. Her favourite subject is Maths. Maths makes sense, the answers always being the same, but English is strange. There is law court and tennis courts, or getting the sack with no sack in sight. Confusing!

Scarlett’s many misconceptions of slang or sayings made me laugh out loud. I think adults would probably understand more of these jokes than young readers, but there is plenty of humour in The Exploding Life of Scarlett Fife for them too. I really enjoyed the serious playground negotiations for party invites and friendships, and the dynamics between students, teachers and a particular parent. 

While telling a funny story including names like “Bogie headed showoff”, and “Poo poo bum head”, there is a touching thread to the tale where mum is struggling to juggle everything and Scarlett is too worried about her to cause more trouble.

Another book in this series is hinted at at the back. Loved the chapter headings too – each a math’s equation to give the value of the chapter No.

(By the way – A Hamster is much smaller than a Guinea Pig. Learn more about the difference here)

Author – Maz Evans

Illustrator – Chris Jevons

Age – 8+

(Emotions, Anger, Feelings, Family, Blended Family, Friendship, School, Unfair, Fairness, Classmates, New Teacher, Birthday Parties, Stepdad, Humour, Funny, Laugh, Series)