Drum Roll Please, It’s Stevie Louise

Tanya Hennessy

Leigh Hedstrom

Albert Street Books, 2021

184pp., pbk., RRP $A14.99

9781760526412

Meet Stevie Louise. She’s 12, in her final year of primary school and she is an entrepreneur, an entertainer (obviously), and an extrovert on the inside. Her favourite things are reading, English and watching musicals, but  she hates olives, maths and people calling her Steven, even if that is her own mother (who often embarrasses her as she is “going through a phase”).   

Right now, Stevie has a BRILLIANT PLAN. She’s going to have fun, make money, and most importantly, make sure the Brooke Street kids stay best friends forever.  Then a new neighbour arrives and threatens to derail all Stevie’s plans. And then real disaster strikes. But the show must go on. After all, Stevie is a professional.

Stevie is one of those characters that pre-teens like Miss 10 will really relate to as they see themselves in her at every turn, Narrated by Stevie herself so her voice becomes that of the reader, and supported by a variety of graphic features including illustrations which show the diversity of characters that Hennessy has included, this is one for those independent readers who have dreams and ambitions of stardom while still being sweet little girls just negotiating the transition to young adulthood.  It’s going straight to Miss 10 who will adore it.