HOW TO SPELL CATASTROPHE BY FIONA WOOD

Year 6 Nell lives with her mum in Melbourne and she is a catastrophe expert. She has a catastrophe folder where she keeps all kinds of helpful information about potential hazards and how to avoid them. She and her best friend Cecily, are part of the OC class and enjoy the spelling bee competition — they are brainy nerds that aren’t all that nerdy.

However, things are changing for Nell, things she used to enjoy, like the spelling bee, no longer hold her attention. In fact, she has much more important things to worry about. Her mum has just told her that they are going to move in with her boyfriend Ted and his 7-year-old daughter Amelia.

Nell is also distracted by the arrival of a new girl in their class, Plum. She has amazing fashion sense and lives on the darker side of good behaviour. Nell is intrigued and decides she should try and befriend the new girl.

From that moment on Nell’s life turns into a bumpy ride through friendship, blended families, destabilising moving to Ted’s plots and the confusion Plum brings into Nell’s world.

While she is dealing with one crisis after another, she must also write a very persuasive argument for Year 6 joining the huge School Strike 4 Climate Change rally. Her class is depending on her to succeed. Plum is pushing her to do join her in questionable adventures, Cecily is hurt about their dwindling friendship and Nell is finding it hard to find a valid argument for NOT moving in with Ted. All of a sudden Nell seems to be stumbling whereas before, all she could see was a clear path. Not even her catastrophe folder has a section on friends and family. It’ll be up to Nell to figure it all out.

Fiona Wood’s Middle Grade novel is a tale of friendship, blended families, growing up and Climate Change. These important themes are explored through humour and Nell’s questioning personality. The first person, chatty nature of the narrative, interspaced with helpful tips and “Friday note from under the doona” entries, carry the reader along with Nell on this complicated journey. It is thoroughly worth a read.

For Ages: 9 - 12 years

Number of Pages: 320

Published: April 2022 Pan Macmillan

Themes: Family, friendship and Climate Change