Description
Esme doesn’t like the girl she sees in the mirror. Not pretty enough. Not thin enough. Not smart enough or talented enough. Nothing at all like her big sister, Ro.
Then, a new friend comes into her life—a friend who wants Esme to be exactly who she is, or so Esme thinks.
For a while, Esme likes who she sees in the mirror—even if it never really feels like her. But then, she messes up. Her friend goes away, leaving her alone. There’s no-one to help cover up the fact that she is a talentless nobody whose only real dream is to work in a milk bar—which will never be good enough for her controlling mother.
When two new friends try to help her see the real Esme again, she can’t risk it happening all over again. She can’t be their friend. And she definitely can’t let them convince her to be in the school play …
School plays are for girls like Ro. So, of course she gets a part. Because she is perfect. But what if Ro wasn’t as perfect as she seems? What if she needs Esme’s help?
And what if the real Esme Rogers is nothing like who anybody says she is, but a creature of her own making, who can be more than any of them imagine … even if it makes her mother mad. A book about finding friendship in unlikely places and finding yourself in even stranger ones … And, most importantly … ice cream.
Review
Esme has never been good enough. That’s what her parents have always said, and so of course she believes them. And her sister Ro is so perfect who could possibly compete with her anyway.
Then Amy came into her life and like a breath of fresh air she changed Esme’s look and instilled in her a positive attitude. But now Amy’s gone, and the milkbar that Esme works in, and that she dreams will always be there, is being sold. Esme's life is spiraling into new lows...
Can her friends Aster, Xavier and Indigo help to save the milkbar - and, in turn, save Esme?
When her sister, Ro, shows Esme her own problems they begin to form a bond with that will surely help them both through life, especially as they face their demanding parents.
Another wonderful book following the lives of Aster, Xavier, Indigo and now Esme as the main character. Each book tackles different life issues but they are all fabulous and can be read individually.
This is a powerful look at youth depression and questioning your self-worth. With themes of finding your true identity, living your best life, and the importance of getting help from others, this is a great novel for readers aged 11 to 15.
Reviewed by Rob
