Anna Branford, How to be…The New Person, Walker Books, September 2022, 137 pp., RRP $15.99 (pbk), ISBN 9781760655839
It’s no secret — change is scary, even for the bravest of us. When awful things start happening to her sister at school, Hazel must overcome the biggest, scariest, change yet. Being The New Person.
How to be the New Person is a story full of empathy and hope. Hazel is a loveable character trying to keep the joy alive for her worried and hurting family. But it’s not easy always being ‘the happy one’.
When the bullies targeting her sister Tess get even worse, Hazel is forced to leave her whole world behind. Her parents are so focused on making sure Tess is okay that Hazel is left without anyone to talk to — until an unlikely friend shows up next door.
It was a joy to follow Hazel on this journey of learning to be vulnerable and express her own needs. The first-person narrative allows readers to feel Hazel’s struggles and triumphs more deeply, as well as appreciate her unique sense of humour.
A lovely detail (without spoiling too much) is the blossoming of friendship between Hazel and Veronica. Kindness speaks across generations, and it’s wonderful to see this explored in the novel. Beautiful things can emerge from what may sometimes look like a pile of rubbish.
The motif of video tutorials throughout the novel will be immediately recognisable for younger readers. These are a clever way to help digest some of the challenges Hazel faces. Veronica’s garden also feels like a respite, and the visual details in this part of the story are particularly delightful.
Overall, a heart-warming middle-grade novel that tackles big themes in an engaging way. Not surprising considering the author is also responsible for the lovely Violet Mackerel books.
Recommended for ages 8 years and up.
Reviewed by Sarah Stivens
