Lauren Child, Clarice Bean, Scram!, HarperCollins Publishers, July 2022, 176 pp., RRP $17.99 (pbk), ISBN 9780008541507
The opening of this fun middle grade novel gives the reader a great sense of the story to come.
Nothing ever happens except for sometimes… And only on rare-ish occasions, which is hardly ever.
With her best friend away on a holiday, her older sister furious with her, and jealous of her rabbit-sitting neighbour, Clarice Bean can’t think of anything to do. That is, until a stray dog follows her home. Clarice and her siblings team up to look after the dog – in secret!
Told in the first-person, Clarice Bean’s stream-of-consciousness style narration is endearing and relatable. A lot of the humour is inferred through Clarice’s framing of events. Images in Lauren Child’s distinctive style and dynamic fonts are interspaced throughout the text, adding interest and engagement for young readers. The book explores themes of family and sibling dynamics, friendship, secrets, and self-reliance.
Clarice Bean: Scram! Is the eighth book in this series. It is most suitable to children aged 7 and above, especially confident readers. Parents and teachers will enjoy reading this aloud.
Reviewed by Laura Holloway
