Finding Cherokee Brown

by Siobhan Curham

His lips touched mine and for one split second the whole world stopped.
Then every cell in my body fizzed into life . . .

When I decided to write a book about my life I thought I'd have to make loads of stuff up. I mean, who wants to read about someone like me?

But as soon as I started writing, the weirdest thing happened. I found out I wasn't who I thought I was. And I stopped being scared. Then everything went crazy!

Best of all, I discovered that when you finally decide to be brave it's like waving a wand over your life - the most magical things can happen . . .

Genres: Romance, Young Adult

334 pages, Paperback

First published February 13, 2013

About the author

Hi, I’m Siobhan - which for those of you not familiar with the wonder of Irish names, is actually pronounced, Shiv-on!

I’m an award-winning author of over 50 books, fiction and non-fiction, for adults, young adults and children, and my first book was published back in 2000, so I’ve been at this writing game for almost a quarter of a century now.

I’m also a former council estate kid and a university drop-out - I dropped out because I didn’t think I had what it took to make it in the middle class world of publishing. Thankfully I managed to overcome my self doubt and fear and achieve my writing dreams, and now I love helping others do the same through my mentoring, courses and talks.

I don’t know about you, but during the pandemic I felt as if my life had collapsed in on itself and I’d had to shrink myself to fit this strange new world of lockdowns and zoom calls (oh, so many Zoom calls!) and working from home and working alone. Even when things returned to some semblance of normal back in 2022, I felt that I’d lost sight of who I was and I’d definitely lost my joy for living.

Then, an unexpected trip to Jamaica changed everything, jolting me back to life and reminding me of who I truly am. In a bid to never lose sight of myself and my sense of wonder and purpose again, I started travelling more and writing a weekly Substack letter called Wonderstruck. And in September 2023 I gave up my home in the UK and pretty much all of my worldly goods to solo travel the world while I write my books and mentor other writers.

I send Wonderstruck out to my subscribers every Sunday morning, writing about the places I visit and the lessons I learn there. My sole aim for writing this letter is to inspire others to rediscover their own sense of purpose, wonder and adventure.

If you've enjoyed reading any of my books I'd love it if you joined the Wonderstruck community over on Substack.

Thanks so much for reading and reviewing my books, I really appreciate it!

Siobhan

Substack: siobhancurham.substack.com
Facebook: Siobhan Curham Author
Instagram: @SiobhanCurhamAuthor
Twitter: @SiobhanCurham

For more information about my books, mentoring and courses, please visit: http://www.siobhancurham.com

Reviews

[Mina · Rating 4 out of 5]

"When you write THE END, my dear, really you are writing THE BEGINNING - the beginning of a new world of hope and possibility for yur character, that will live on forever in your reader's own imagination."

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book used to be my favourite as a teenager. I read it and re-read it so frequently, I’d know passages off by heart. On my first re-read as an adult, it’s just as good. It tells the story of Claire Weeks, who is being bullied at school and doesn’t get on with her family, and whose life changes forever when her real dad gets in touch with her on her fifteenth birthday, and what happens when she goes to meet him. I really enjoyed the story and the characters, especially Claire, who wants to be a writer, and I really felt for her concerning her school situation. I also loved the way that rock music from the likes of Pink Floyd and Bruce Springsteen were included in the story. Siobhan Curham is excellent at writing, and I especially loved the moment where Claire goes to search for her dad because it was written with such emotion and detail. This is a fantastic YA book that I would highly recommend.

[kb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I fall for any story that's clever, heart-squeezing and insightful all in one go... and I'm so happy to have found it in this novel! Frankly, I didn't have high expectations—after all, this was my first book by this author—but *pats past self on the back for the good decision*! Here's a thread of some of my favorite parts of the story (the author took notice, by the way, bless her heart!), and yes, highly recommended, especially for those looking for stories that deal with bullying and rekindling family ties.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Claire is sick of her life, since her best friend moved away she has struggled to fit in at school and the bullies have been making her life a misery. All she wants is someone to talk to but since she doesn't really have any friends she decides to write her life story instead. Writing starts out as a release but as she writes about the way she is treated she realises that she is going to have to learn to stand up for herself if she wants things to change. As Claire finds her courage and makes some shocking discoveries about her past she starts to discover who she really is.

Siobhan Curham has a knack for writing realistic teenage characters so as much as I liked Georgie in Dear Dylan I found myself loving Claire even more in Finding Cherokee Brown. Things haven't been easy for her but she isn't one to sit around feeling sorry for herself and as she starts to think things through she realises that nothing will ever change unless she makes it. She is brave enough to face up to her bullies even though she knows that could end up making things worse for her. The bullying scenes in the story were very well written and realistic, I remember having a teacher just like Miss Davis who was completely unable to cope with the kids at my school and who just stood back and watched the bullying happen. I just wish I'd been brave enough to stand up for myself like Claire did.

Aside from the issues Claire is having at school she also has questions about her family. Her father left when she was a baby and has never been part of her life, Claire has always been told that he lives in America and wants nothing to do with her so when she discovers he is living just a few miles away in London she is understandably shocked and annoyed. Meeting her dad has a huge impact on Claire and the way she sees herself, she has always felt like an outsider at home with her mum, step-dad and twin half-brothers so finding her dad makes her feel like she is part of a family again. At the same time she is resentful for the time she has missed out on with him and she has to come to terms with why that happened. I loved the way her relationship develops with her dad and the way things played out when her mum found out they were in contact. It was a difficult situation that effected every member of the family in different ways and I thought the author handled that very well.

If you enjoyed Dear Dylan then you're going to love Finding Cherokee Brown just as much but the books are totally unrelated so you don't have to read them in any particular order. I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good contemporary coming of age story, especially anyone who has suffered (or still is suffering) with bullying. Claire is an inspirational heroine who shows that you should never have to hide who you really are and that if some people don't understand you then it's their loss not yours. I'm looking forward to seeing what Siobhan Curham comes up with next.

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Dear Dylan so I had high hopes for Siobhan’s second novel. Luckily Finding Cherokee Brown is just as special.

Cherokee is a fantastic heroine and I alternated between wanting to wander around Spitalfields Market with her and giving her a big old hug so no one could hurt her! She really is my kind of girl: loves rock and metal, detests tidying up, has piles of books everywhere and wants to write a novel. The excerpts of the second-hand book on writing she lives by at the beginning of each chapter was really cool and I loved seeing how they subtly related to what went on with Cherokee in the chapter.

I think that the development and growth of Cherokee’s character over the novel was really nicely done. Having it stem from her dad, and even Harrison to a degree, come in to her life and allow her to feel brave enough to take back control and fight back was so refreshing. It’s usually a shock circumstance where the heroine has to save the world, a family member or it just completely disappears with the introduction of The Boy. They gave her the understanding of her that she needed.

Cherokee’s dad did worry me though. I was so worried that he’d get scared and run off again and break her heart. She was in such a fragile place that the bullies would have got on top of her and goodness knows what would have happened! Her relationship with her dad and the change in her confidence really illuminated how stifled she felt by her mum and stepdad’s complete obliviousness to her feelings and school life. The secrets that were kept from her only made it even worse for me. I couldn’t believe what Cherokee’s mum had kept from her!

Finding Cherokee Brown is heart-warming and empowering and I think that Siobhan Curham is becoming a staple read for teenagers with her tackling of tough issues with heart and sensitivity.

[Aashi_Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had just around 650 ratings on Goodreads so I had pretty low expectations but this was honestly amazing.

“When most people hear laughter they instantly look around to see where the joke is and whether they can join in. But when you know that you actually are the joke, even the slightest snigger makes you want to crawl behind the nearest rock and hide.”

MC is a brown girl with a white stepdad and two twin brothers. She goes with the name Claire Weeks and is a victim of severe bullying at school. Also, there’s always the feeling that she doesn’t fit in with her “perfect family” with her skin colour and limp.

On her 15th birthday, she gets a letter addressed to Cherokee Brown! With a bit of digging around and adventure… she finds out it’s from her REAL father, someone supposed to have abandoned her when she was just a baby. But this was not the true story…

Read for a beautiful story of her reconciling with her father and gradually becoming strong enough to stand to stand up to her bullies. A potential love interest in the form of a graffiti artist with golden brown hair and green eyes with “a really cool tattoo” only makes the story more interesting.

I read this in one sitting and absolutely loved it. Cherokee finally starts feeling more confident about herself after she finds out about her ancestors and background and her slow journey to standing up against her bullies is so beautiful. Definitely recommend!

[Anyone & Nobody · Rating 5 out of 5]

J'ai passé un excellent moment avec ce livre. Pour dire vrai, j'en suis tombée amoureuse et malheureusement, il n'a pas fait long feu ; il est arrivé dans ma boite aux lettres hier en fin de matinée, et je l'ai terminé hier en début de soirée. Il me semble que l'expression pour ce genre de livre est "page turner", heureusement pour lui il ne s'agit pas que de ça !

Il vous savoir que notre héroïne, Claire/Cherokee, signale qu'elle désire écrire un roman et de ce fait, le découpage du livre sera établi en conséquence. Hormis les chapitres que l'on retrouve basiquement dans tous les romans nous aurons aussi des extraits des carnets d'écriture de Cherokee mais aussi des citations conseils d'Agatha Dashwood (inspirée d'une auteure existante ou totalement inventée ?) à chaque nouveau chapitre. Cette auteure qui sera, au travers de son livre "Alors comme ça, vous voulez écrire un roman ?" un des modèles qui aidera Cherokee dans l'écriture de son roman. Pour qui veut débuter dans l'écriture j'ai trouvé ces conseils fort avisés et j'ai pris beaucoup de plaisir à les lires.

A la base ce roman s'adresse à un public adolescent puisqu'il est dans la collection Tribal consacrée aux 12-16 ans, et oui l'écriture simple le confirme. Pourtant au vu des sujets abordés - à savoir le mal-être des ados différents ainsi que les maltraitances qu'ils peuvent subir à cause de leur "camarades" d'école, tout autant que le manque de communication, de compréhension ainsi que les secrets/cachotteries qui peuvent en venir à détruire une famille. Les parents, professeurs devraient lire ce livre en particulier et plus généralement des romans qui abordent des sujets tels que ceux évoqués ici. Lorsque l'on devient parents bizarrement nous avons tendance à "oublier" ce que c'était d'êtres adolescent(e)s. Notamment un(e) ado pas comme les autres qui n'est pas accepté par ses semblables, parfois subit leurs mauvais traitements et qui de plus, ne se sent pas forcément à l'aise dans sa cellule familiale. Il me semble que lire des récits tels que celui-ci permet de prendre mesure qu'il ne faut jamais oublier afin de pouvoir un jour aider ses enfant, ses élèves au mieux.

J'ai été touchée par Claire et son parcours ardu, tant au sein de sa famille que de son établissement scolaire. Siobhan Curham à parfaitement réussie à retranscrire les émotions de la jeune fille sans en faire une tonne. Claire est plutôt fragile, elle a une peur bleue de certains de ses camarades, elle se sent comme une étrangère dans sa propre famille, mais pourtant elle ne s'apitoie pas sur elle bien qu'elle nous fasse part de sa détresse. Au contraire elle n'a pas envie de se laisser abattre, elle aimerait vraiment s'affirmer, prendre confiance en elle. Heureusement certains évènements l'y aideront petit à petit.

Mais attention ne vous attendez pas à une transformation en super woman instantanée, ni définitive d'ailleurs. C'est justement ce qui fait la force du récit ; il reste réaliste à propos de l'évolution des personnages. C'est cet aspect plus que tout autre qui m'a impressionné. J'accorde aux personnages bien plus d'attention et d'importance qu'à l'intrigue - si les personnages sont plats, sans vies mais que l'intrigue tiens bien la route pour ma part c'est tout le bouquin qui est foireux. Alors que si l'intrigue est basique, voire très secondaire mais que les personnages sont exploités comme il le faut, qu'ils prennent vraiment consistance alors c'est ce point là que je vais retenir et qui me fera aimer le livre.

Personnellement j'ai été conquise autant par l'intrigue que par les personnages même si je trouve que le terme "intrigue" ne convient pas pour un roman comme celui-ci. Et puis je dois dire que j'ai aussi un faible pour les histoires où il est question d'évolution personnelle, de dépassement de soi et ce roman c'est en partie de ça qu'il parle.

Hormis Claire, je n'ai pas très envie de vous parler des autres personnages de ce livre puisque les découvrir au travers des yeux de Cherokee est primordiale, mais sachez qu'il y a de belles relations qui se construisent entre Claire et deux autres protagonistes. Ne criez pas à la romance puisqu'il ne s'agit pas d'un triangle amoureux... merci beaucoup Mme Curham d'ailleurs, puisque ça m'aurait gâcher le plaisir... totalement. Il y a bien une jolie romance qui se développe mais c'est léger et elle prend forme véritablement dans la dernière partie de l'histoire. Encore une fois, c'est fort heureux puisque la romance n'est pas le sujet principal de ce roman. Il s'agit de belles relations amicales et filiales avant tout.

D'après ma chronique vous pourriez croire que ce livre est carrément déprimant et bien détrompez-vous puisqu'il y a aussi de l'humour et de jolies scènes légères. C'est aussi une des forces du livre, on ne tombe pas non plus dans une histoire sombre et tragique au possible.

Il y a pas mal de références musicales de groupes rock ; classique majoritairement. J'ai vraiment apprécié puisque j'aime beaucoup ce genre et donc je connais les titres mentionnés autant que je les aimes. Ca à été un atout sympa du roman d'autant plus que c'est en rapport direct avec un des personnages que j'ai beaucoup aimé.

J'aurais adoré avoir lu un livre comme celui-ci lorsque j'étais ado, je pense qu'il m'aurait inspiré et aider à gérer certaines situations peu faciles propres aux parcours de chaque adolescent, et maintenant que je suis mère je suis tout aussi ravie de l'avoir lu. L'écriture très fluide et parfois intense dans certaines scènes émotionnellement fortes me feront le relire aussi certainement que je lirais Stephen King tout au long de ma vie.

[Sylvieee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Despite the many...questionable lines in this book, I found it to be a cute, even though sometimes cringeworthy, coming-of-age story. I think I would have loved this a few years back, as I was obviously in the target demographic. I still found it to be a light and enjoyable read, even as a few serious topics such as bullying were explored.

[Jasmine Koh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love how Claire stands up to everyone who has treated her with unfairness. Just like Claire, in school, I often tended to have these sort of Teachers like Miss Davis who just ignore the bullying because they can’t be bothered.
I just love this lovable heroine and her story

[Indya Molloy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The most underrated book 13 year old me read. My mum brought it randomly for me because she liked the cover. Honestly I’m glad she did. But as I think about it now, I will never reread it so it wasn’t THAT good.

[Bathsheba Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great little read, passing it in to my girls

[joon317 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I tend to reread this book a lot, i read i first when i was around 12 and i some way it really inspired me

[Liam · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF - I got 40 pages in and got utterly fed up with the transphobic remarks
Might be a good book but I’m not going to read that

[Grey Wolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not that good at reviews - but I loved this book!! It was a page turner for me - all emotions I felt whilst reading this wonderful story - I recommend this to others as a must read

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading Siobhan Curham's debut, Dear Dylan, and loving it, I had high-expectations on what to expect from 'Finding Cherokee Brown'. If there is one thing for sure about this novel, it did not disappoint. Finding Cherokee Brown is a fun, quirky and heart-warming novel that when you dig deep down is about finding who you really are and standing up for yourself. The one thing about this novel that stands out is how realistic it is. Every young girl who opens this book will be able to relate to Cherokee and her story.

At the beginning of this story we meet Claire Weeks: a fifteen year-old who has decided to write a book about her life after finding a writing craft book - called 'So you want to write a novel?' on the shelf at her local charity shop. Claire aspires to be one of her favourite heroines, and I think everyone can relate to wanting a part of the fictional heroines we read about. The strength to stand up for what they believe in, and in Claire's case stand up to the bullies who's abuse is endless. Except, when Claire receives a card on her birthday addressed to a young girl called Cherokee, she begins to discover the truth. I loved how Cherokee came about, not all at once but how she was built-up. Yes, she was knocked back down and had hard times but no matter what she did not let it beat her. She was strong, ambitious and at times, feisty but she soon discovers that she may not have to make exciting things happen, when to her surprise, she has the chance to get to know her real dad. Dad - the person she has dreamt about for years but left her and her mum to move to America. Dad, who turns out to be living in a world of rock and roll, and where music plays an important part. Cherokee's narrative is powerful, moving and hilarious. After reading this novel, Cherokee Brown is a worthwhile heroine that deserves to be up there with Katniss Everdeen and Tris Prior.

Not only was the writing fantastic, but at the beginning of the first chapter you would find a 'Notebook Extract' from Agatha Dashwood - the author of 'So, you want to write a novel?'. This was a sneaky way of using foreshadowing to give you a hint of what would go in the next chapter, but also it showed how Cherokee was following the book from when she first found it in the charity shop. I couldn't get enough of the way this novel was set, and how you were able to picture everything so vividly. It's truthful to say Curham never shies away from an opportunity in this book.

Although we get to see Cherokee as a very in-depth character, there are also other characters that share big personalities and who you grow to love. I was rooting on her dad, Steve, and hoping he would stay true to his promises. The outgoing, electric yet loving dad who's life is in his music was joined by Harrison, the quiet yet intriguing eighteen year-old. The time we spent with these characters was also packed with excitement and even the slightest bit of romance put in there too! I found not only did our new favourite heroine grow, so did the other characters. Although, we have to deal with a mum after a perfect family, and a step-dad who works as a life-coach - which becomes frustrating as Claire is just pushed to the sides.

Every time Tricia - the main bully - went out in search of trouble I let out a sigh. Cherokee only has a limp yet she is anything but normal. The names that she is given are horrible, and even the teacher does not try to stand up for her. I became so connected to Cherokee that I could struggled to read some of it because I knew what was to come. The teachers were one-sided, the parents were too naïve to realise the real problems and all Cherokee could do was sit and listen. The only thing that made it better was the satisfying moment when everything changed.

I really enjoyed this novel. It was everything I wanted and more after Dear Dylan and I will definitely be continuing by reading Curham's next novel. The only thing that I could point out about this novel was the slow beginning but when it picked up, and the volume was turned up, I couldn't put it down. This is the perfect relaxing summer-read every teenage girl should read.

For this review, and more, check out my blog:
A Day Dreamer's World

[MeAndMyBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great book! I loved all the characters! I liked that Siobhan went in detail with each character so you really got to know them. I never wanted it to end. I feel like a lot of people would be able to relate to this book.
Over all I think that it's a very good book that a lot of people can connect with, and the book was wrote and laid out very nicely. I think the cover is very unique as well. I will defiantly be re-reading this in the future!

[Charli - To Another World · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this review and many more at To Another World

I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for a honest review. This does not affect my review/opinions in any way. Thank you Siobhan!

Refreshing, captivating and real are three words that come into my head when I think about this book. I was absolutely hooked by chapter two and I finished it in around two hours flat, not including the three or four 5-minute intervals where I sat and stared at the cover. Don't judge me, it's so pretty!

But moving on, this is a beautiful contemporary that contains lots of subtle mysteries and intrigue, without you even realising it as you read. The book follows Claire, who is being bullied recklessly, as she finds herself, mentally, physically and biologically, and discovers secrets that have been kept from her all her life.

In some, most, books that include bullying, the bullying isn't realistic and I find myself sitting and not believing in the book, which stops my enjoyment. Curham achieved and overcame this and more; the bullying is described in complete depth and I believed in it, I felt as if it was really happening; and as horrible as bullying is, I loved this, because of how rare it is to find a book with good, believable bullying scenes in them.

Curham represents perfectly being a teenager, particularly a bullied one who has lots of family problems. The book shows how difficult teenager to parent communications can become, especially about things such as seeing a biological parent if your parents are split and difficult situations like these.

I also loved the "notebook extracts" that Cherokee wrote throughout writing her story, as they gave such a deep insight to how she thought and how she formed images of people, and herself, in her own mind.

As you can probably tell, emotion is one of the key parts of this book and Curham executes it perfectly: I could clear as glass see Cherokee's emotions throughout the book. One thing I found interesting is how you could tell the undertone of Cherokee, such as when she writes like she isn't bothered but a jealous undertone is there. I don't find this in a lot of books; because it's hard to see, unlike in a person where you can identify body language.

I loved Cherokee throughout the book and by the end loved her determination and bravery. Sophie said that she is as worthy a heroine as Tris or Katniss, and I couldn't agree more; she has all the characteristics as well as having made a stand against the bullies. I also adored Steve as the fatherly figure of the book; I could see how Cherokee's emotion changed when she was with him; how they formed their relationship with music, and I could relate to it. My relationship with my own father is fragile, but we both love music, which is something to connect with each other. One of my favourite quotes from the book was when she was about to go and meet Steve:

"I felt all the following in one go: excited, terrified, sick,
giggly, angry, tearful and in a state of shock."

Overall, this an absolutely beautiful and realistic book. Cherokee as a character is gorgeous and clear cut, and the writing is just perfect.

[Georgia (The Bibliomaniac Book Blog) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Claire Weeks is browsing the second-hand book tables on the Southbank when she pulls out a copy of ‘So you want to write a novel?’ by Agatha Weeks. Claire starts writing her own book about her life, and thinks she will have to exaggerate her own life to make it exciting, but she is so wrong. Enter Claire’s long lost father, the rock ‘n’ roll loving street-singer, who tells Claire that she is actually called Cherokee- Cherokee Brown. Cherokee starts a new life, full of adventure, where she finds out who she really is.

Ever since I saw that there was another book coming from Siobhan Curham, I’ve been an even bigger jumping-up-and-down-impatiently-waiting-and-extremely-excited fangirl than I usually am. When this came in the post, I was so excited to start it! In my opinion, this is probably the best piece of contemporary fiction I have read this year. I simply couldn’t stop reading, and finished it in a few hours!

Cherokee was such an amazing protagonist, with a well developed, realistic personality and a big heart. I loved reading about her so much. Her narration was absolutely brilliant, and I especially liked the ‘notebook extracts’ in-between some chapters. They were very fun to read, and as they were character profile pieces that Cherokee had written about herself, Harrison, and her dad, they gave a really great insight into what Cherokee thought of the new men in her life, as well as herself. Also, I really loved the character of her Dad- a street singer, who dresses a bit like a hippy and drives around in his campervan. He was so unique and unlike any other fictional Dad I’ve encountered. I loved the relationship that developed throughout the book between him and his daughter- there was a really strong bond between them even though they had only met about ten times. As well as that, I loved the connections to music in the story that he made (I haven’t listened to many of the rock songs that play a big part in his life, but I really want to now!).

The plot was very fun, and well structured. It dealt with lots of very common problems that teenagers face today- Bullying, Stepfamilies, and first love. Siobhan Curham’s writing made these events in Cherokees life really realistic and understandable, and I found myself sympathizing with the characters a lot. However, as well as dealing with some very sad themes, this story was upbeat and funny at parts too. I enjoyed this story of freedom and discovery so much. Despite the difficulties in Cherokee’s life, she had some great times finding out who she really was. I loved seeing her make the journey from being plain, dull Claire Weeks to becoming the cool and quirky Cherokee Brown.

In total, Finding Cherokee Brown is an unforgettable book that leaves you thinking about it way after you put it down. It had some of the greatest characters I’ve seen in a while, and a well-thought-out plot with lots of great twists, and a satisfying ending. Recommended to fans of Annabel Pitcher- this book had lots of heart, humour, and tears. I can’t wait for a next book from this brilliant author!

[Michelle (Fluttering Butterflies) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally published at Fluttering Butterflies


I really, truly loved Finding Cherokee Brown by Siobhan Curham. There is much to love about this book, with it's wonderful characters, it's emotional storylines involving both bullying and connecting with estranged family members and also about a girl writing a book about her experiences with figuring out who she is. It's a story told with lots of humour and heart and I loved every page of it.

Claire Weeks is a having a bit of a rough time of it lately. Her best friend has upped and moved away leaving her to the mercy of mean girls at school who make fun of her because of her limp. Her mum and step-dad don't really understand or listen to her and her little brothers are only 7. But when an unexpected birthday card arrives from her real father, who abandoned her and her mum when Claire was little, everything changes. Suddenly, Claire is faced with lots of new developments - a father she never knew and the knowledge that she was once called Cherokee Brown. And with that name seems to spark the hope of a brand new identity. Claire can choose to be better, cooler, stronger as Cherokee together with the support of her musician father and his young boarder, Harrison.

I thought Cherokee's relationship with her father was very sweetly written. There's a lot of doubt throughout if he'd really stick around this time and be the kind of dad that Cherokee needed and I'm happy with the events that did occur! I loved seeing Cherokee change over the course of this novel. The structure of the book is wrapped around this creative writing book that Cherokee has found to help her write the story of her life. There are character interviews and plenty of advice on writing an interesting story that really seem to relate well to the dramas that happen in Cherokee's actual life. This emphasis on writing was really good, especially as it really seemed to benefit Cherokee as she was going through some confusing times.

At the start of Finding Cherokee Brown, you can really tell that Claire is a bit knocked down by the bullying she receives at school, her loneliness without a friend. And slowly, you can see how Cherokee begins to assert herself more, her confidence is boosted and she is finally able to stand up to her bullies in a really amazing way that had me fist-pump in celebration!

What a wonderful book this is! I happily recommend it!

[Anya (An Awful Lot of Reading) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Claire is very bored and unhappy with her life; her mum and step-dad don't understand her, she is being bullied at school and her best friend has moved away, leaving her alone. Then a surprise birthday birthday card from her father changes everything. She discovers how she has been lied to, her real name and a connection with her dad.

There was amazing character development with Cherokee; her desire to write and accidentally finding her biological father makes her want to change. And apart from a drastic haircut, it's all internal, which I find very important for how she changes the way she sees herself. Her father is the most important influence, with was refreshing. Yes there is a cute boy in the mix and Cherokee does want to be better for him but it's not her driving force. She wants to change for herself, which is commendable and quite rare in YA. Plus her dad learns some things about himself, as he quickly becomes a proper father, looking after his daughter in everything. He was very eager to be a part of Cherokee's life but at times you could tell it was too much and I was worried he'd run off again. Luckily there was a happy ending.

I very much identified with Cherokee being bullied; it is a horrible feeling, being victimised, tortured somewhere you're supposed to be safe. The threats she got were at the extreme end of the scale but I could completely empathizes with her feelings of helplessness and the need to run away. I was however incredibly impressed with the bravery she finds to face her bullies by telling the school what has been happening. It astounded me that the faculty had no idea how cruel some of the students were.

An amazing story of discovering and being true to yourself, with some pretty awesome characters that also have some things to learn. Cherokee is a great heroine, a normal girl with normal problems, who manages to overcome the trials of life by becoming stronger than she thought she could be. A girl who everyone should aspire to be more like.

[Samantha (A Dream of Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed Siobhan Curham's debut 'Dear Dylan' which was published last year, so I've been looking forward to reading more from her ever since. 'Finding Cherokee Brown' is another great title which I read in one sitting because it was such a brilliant story.

It centres on fifteen year old Claire Weeks who decides that she is going to write a story about her life after finding an old copy of a book called 'So you want to write a novel?'. What starts off as an attempt to escape from her day to day life, soon turns into something even more powerful and life changing when she discovers a huge family secret which makes her question everything she thought she knew about herself.

Claire aka Cherokee was a great main character. Curham can really write people who you warm to instantly and feel enormous empathy for. She has several issues to deal with in the book, one being the fact that she is bullied at her school. This is something that a lot of people have faced at one point or another in their lives and I enjoyed seeing her finally decide to fight back and not let the bullies get away with it. I thought it was interesting that one of her teachers fails to deal with the teens who are taunting her. It shows that even adults sometimes suffer confidence issues, feel powerless and cannot stand up against other people.

Claire feels like she doesn't fit in with her family, since her mother remarried and had twins. Throughout the book she gradually learns that everyone has the power to change their own life and that wonderful things can happen when you take control of your own destiny.

Anbody being bullied or bullying others should read this book because it features a truly inspirational heroine and has a powerful message to convey about the power of both the written and spoken word. It is also moving, poignant and funny and is another great title from a fantastic author.

[Sophie Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first impressions of 'Finding Cherokee Brown' based on the bold and appealing cover was that the story was going to be full of a bold adventure that could drive you in all the right directions that could help make you stand out like a rainbow. The story is based on a young teenage girl called Claire weeks also known as Cherokee brown that lives near London her life is filled with a large variety of bad events from not knowing her biological dad and being bullied by a bunch of teenagers that attend her school known as Rayners high. Could things really brighten up for Cherokee? Well you will have to pick up your copy and find out...

'Finding Cherokee Brown' is a book I would pick up in store as it has everything you would want to read in a book e.g Romance,Sadness and Happiness. This book holds a lot of heart warming events that sometimes makes you want to either break down in tears of sadness or tears of pure joy. However this book holds a very special message that tells you to hold on to hope and stay strong because being strong and having a bold mind and imagination can get you through the rough times that can take part in your life.

i would definitely recommend this book to read as it kept me on my feet all the way through I even found myself trying to guess what was going to happen next. I couldn't put this book down when I started reading Finding Cherokee Brown is definitely on my top favourites to read again.

Oh my GOSH … Harrison definitely is a fittie to admire throughout. He sure gives any sparkly vampires a run for there money as he is so irresistible.

I was pretty upset when this book came to an end as I wanted the book to be never ending because I was so drawn in I even started to believe I was Cherokee.i give this book a rating of 5 out of 5. I loved it !

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review by Beth

I’m probably one of the few reviewers who haven’t read Curham’s first novel Dear Dylan but after enjoying Finding Cherokee Brown I think I’d quite like to.

Claire Weeks has been having a completely terrible time since her only close friend Helen has left school and her only comfort seems to be her determination to write a novel, about herself, with the help of Angela Dashwood’s So you want to write a Novel?

Claire lives with her nervy mum, her step-dad Alan who means well and her younger twin brothers, who come across as quite cute. Claire’s novel is supposed to be an escape from her everyday life where bullying is relentless but it turns into a narrative about these events, also incorporating the arrival of her real dad Steve, who she thought was in America and had run out on her for good. Once she does meet Steve things begin to change dramatically and Claire begins to realise she doesn’t need to be scared of life and can stand up for herself.

Claire is a very genuine and believable character and when she discovers Cherokee (no spoilers here) she becomes even more likeable and enjoyable. Finding Cherokee (or ‘Chirkey’ as her brothers say) allows Claire to become the person she should always have been and without getting too heavy the novel also addresses the issue of bullying well.

I’d also quite like Claire’s dad to be my dad.

Great quick read with a great narrator.

[Katy Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Usually when I've tried a Young Adult author once, I move on. It's only occasionally I keep my eyes open and read others they write
(too many books and too little time!).

But the author of Dear Dylan had me intrigued. Her style, story and characters all seemed fresh and just different enough to read more. And Finding Cherokee is a superb second book for teenagers. The themes may sound well-tried. But it's the delivery that deserves attention and a wide readership.

Claire Weeks is 15. She has slightly annoying twin step-brothers, a life-coach step-dad and a mum who she can't bear to talk about her problems with. Claire is being bullied at school. But on her 15th birthday she gets a birthday card from the dad she thought abandoned her as a baby. In making the decision to go and meet him, Claire finds there's a lot about her life she can and might change.

The diary structure of the book works brilliantly alongside the extracts from a book Claire is reading about how to be a writer, from which Claire is using techniques. She talks to us as readers self-referentially without it becoming trite or twee.

This kind of story could become pure wish-fulfilment (finding a long-lost parent) but the writer makes Claire not a character that things happen to but one who takes action and makes changes herself.

It's full of heart, emotion and a lovely little read about family and bravery.

[Kirsty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book

For me this book was about two things

Firstly it was about family and knowing where you come from. At the start of this book Claire finds out that she isn't who she thought she was. Instead of being called Claire Weeks she was actually born Cherokee Brown and her absent father isn't in the USA like she thought but living in London not all that far away from her. Throughout this book you get to see how vital it is to Claire to know who she is and she she came from to be able to become the self confident young person she so desperately wants to be. I loved seeing the relationship between her and her father develops as the book goes on.

Secondly I really liked the insight this book had into bullying and the effect it can have on the self esteem of the person being bullied. For me the really heartbreaking thing was seeing the way in which Claire didn't feel she had anywhere to turn or anyone to go to to get help. She feels completely isolated and helpless which made her feel completely lost. This change however after she meets her father and suddenly Claire channels Cherokee and starts to fight back. I loved seeing her get that bit of control back and start to stick up for herself.

A fab read with real heart which I really enjoyed. Well worth a read.

[Luna's Little Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

I so adored Dear Dylan and I was pretty certain that this book would be equal in brilliance, so for a change I wasn’t worried my expectations wouldn’t be met. I was pretty certain I’d love this and of course I right!

While I understand and love characters in books I’ve rarely had an ‘OMG it’s me’ experience. I identify with Cherokee so much, the alien feeling within in your own family isn’t unique to this story but Cherokee has these little personality quirks that are so similar to me. Like the turning left when you don’t know where you’re going. I do that all the time (I have no sense of direction so I do mean All. The. Time.) Or Cherokee changing her appearance in the hope of changing herself? Whenever I need a do-over (like when I’m stressed) my hair suffers for it. I once cut it all off with kitchen scissors or this last week I dyed it bright pink. You probably didn’t need to know that…

Anyway I pretty much loved the whole book. You should read it, it’s awesome!

[Galleane · Rating 5 out of 5]

L'histoire de Cherokee Brown c'est l'histoire d'une demoiselle attendrissante à laquelle je me suis attachée dès le début. Très souvent en colère ou au bord des larmes, j'ai vécu ce livre à fond en toute occasion. L'auteur mène son histoire simplement mais elle offre au lecteur un roman entier et parvient à transmettre beaucoup. Rarement une évolution chez un personnage m'aura à ce point remué, ce qu'elle vit retourné. J'étais loin de m'attendre à un tel déchaînement de sentiments en si peu de pages, il est rapide à lire mais chaque moment passé avec Cherokee était merveilleux. Me prenant par surprise, je peux dire sans problème que ce fut un joli coup de cœur.
Ma chronique complète : http://bloggalleane.blogspot.fr/2013/...

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

For readers graduating from Cathy Cassidy, Siobhan Curham is a fresh voice in intermediate YA fiction. "Finding Cherokee Brown" is a sweet story of identity amidst the turbulence of extreme high school bullying.

After the return of her long absent father, Claire Weeks, or Cherokee finds herself in family, writing and rock and roll after having felt lost for majority of her fifteen years of life. With the help of Agatha Dashwood's book "How to Write a Novel," Cherokee is finally taking charge of her own story.

The best thing about this endearing novel is the sense of self growth through personal strength and overcoming tribulations Curham creates. There may be a little of the usual YA romance, but ultimately, it is the value of self worth that makes this novel a YA gem.

[Kaykay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Claire does not like who she is. School is a battleground because of a limp she was born with and so starts to write herself into a book where she can be the powerful hero who is strong and beautiful, but most of all, interesting.

But soon she finds out that she is not who she thought she was and is given a chance to be someone more like who she wants to be, and seizes it, despite her mother and stepfathers' wishes against it.

Someone starts to properly believe in her and nurture her and she begins to grow into someone she'd only only ever dreamed of being.

This book made me feel like I could become more like who I wanted to be as well. It was so encouraging. It just really makes you realise that your dreams are only as far away as you're letting them be.

[Fara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really love the book ! I love Claire or I must say, Cherokee. She faced everything a teenager hates the most, dull life, feeling unwanted/foreign even within your own family, being bullied by her own classmates and her limp which make people see her different than other people. 

everything changed once she received his dad, I mean, her real dad's birthday card. she become braver and bolder. she stood up herself and utter everything she things isn't right instead of bottle it up everything by herself. 

I could somehow related to Cherokee Brown's character although I am never really being bullied as she had. 

Everyone gets hurts but only the brave one survive in their own feeling.