Look Me in the Eye

by Jane Godwin

running late
drop it off without me
I type drop what off? I don't know what Mish is talking about.
While I'm typing, another message appears. don't tell bella
But I am Bella.

Best friends Bella and Connie live on the outskirts of the city in an area that was once full of open fields and paddocks but is changing as the suburbs creep closer. And now there is Mish, Connie's cousin, who has to be included even though she is unfriendly and unpredictable. The pandemic lockdowns have lifted and the three teens are eager to explore their newfound independence. But with the world opening up, there has been a rise in surveillance, from apps that track their movements to voice recorders and hidden cameras. It feels like everyone is watching them. But when does 'watching' become 'watching over'?

Do we have a right to know everything about those we love? Look Me in the Eye is a gripping tale of young teens navigating freedom and trust-building, privacy and secrets, in an era of parental surveillance.

'An important novel that rings true to life' BOOKS+PUBLISHING

'Captivating . . . Readers from middle school age to adults will find this story engaging and enlightening' READPLUS

Praise for Jane Godwin's
'Fantastically tense in places, A Walk in the Dark is a great read for all kids ages 11 plus' Readings
'Refreshingly unpredictable, bold and refuses to minimise the complex lives of [its] characters' Saturday Age
'This book is a joy to read' CBCA Judges' report on When Rain Turns to Snow
'Quality storytelling . . . gripping' The Australian Women's Weekly

Genres: Young Adult, Crime, Middle Grade, Friendship, Contemporary, School, Coming Of Age

208 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 28, 2024

About the author

Jane Godwin is the Publisher, Books for Children and Young Adults, at Penguin Books Australia. She is also a highly acclaimed author of many books for children. Her work is published internationally and she has received many commendations. The Family Tree won the 2000 Queensland Premier's Award (Children's Books); Sebby, Stee, the Garbos and Me was shortlisted for the 1999 New South Wales State Literary Award (Patricia Wrightson Prize) and was a YABBA finalist; and The True Story of Mary was shortlisted for the 2006 CBCA Book of the Year Awards, Younger Readers. In 2009 her picture book with illustrator Anna Walker, Little Cat and the Big Red Bus, was a notable book in the CBCA Awards and was also shortlisted for the Speech Pathology Australia Awards, Lower Primary division. Jane's most recent novel is Falling From Grace, and her most recent picture book is All Through the Year, illustrated by Anna Walker, due for publication in October 2010.

Jane lives in Melbourne with her family. Her hobbies seem to have fallen by the wayside a little since she has taken on the role of publisher, but from what she remembers, they were playing tennis, walking, reading (things other than manuscripts), doing cryptic crosswords, talking about the need to do gardening (and sometimes even doing it), cooking, playing piano, spending time with friends and mucking around with family which consists of partner Michael and two adolescents, Wil (19) and Lizzie (17). She still manages the cryptic crosswords, friends and family.

Jane also enjoys working creatively with school students, encouraging them to develop confidence in their own creativity, ideas and abilities.

Reviews

[Stephanie Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Young Adult novel that will keep one turning the pages!
Bella and Connie have been besties for a long time. They hang out, confide in one another, and are there for each other during stressful times in their families. Then Connie’s cousin moves into town. With Misha around, it’s a whole different kind of stress that she causes…

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Is YA fiction a broad church?

‘Fiction written for 12 to 18 year olds and includes most themes found in adult fiction’ - Wikipedia.

Look me in the eye by Jane Godwin is definitely for the younger end of the age range.

Dealing with themes of trust, friendship, parental control and personal choice I think this would make a sensational year 6 classroom text.

Told from year 7 student Bella’s perspective, her closest friend (since year 3), Connie and she are negotiating year 7 in suburban Melbourne after the Covid lockdowns.

Connie’s cousin, Mish repeats year 7 and moves to their school. She is a destabilising influence. Mish is troubled and causing trouble.

A rewarding read for upper primary school, or lower secondary.

And, that amazing cover. Well done to those designers

[hannah! (lowkey gone) · Rating 3 out of 5]

genuinely thought that this was ya until i got like 10 pages into it. then it was clear that this is more for younger readers. the writing was really odd and basic and repetetive (which gave it away)

but anyways this was fine. it was executed well and i think it is an important read for younger girls especially. but it didnt really hit for me tbh (probably coz im a bit too old for this style now)

[gosia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yeah I'm gonna need more of you to read this random Aussie YA book with 5 reviews on good reads

[Clare Snow · Rating 3 out of 5]

The two poems which bracket either side of this story, turn it into something quite different

[Harmony Hogarth · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5, pretty average didn’t hate it, didn’t love it. It felt like a book you’d study in yr 8/9 English, more specifically it felt like a book they’d read in yr 8/9 English in 30 something years while talking about everything that was going on in a technology driven post covid world.

[Trisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

A claustrophobic read, tense and uncomfortable.

Well written, challenging for readers, clever.

[Atlanta Bushnell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Look Me in the Eye by Jane Godwin is at its heart a contemporary story about trust. It asks a very important question, do you trust people until they give you a reason not to or do you distrust everyone until they prove they can be trusted?

I thought this book was extremely well written. We follow Bella as she navigates starting Year 7 after covid lockdowns and is confronted with this question.

Bella was a wonderful narrator. I liked following her journey. She felt real and relatable, and she asked a lot of important questions, which can open up some great conversations around the topics of friendship, trust and modern technology.

This book is written for upper middle grade and early teen readers, so I would recommend it for that age group. But I also think older readers would enjoy it too.

4 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Lee-Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in Melbourne, post lockdown but still within the Covid epidemic era.
Connie and Bella have been friends since primary school and are now in Year 7. Connie’s cousin Misha, who was expelled from another high school, has been told by her parents that she needs to be friends with Connie and Bella as they are ‘a good influence’. Misha shoplifts and follows strange eating habits. Bella’s Mum’s boyfriend Pete, trades in collectable vintage toys and cards. When one of the cards goes missing, Bella starts to suspect Misha.

A quintessential Australia YA. Covid is mentioned on multiple occasions throughout the story with reference made to lockdown, masks and 5km radius of friends. Tackles issues such as vaping, bullying, eating disorders and the difference between privacy and secrecy. References made to social media such as Snapchat and Tiktok.
A story about friendship and trust. “If we don’t have trust, what do we have?”
Thanks for Novel Insight for the publication.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story: it reminds you that becoming a teenager and starting Highschool can be hard and that the challenges of finding friendships and who you are, are not always straightforward. Cassie and Bella have been friends for years. The older Mish appears and life becomes a lot more complicated. Set post-covid there is a timeless quality about this coming of age story. Bella has a strong voice but the challenges of trusting people and not going with the flow when you know it’s wrong are at times relentless. I wasn’t sure the final details about the dysfunctional family life of Mish were entirely necessary. It seemed like it was throwing in yet another social issue when we’d already dealt with many. Overall a thoughtful and positive story that will be a good read for years 7 and up.

[K. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Content warnings: stealing, lying, disordered eating, mental health

I've enjoyed Godwin's books in the past, so I was hoping this one would be a hit for me. She really hits that crossover between YA and middle grade so well, and it's perfect for Year 7 students who think they're past middle grade but who really aren't emotionally ready for YA crime/thrillers.

This one, for whatever reason, didn't quite work for me. Like, it was FINE. And I love that it's set so solidly in the western suburbs of Melbourne. But it felt like a number of the plotlines here - especially the disordered eating - weren't done with the depth that they warranted.

So I wanted to love this. But I just kind of...didn't. It was fine. But I suspect it will prove very forgettable.

[Catherine Crow · Rating 3 out of 5]

Look Me in the Eye explores the relationships between friends, relatives & parents. The chapters are short & it was a very quick read. I read it for readers advisory purposes, as it is a 2025 CBCA notable. The writing style is simplistic & suited to a young YA audience. I do think some of the themes it addresses to do with parenting will speak to adults with children of their own. The characters are easy to connect with & feel for. The book is quite fast-paced in style & writing, which felt a little bombarding at times. I do believe it earned its place as a notable, though. The themes it explores are broadly relatable for today's teens, which makes it more accessible for a wider audience.

[Penny Waring · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jane Godwin has written a tense and thought-provoking novel that examines the concept of trust within friendships and families, and the thorny issue of parental surveillance. Told from the perspective of year 7 student, Bella, who finds herself doing increasingly risky things for newcomer, Mish, even though she completely distrusts her. Has helpful adults and hopeful ending.

Themes: Trust, surveillance, friendship, family, controlling parents, risk-taking (shoplifting, dangerous dieting, meeting strangers from social media, running away), social media and phone use

Age: year 7+

[Rennai · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this one a tricky to rate. I'm giving it 3.5 stars. The themes the book covers are definitely worthy but I found the the narrator's voice was a little young for year 7. It took me a while to feel comfortable enough to keep reading. I'm glad I did because I think the book's very important message about not judging other people without knowing their background or motivations comes across clearly. It lets the younger reader know that "good" people can do "bad" things for various reasons.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stealing, lies and friendships fraught with manipulation are all tackled in this lovely novel. Godwin’s characters are drawn with delicate nuance and their conflicts feel very real. Parents’ surveillance of their children is examined from a young teen point of view and the way it can curtail natural adventure is definitely worth close consideration. Loved it, especially the palpable tension!!

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars out of 5.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book for tweens. Story of trust, social media, fitting in.

[CeCe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written story that is engaging, authentic and contemporary. Explores issues that many families deal with, such as trust and control, and navigating the usage of mobile phones.

[Sadiya · Rating 2 out of 5]

About a group of friends and their struggles with friendship. It’s definitely in the young adult genre because the conflicts and writing style are a little juvenile for my liking. The book also started very slow and had to force myself to get through the first 70%. The rest of the 30% was alright and pretty eventful so I enjoyed reading that. She did a good job at tying loose ends in the end too, almost shed a tear… almost!”

[Julia Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great middle-grade story on trust - what it means between friends and within families, and how technological surveillance may inhibit trust and freedom.

[Lucy · Rating 1 out of 5]

(No hate on the author)
Where do I even start, this book was terrible, it felt like it was dragging on and on. The characters were terrible and they kept hanging out other dumb girl for like reason, and they didn’t even tell their parents about her. All of this was dumb and dragged itself out for too long, I could nearly read it.