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This is NOT the Diary of Izzy Dobson: The first book in a hilarious new illustrated series from the bestselling author
Brought to you by Puffin.
IZZY DOBSON HAS A FEW
1) School is the WORST.
2) Making friends is HARD.
3) Her VERY TOP SECRET EMBARRASSING DIARY has gone MISSING!
Can Izzy retrace her steps before the diary falls into the wrong hands? Or has its fate already been sealed by a SINISTER DIARY THIEF?
Izzy records her investigation in this Very Normal Notebook. (Definitely NOT another diary!) Expect cat doodles, brilliant(ish) brainwaves and hilarious observations on life as Izzy searches not just for her diary, but also her place in this Very Confusing World.
A laugh-out-loud, big-hearted new fiction series by acclaimed author-illustrator Abigail Balfe.
© Abigail Balfe 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026
IZZY DOBSON HAS A FEW
1) School is the WORST.
2) Making friends is HARD.
3) Her VERY TOP SECRET EMBARRASSING DIARY has gone MISSING!
Can Izzy retrace her steps before the diary falls into the wrong hands? Or has its fate already been sealed by a SINISTER DIARY THIEF?
Izzy records her investigation in this Very Normal Notebook. (Definitely NOT another diary!) Expect cat doodles, brilliant(ish) brainwaves and hilarious observations on life as Izzy searches not just for her diary, but also her place in this Very Confusing World.
A laugh-out-loud, big-hearted new fiction series by acclaimed author-illustrator Abigail Balfe.
© Abigail Balfe 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026
Audible Audio
First published April 2, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 4, 2026
Abigail Balfe is an auDHD author/illustrator who lives in Brighton and previously led digital campaigns for famous pop stars and broadcasters. Her first book, A Different Sort of Normal – a memoir about growing up autistic – was shortlisted in the British Book Awards and longlisted at the Blue Peter Book Awards.
The book opens with 12-year-old Izzy telling the reader that this is not a diary; it is in fact a notebook tasked with recording Izzy’s investigation into the disappearance of her actual diary. We learn that Izzy doesn’t have any friends at school but is very close to her nan, who lives in a nursing home and has dementia. She’s also close to her mum (despite Mum’s embarrassing crush on the postman). Although the story is ostensibly about the missing diary, its true charm comes from Izzy’s quirky voice and her connections with the other characters. All of the subplots are dealt with in sweet and satisfying ways that I’m confident young readers will adore!
Like other books in this genre, this humorous diary-style narrative uses various formatting techniques to bring the diary vibe to life. Certain words are emphasised via capitalisation or a change in font; there are black and white illustrations on almost every page; and every so often the format changes when, for example, Izzy ‘glues in’ a note or draws a short comic. This means there are no ‘boring pages’ or solid blocks of text, which I am sure will help maintain the interest of tween readers – particularly those who are resistant to prose-only novels.
One of the book’s strengths is its realistic and matter-of-fact portrayal of autism and ADHD. These diagnoses are not mentioned in the narrative (only in the back matter, where Balfe says Izzy is auDHD but doesn’t know it yet), but Izzy stuffs toilet paper in her ears to block out noise, documents her elaborate ‘soft sandwich’ recipe, frequently goes off on tangents, and overthinks what her face is doing. Dementia is also portrayed sensitively, and Balfe acknowledges that Izzy’s nan’s experiences are partly based on her own nan’s journey.
It’s also worth noting that, unlike most other books in this genre, this story does not feature any crushes or romantic relationships between its young characters (just Mum and the postman). This makes it a great pick for younger kids interested in exploring this genre.
I recommend this book for fans of the Lottie Brooks and Melody Moss series, plus fans of realistic graphic novels such as those by Raina Telgemeier and Svetlana Chmakova. I also recommend it for readers who either identify with or want to better understand the female auDHD experience. According to the back matter, we can look forward to another Izzy Dobson book soon too!
This review was first published on StoryLinks Australia.
The book opens with 12-year-old Izzy telling the reader that this is not a diary; it is in fact a notebook tasked with recording Izzy’s investigation into the disappearance of her actual diary. We learn that Izzy doesn’t have any friends at school but is very close to her nan, who lives in a nursing home and has dementia. She’s also close to her mum (despite Mum’s embarrassing crush on the postman). Although the story is ostensibly about the missing diary, its true charm comes from Izzy’s quirky voice and her connections with the other characters. All of the subplots are dealt with in sweet and satisfying ways that I’m confident young readers will adore!
Like other books in this genre, this humorous diary-style narrative uses various formatting techniques to bring the diary vibe to life. Certain words are emphasised via capitalisation or a change in font; there are black and white illustrations on almost every page; and every so often the format changes when, for example, Izzy ‘glues in’ a note or draws a short comic. This means there are no ‘boring pages’ or solid blocks of text, which I am sure will help maintain the interest of tween readers – particularly those who are resistant to prose-only novels.
One of the book’s strengths is its realistic and matter-of-fact portrayal of autism and ADHD. These diagnoses are not mentioned in the narrative (only in the back matter, where Balfe says Izzy is auDHD but doesn’t know it yet), but Izzy stuffs toilet paper in her ears to block out noise, documents her elaborate ‘soft sandwich’ recipe, frequently goes off on tangents, and overthinks what her face is doing. Dementia is also portrayed sensitively, and Balfe acknowledges that Izzy’s nan’s experiences are partly based on her own nan’s journey.
It’s also worth noting that, unlike most other books in this genre, this story does not feature any crushes or romantic relationships between its young characters (just Mum and the postman). This makes it a great pick for younger kids interested in exploring this genre.
I recommend this book for fans of the Lottie Brooks and Melody Moss series, plus fans of realistic graphic novels such as those by Raina Telgemeier and Svetlana Chmakova. I also recommend it for readers who either identify with or want to better understand the female auDHD experience. According to the back matter, we can look forward to another Izzy Dobson book soon too!
This review was first published on StoryLinks Australia.
May 15, 2026
I loved this book! It was such an enjoyable read, and I didn’t want it to end!
Izzy Dobson seems like everything’s going wrong: school is awful, making friends is a lot harder than it should be, and her VERY TOP SECRET EMBARRASSING DIARY has gone missing! I’ll let you guess what one’s the most important. As Izzy records herself backtracking herself in this very normal, boring old notebook (definitely not a diary) she starts to discover herself and some unlikely allies along the way, accompanied by some cat doodles, amazing yet random brainwaves and (many) Mango Chutney sandwiches. Can Izzy find her diary before it falls into the hands of an ultimate diary thief??
I loved this book! It was a fun, short read, and it was really enjoyable. I could see my self a lot of times in Izzy, and this book was packed full of emotion. Some bits made me laugh out loud, and other parts I had to put the book down otherwise I might of cried right there and then in my Spanish class. This book has taken me on a rollercoaster of discovery, and one that I could definitely relate to. I felt so sorry for Izzy at some points, as I have shared those moments with her, and can feel how she must feel. It was incredibly powerful, and another amazing book by Abigail. I can’t wait to read what she writes next!
Izzy Dobson seems like everything’s going wrong: school is awful, making friends is a lot harder than it should be, and her VERY TOP SECRET EMBARRASSING DIARY has gone missing! I’ll let you guess what one’s the most important. As Izzy records herself backtracking herself in this very normal, boring old notebook (definitely not a diary) she starts to discover herself and some unlikely allies along the way, accompanied by some cat doodles, amazing yet random brainwaves and (many) Mango Chutney sandwiches. Can Izzy find her diary before it falls into the hands of an ultimate diary thief??
I loved this book! It was a fun, short read, and it was really enjoyable. I could see my self a lot of times in Izzy, and this book was packed full of emotion. Some bits made me laugh out loud, and other parts I had to put the book down otherwise I might of cried right there and then in my Spanish class. This book has taken me on a rollercoaster of discovery, and one that I could definitely relate to. I felt so sorry for Izzy at some points, as I have shared those moments with her, and can feel how she must feel. It was incredibly powerful, and another amazing book by Abigail. I can’t wait to read what she writes next!
July 22, 2026
12-year-old Izzy Dobson has lost her diary, so she's forced to resort to another notebook (which is definitely not a diary) to document her investigation into the missing diary. In the process, we learn about Izzy's friends, her English creative writing project, Izzy's Mum's relentless but romantic quest to attract the postman's attention, and her Nan who has dementia and sometimes forgets who Izzy is.
The inside of Izzy's diary is an exuberant, slightly chaotic expression but in recording her thoughts, Izzy manages to work through her worries and come up with creative solutions to her problems. This is a heartwarming and relatable story as well as an enlightening glimpse into a neurodivergent mind - perfect for fans of The Wimpy Kid and Lottie Brooks. Loved it!
The inside of Izzy's diary is an exuberant, slightly chaotic expression but in recording her thoughts, Izzy manages to work through her worries and come up with creative solutions to her problems. This is a heartwarming and relatable story as well as an enlightening glimpse into a neurodivergent mind - perfect for fans of The Wimpy Kid and Lottie Brooks. Loved it!
August 30, 2026
Abigail Balfe’s debut self-illustrated novel for readers aged 9+ (the first in a series) is a sensitive and funny book about a girl with autism and ADHD who’s trying to make sense of the world around her and find her place within it. I think that many readers will relate to Izzy’s loneliness and sense of isolation (which draws on the author’s own experiences) while the fab illustrations add character and humour.
July 26, 2026
I really enjoyed this! I’m a big fan of diary style books and this was just perfection. Loved the illustrations and I loved the layout. I think younger me would have loved to be friends with Izzy! Yay for more books with neurodivergent characters - so many kids will see themselves in Izzy and I am so grateful she is out there! I reckon Y6s and up will love this!
September 29, 2026
This was such a hoot of a book! I really loved Izzy (and could see quite a few things in me in her), I loved reading her diary and the chaoticness of it all. She made me laugh, other times I wanted to give her a hug, I love seeing her make friends (though with a lot of bumps in the road), her cat was adorable/fun, and I love the art. This one really made me smile and I am glad that I was able to read this book (yay for some luck after some not so good days).
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews