Η Έλλα στο περιθώριο

by Cath Howe, Δέσποινα Δρακάκη (translator)

Η Έλλα βρίσκεται σε μια καινούρια πόλη. Στο νέο της σχολείο και μην έχοντας μαζί της την Γκρέις, την παιδική της φίλη, νιώθει πολύ μόνη. Η προσαρμογή δεν είναι εύκολη. Ο καλύτερος τρόπος να ενσωματωθεί είναι να μπει στην παρέα της Λίντια, του πιο δημοφιλούς κοριτσιού στην τάξη. Κάνει το παν γι’ αυτό αγνοώντας τα εμφανέστατα στραβά του χαρακτήρα της…

Genres: Middle Grade, Friendship, Childrens, Family, Young Adult, Novels, School

240 pages, Paperback

First published May 3, 2018

About the author

Cath Howe is an author and teacher working in South West London writing for, and working with, Key Stage 2 primary age children.

Her first two books were published in 2012 by Pearson in their Bug Club, “The Curse of the Highwayman” and “The Highwayman’s Revenge”. She has won prizes for stories, poems and monologues and even written a musical. Over the past seven years, she has also led children to victory in local festivals performing her work.

Cath Howe runs workshops in schools on everything to do with writing and performing, teaches gifted writers, coaches children for auditions, develops plays and scripts for festivals; everything about being inspired and creative.

Member of SCWBI (Society of Children's Writers of the British Isles), NAWE (National Association of Writers in Education), The Society of Authors and Writer in Residence at Kingston University Writing School.

Reviews

[Daisy May Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming, subtle and incredibly - suddenly - moving, Ella On The Outside is one of those delightfully unclassifiable 'thank god it's in the world books that Nosy Crow does so well. It's due out on May 3rd and I think it's something to get on your radar now.

Ella is the new girl at school and things are going as well as you might expect under the circumstances. She's trying to fit in, not really managing, and there's this big secret that she's not allowed to tell anybody. When she's made friends with by Lydia (and I phrase that most deliberately thus), the school's number one, things seem to work out but they really don't. Lydia wants to know what Ella's secret is and nothing's going to stop her from finding out. And the worst sort of secrets are the ones which, inevitably, make themselves heard.

There's a lot of heart in this, and Cath Howe's writing is perfectly pitched. It captures that confusion of trying to do the right thing, trying to fit in, whilst all along not being sure what that right thing is. It's a horribly familiar sentiment whatever age you are, and Howe gets the horrible edge of it so well. She also manages to get those moments of connection perfectly judged, those moments when you meet somebody who might normal and might be nice and might actually just turn out to be a friend after all of the drama has worked itself out.

Ella On The Outside also touches on some important issues, namely parental responsibility, the influence of prison on families, and mental wellbeing. Howe handles these well, and gracefully; I am increasingly looking for authors who present adults as adults within children's literature, flawed and honest and real and scared, and this is a massive mark in this book's favour.

I am grateful to the publisher for a review copy.

[Kirsty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ella on the outside is a beautiful MG title which really makes the reader think about the importance of friendship, picking good friends and being a good friend to those around you. Ella is a bit lost at the start of the book. Her mother has relocated the family, her father is in prison and she's started a new school without her best friend beside her and finding it tough to break into existing friendhsip groups.


What I particularly loved about this book was through Ella you get to explore what it means to be a good friend. Ella initially is drawn to Lydia, the popular girl. We've all met a Lydia. She's the Queen Bee and manages to stay in that position through fear, picking and choosing who gets to be in the 'in gang' and who isn't cool enough. Lydia is nasty and a real bully whilst pretending to be Ella's friend and while it's obvious what she's doing from the outside, it takes Ella a while to catch on which I related to on so many levels having had a incredibly toxic best friend at high school.


Over the course of the story you see Ella start to realise this but not until after she has hurt another girl, Molly and has to make it right. This story really shows the value of good friendships and the importance of treating people well. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was amazing not going to say any more just amazing

[Neve Nichols · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is very amazing!! That's all I can say amazing!!

[Susan Barnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ella moves to a new town with her Mum and brother, and starts attending Moor Lane School. It’s stressful for all the family as Ella adjusts to a new environment and her mother to a new job. Ella suffers from eczema which seems to be more severe because of this stress. Ella’s father isn’t mentioned, but many of the chapters start with a letter from Ella to her Dad. Ella’s Mum is adamant that his whereabouts be kept a secret.

The most popular girl at school, Lydia, makes friends with Ella, but Lydia is domineering and manipulative. While Ella wonders about Lydia’s motives, she is flatter to be her friend. Another mystery is why Molly is so quiet and why Lydia doesn’t like her?

There are many things to like about Ella on the Outside and I enjoyed it very much. The author, Cath Howe, has done a great job. It is well-written, the story unfolds at a good pace, and the use of Ella’s camera works well as a tool to convey information. The letters to Ella’s Dad allow us insights into Ella’s thoughts as well as her relationship with her Dad. It’s an effective sub-plot running through the story which connects in understated ways to the main story. Lydia isn’t your typical bully, and the word “bullying” isn’t used in the book, nevertheless Lydia’s actions are clearly designed to intimidate. The story has a satisfying ending.

A great read.

Thanks to Christian School Suppliers for providing a free book for review.

[Ella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ella on the Outside is a lovely story of friendship. There are many important themes throughout the book including loss, bullying, illness and prison. This book would be good for lower KS2 children as either a read aloud story or for independent reading. There would be many opportunities for good quality discussion from this book and it would support a PSHE series of lessons well. This book may also be appropriately read in upper KS2 due to the important themes especially with children who have experienced or are experiencing things like bullying, or the loss or illness of a parent. At the beginning of each chapter there is a letter Ella has written to her dad, relating to the previous events which have happened. These could be used by the children to annotate and take inspiration from when learning about and writing their own letters. It would be important to consider the theme of the book as if children are currently experiencing any of the topics, it may be too upsetting for them.

[Rebecca R · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ella has just started at a new school but she has a secret that she can't tell anyone. She's thrilled when the most popular girl at school wants to be her friend, but the friendship comes with strings attached. A lovely, poignant MG story about friendship and trying to fit in.

[Lisa Bentley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ella has a secret. She can’t tell anybody. No one can know. But Ella has just started a new school and she is struggling to make friends. So telling just one person can’t be that bad, can it?

Ella on the Outside is a lovely story about what it means to truly be friends with somebody. You instantly fall fo Ella even more so when you know what she has gone through and how difficult her young life is. And even when she makes some questionable choices you still want Ella to do well. 

Ella on the Outside is only a short novel but it is on that packs a punch and really does put the reader in someone else’s shoes. The narrative style is very reader friendly – it is told in short chapters and letter form and it really allows the audience to empathise with Ella.

A great book to start a discussion about lifestyles with younger readers.

Ella on the Outside by Cath Howe is available now.

[Larissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book a lot. The plot and events that happen throughout it are somethings that I, and many other kids in middle school, can relate to because of the parts when it comes to mean girls and other problems. This book also shows how the setting, and the people in it, can affect a character and cause them to do bad or good things, depending on where they are. This book was very hard to put down and I would definitely read it again.

[Wendy Bamber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had me pretty gripped this middle grade novel. Ella does everything she can to keep the attention of the popular Lydia, but when it turns quite nasty and what is expected of her is more than she can bear, can she resist and say no? Turns out no she can’t and the consequences are dire. Brilliant, would keep a 5/6 class on the edge of their seats if read aloud. Does deal with the illness of a parent though, you’d need to know your class.

[zaczytana.maja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bardzo pouczająca pozycja❤️

[Ambeq Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so good. Molly can add a picture to my head. Ella can be rude sometimes and she can be horrible but don’t let people force you into doing things u don’t want to.

[Samantha Pope · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book about the effects of bullying and the strain of fitting into a new school.

[Sabrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ella, her mum and her brother have just moved to a new house and she's nervous about her new school. She's shocked when the most popular girl in school wants to be her friend, but why is Lydia so interested in the quiet girl at the back of the class? When Lydia finds out Ella's secret, she feels like she has to do whatever Lydia wants or risk the whole school finding out.
Poor Ella, I just wanted to make her realise what a bully Lydia was. The book was surprisingly suspenseful and I really didn't want to stop reading.

[🤍 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it

[BooksForTopics · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ella on the Outside is a superbly honest debut from Cath Howe, with authentic characters and important themes of friendship, loyalty, self-acceptance and parental responsibility. For me this was a thoroughly enjoyable read and I’m convinced the characters will resonate strongly with lots of readers in upper KS2.

It’s not easy being the new girl at school and Ella tries her best to fit in, wondering who to be friends with, struggling with the eczema that covers her skin and doing her best to not let on the big family secret that she and her mum are trying to put behind them. When very popular classmate Lydia shows an interest in making friends, Ella is flattered and desperate to please Lydia to gain a place in her inner circle. There is also Ella's mysteriously quiet classmate Molly, who says very little and who, just like Ella, appears to be harbouring family secrets of her own. As the plot unfolds, Ella is left to navigate through the tribulations of friendships, dealing with adults who don't always do the right thing and figuring out what the best way to handle big secrets might be.

The narrative voice is hugely relatable and the theme of friendship is addressed with due recognition that sometimes there are no easy answers when it comes to human relationships, but that loyalty, integrity and time investment are important foundations on which good friendships are built. I like the way that the reader is never patronised but instead is taken on a journey with Ella as she works through some tricky situations, trying to figure out the best thing to do. Cath Howe has set this story in an honest reflection of a world in which children and adults alike are flawed and struggle deeply with life’s ups and downs.

As well as the themes of friendship and loyalty, the book also addresses issues of parental responsibility, childhood eczema, mental health and the impact of having a parent in prison. This is a gripping and emotive read filled with heart and I recommend it for readers in upper KS2.


Many thanks to the publisher for kindly sending me a review copy of this book.

[anouk · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was like a story that might feel real for some people it's a book about friendship and tough times and also what friends are for.

[Tracy Lander · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ella is new in town, new to the school and she has the wrong colour jumper because the uniform has arrived yet. She does not want to go to school. She has moved with Mum and her little brother, Jack. But were is her Dad? She keeps taking photos and writing letters to him. Then we find out "the secret" - the secret that Mum wants her to keep to herself. Can she do that?

She is left standing in class until the teacher tells her to sit. She tries talking to the other girl that is alone - but Molly doesn't want to talk to Ella. Or share her desk! Suddenly Lydia, the "it girl" in class, decides to be her friend, what does she really want? Why is she so hard on Molly? Ella is confused by this "friendship" but keeps trying to please her - until the night she realises it has gone too far and she can't stop it.

Her childminder, Mrs Reynolds says she has to keep trying so Ella goes back to Molly - just in time! She realises something is really wrong. Molly is angry but realises when the paramedics are there that Ella is right. Ella's mum lets Molly stay with them. They begin to put things right at home and at school.

And Lydia? Well she finds out what friends really should be like.

I've wanted to read the Cath Howe books for ages but we didn't have them in school. i got to read The Insiders in advance on Netgalley, then this and not My Fault were donated by a ex-pupil who always had great taste in books. And I certainly wasn't disappointed. Also read Not my Fault.

[Mystery_wonder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book!

[Sonia Donelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://www.esmeraldaviaggielibri.it/i...

Il segreto di Ella di Cath Howe, libro di narrativa per ragazzi, pubblicato il 10 ottobre da Terre di Mezzo.

Credo di avervi già detto quanto mi piacciano le pubblicazioni di questa casa editrice, adoro tutte delle loro edizioni perché curano il prodotto fin nei minimi particolari, dall’editing impeccabile alle copertine di forte impatto (mantenendo quasi sempre quelle dell’edizione originale), e qui non fanno eccezione. La cover di Il segreto di Ella è arancione fosforescente con le scritte magenta, entrando in libreria lo avrei comprato anche solo per questo motivo. Impatto forte e immediato, semplicemente perfetta.

Questo è il romanzo di esordio in Italia di Cath Howe ed è un libro molto riuscito, pensato per i bambini dagli 8 ai 10 anni, una lettura che li metterà di fronte ai loro stessi dubbi e a molte situazioni che li riguardano da vicino.

Perché ognuno di noi è stato Ella, sfido chiunque a non aver fatto qualcosa di sbagliato, almeno una volta nella propria vita, per cercare di farsi accettare dagli altri. Certo a quell’età rendersi conto dell’errore non è semplice (spesso fatichiamo anche noi adulti ad accorgerci che ci stiamo comportando male), ma i bambini sono bravissimi a stupirci.

Ella si è appena trasferita con la madre e il fratellino, non aveva nessuna voglia di cambiare città, ma la madre ne sentiva l’esigenza, aveva bisogno di ricominciare da zero in un luogo in cui fosse una perfetta sconosciuta. La colpa di questa fuga è da imputare al padre che le ha lasciate in una situazione tutt’altro che semplice, ma Ella non può avercela con lui e continua imperterrita a mandargli delle lettere che, dal contenuto, non sempre sembrano ricevere una risposta.

Ella detesta essersi dovuta trasferire e aver dovuto abbandonare la sua migliore amica, colei che la capiva con un solo sguardo, colei che non la giudicava mai e le voleva bene incondizionatamente. È certa che non avrà mai la fortuna di trovare una sostituta nella nuova scuola, anche se c’è un gruppo di ragazzine che la affascina.

Come ogni gruppo che si rispetti deve esserci un leader, in questo caso il leader è Lydia, una ragazzina ricca che veste sempre i vestiti più cool e le scarpe più sbrilluccicanti. I capelli di Lydia sono sempre perfetti, pieni di mollettine e nastrini e, se le vai a genio, le porte di tutte le feste e i pigiama party si spalancano come per magia (ringrazio per non aver mai trovato una Lydia lungo la mia strada).

A Ella sembra incredibile che Lydia mostri interesse nei suoi riguardi e arrivi a invitarla al suo pigiama party. L’invito è due ore in ritardo rispetto alle altre invitate, ma Ella non se la sente di condannare Lydia per questo, in fondo sembra averlo fatto per il suo bene, per non metterla in imbarazzo per un suo piccolo problema, che Lydia non manca di farle prontamente notare.

Ella ben presto si renderà conto che l’amicizia di Lydia ha un prezzo, che non si è avvicinata a lei per pura curiosità, ma per capire se poteva ricavarci qualcosa. Lydia è una bambina crudele, lei vuole tenere tutti sotto scacco e per farlo utilizza la forma più brutta possibile, quella del ricatto. Si mostra amichevole per far sì che tutte le rivelino i suoi segreti e poi si serve degli stessi per far fare loro ciò che lei vuole. Una piccola mente criminale.

Ella non sta attraversando un periodo semplice e cade vittima di questa trappola, almeno fino a quando questo ‘gioco’ finirà per ferire una persona che non meritava un trattamento simile, una ragazzina che aveva visto in Ella un’amica e non doveva essere usata in quel modo. Ella riceverà una bella scossa e capirà che deve ammettere i suoi errori e cercare di rimediare in ogni modo possibile.

Ho davvero apprezzato l’evoluzione di Ella, durante la narrazione riesce a mettere da parte se stessa per aiutare quella che può davvero reputare un’amica. Ella cresce e matura, capisce la differenza tra essere comandata ed essere parte di un gruppo. Quando si hanno dieci anni non è semplice accorgersi di essere una pedina, tutti ti sembrano amici, non penseresti mai che qualcuno voglia ferire i sentimenti di un altro per il solo gusto di farlo.

Cath Howe non vuole indorare la pillola, presenta ai giovani lettori un mondo che loro conoscono bene, quello della scuola e dei rapporti tra bambini, utilizzando un linguaggio che arriva diretto, descrivendo le loro sensazioni alla perfezione. Allo stesso tempo aggiunge delle tematiche sociali significative, ponendo l’accento sull’importanza che i genitori hanno nell’educazione dei propri figli e quanto la loro mancanza possa generare dei problemi. Il segreto di Ella merita di finire tra le letture consigliate alle elementari, si vede che l’autrice conosce bene ciò di cui parla e, sono certa che conquisterà tanti piccoli lettori.

[Angélita Manchado · Rating 4 out of 5]

Le secret d’Ella de Cath Howe, présentation
Elle a un petit frère Jack. Elle a quitté sa meilleure amie.

La situation est difficile pour sa mère qui ne veut pas que cela s’ébruite.

Elle intègre une nouvelle école mais n’a pas encore sa veste d’uniforme. Elle veut se faire des amis.

Le secret d’Ella de Cath Howe
Ella a dix ans. Elle vient de déménager avec son frère et sa mère. Elle intègre une nouvelle école mais il lui manque sa veste d’uniforme. Elles vont l’acheter à une fille de la classe d’Ella. Ella n’est pas très bien accueillie en classe. Elle essaie de s’intégrer à un groupe de filles qui tourne autour de Lydia qui dirige son petit monde. Cette dernière l’invite à une soirée pyjama. Ella est ravie. Elle pense pouvoir s’intégrer. Mais Lydia joue le chaud et le froid avec Ella, jusqu’à ce que cette dernière se sente obligée de lui raconter son secret. Secret qu’elle avait promis à sa mère de ne jamais dévoiler à personne. Lydia va se servir d’Ella, comme elle se sert de tous ses camarades. Lydia, sous mots couverts, va demander à Ella d’enquêter sur une de leurs camarades de classe, une fille qui reste toujours au fond de la classe, Molly. Ella ne refuse pas et se plie aux désirs d’Ella, jusqu’à ce qu’elle trouve ce qui se passe chez Molly. Au tout début, Ella n’a pas réfléchi mais elle va se mordre les doigts de cette décision jusqu’à une autre prise de décision qui va sauver un adulte.

A chaque début de chapitre, Ella écrit à son père. Au tout départ, j’ai pensé qu’il était décédé. Après, j’ai compris. C’est ça le fameux secret. Est-ce qu’Ella a des réponses à ses lettres ? Le lecteur le saura au fur et à mesure des pages. La mère d’Ella lui a quand même mis une sacrée pression. C’est l’aînée, elle doit donc être irréprochable. Mais la mère d’Ella, prise par son travail, veut que tout tourne sans problèmes. Lorsqu’Ella sera aux prises avec sa conscience, avec le fait qu’elle soit malheureuse, cela rapprochera la mère et ses enfants et aussi permettra à la mère de comprendre un peu mieux sa fille, qui ne connaît rien du monde où vit son père pendant quelques années.

L’auteur s’attache à démontrer qu’il n’est pas facile de s’intégrer lorsqu’un enfant est nouveau dans une école, qu’il est timide et qu’il a des problèmes de peau. Il est attiré par ce qui est populaire et ressent un rejet lorsqu’il n’est pas facilement accepté. Mais quand une invitation tombe, c’est le bonheur. Toutefois, ce bonheur peut vite basculer lorsque l’enfant est manipulé. Difficile également de se faire des amis même avec ceux qui semblent timides et qui ont peur que leur vie soit révélée par peur de l’avenir mais parce que le passé a effondré une famille.

L’auteur nous montre une petite fille de 10 ans, passionnée de photo, qui prendra des décisions, qui s’en mordra les doigts mais qui, en écoutant les adultes, saura qu’il faut faire le premier pas quand on a fait une bêtise, soit s’excuser. Elle en sortira grandie, elle se trouvera des amis, elle saura se rebeller contre ses condisciples. Elle ne gagnera pas en popularité, mais son grand coeur fera basculer les évènements en sa faveur et en faveur de ceux qui souffrent, qui sont malades ou encore enfermés.

L’auteur nous montre également qu’il n’est pas facile pour une mère de famille de refaire sa vie après ce qui s’est passé. Elle doit tout changer, quitter l’endroit où elle vivait, trouver un nouveau travail, un nouvel endroit pour vivre et tenter d’élever ses enfants.

Cath Howe nous offre un joli roman avec une héroïne forte, touchante. Les mots sont simples et peuvent être une source d’inspiration pour tous les enfants qui peuvent s’identifier à Ella car ils peuvent se reconnaître en elle.

Je remercie les Editions Flammarion Jeunesse pour ce moment de lecture tout en sensibilité.

[Claudia G-D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ella has just moved to a new town and has started at a new school. She has a huge secret that she can’t tell anyone- her dad is in prison for stealing money from the bank that he worked at. Ella will do whatever it takes to fit in with Lydia and her group of friends- even if it means spying on quiet and mysterious Molly and her mum.

I think this book is one that every teacher should read. It really gave me an insight into what life could be like for a new child in a class and how as teachers we often miss signs of what children are going through or how they treat each other. Children will also be able to relate to the characters because it is told through the voice of Ella and some of the experiences she has, such as moving to a new school, dealing with bullying/ manipulation from other children, joining existing groups of friends and the feeling of loneliness and being an outsider and not knowing how to fit in. Ella is constantly trying to please and make the right choice but often ends up hurting others in the process. A pattern that is shown in this story is how at the start of each chapter Ella has written a letter to her dad. Her letters are all different asking him different things that relate to her life and what she has been experiencing. We do not see a return letter to Ella until the last chapter where her dad replies to her about her visiting him at Christmas. In the letters that Ella writes, she is coming to terms with her dad being away but still has some questions, like is he allowed to have a break from prison to stay with her? The questions Ella has made me realise that children may not always fully understand their situations.

The book tackles many issues such as, the worries children face and the responsibility they have when caring for a parent, the impact of a parent being taken to prison and how this effects the child and family, friendships/ bullying, death, loss and starting at a new school. As well as this, Ella understands the impact her photos taken on her phone has on others, which touches upon e-safety and being kind to others online. The story also highlights how parents are not always perfect. Children’s books do not always show the adult characters to have weaknesses and emotions and fears. Howe demonstrates this in the book through the adults that Ella knows (Molly’s mum is upset about the death of her husband, has now become ill, cries and can’t get out of bed to look after Molly and Ella’s mum who is strong but does also cry and feel upset about her husband being sent to prison).

I think this book has powerful messages but should obviously be used with caution in the upper KS2 classroom as it has many relatable aspects that could potentially cause upset to some children that have also been effected by the issues raised in the book. I think children could learn a lot about this story through PSHE in particular and it could also be a powerful tool for circle time if there are friendship issues within the classroom.

[Scheggia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recensione completa su Scheggia tra le pagine e sul profilo Instagram

Il segreto di Ella di Cath Howe è un libro sull’amicizia, sui nuovi inizi e sui segreti che rischiano di rovinare una famiglia.
Ella ha da poco cambiato vita; ha cambiato città, scuola, amicizie e ha dovuto trovare un modo per affrontare un cambiamento radicale pur avendo solo dieci anni.

Tra i problemi con la madre e le lettere scritte al padre assente, Ella inizia la nuova scuola e cerca di osservare il mondo con i suoi occhi e non solo con l’obiettivo della fotocamera del suo nuovo telefono, regalo della nonna che appoggia le sue passioni.
Eh si, perché Ella ama la fotografia e in ogni pagina traspare il suo amore per questa forma d’arte.

Cath Howe ci presenta una protagonista piena di difetti e forse per questo è più vicina alla realtà di quanto siano certi personaggi più artificiali; il suo desiderio di fare amicizia, il suo cercare l’approvazione di una persona popolare invece di lasciarsi trasportare dal suo istinto e dai suoi sentimenti, non è così lontano da quanto accade spesso nelle scuole.
Quel “farsi trascinare” che spesso spinge chi è più debole a commettere atti spesso ai limiti del buon senso.

Emerge l’ingenuità di una bambina che vuole fidarsi, che non riesce a contenere quel segreto così grande che la sta sommergendo, che cerca di essere amica di una bambina popolare e che tuttavia la spinge a spiare qualcuno che è più timido, che nasconde qualcosa e ha paura di rivelarlo.

Questo è un libro che personalmente ho letto in un pomeriggio e che tuttavia potrà tenere compagnia ai bambini per diversi giorni.

[Thalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ella a du déménager avec sa maman et son frère loin de ses repères et de sa meilleure amie. C'est un véritable bouleversement pour la petite fille. Mais le plus lourd à porter c'est la raison de ce changement de vie. Sa maman a demandé à Ella de ne surtout pas en parler, c'est un secret.
Mais un secret de cette importance quand on a dix ans et que l'on veut se faire des amis ce n'est pas simple de ne pas le révéler. Surtout que Lydia la fille la plus populaire de la classe semble s'intéresser à elle et qu' Ella veut vraiment devenir son amie, à n'importe quel prix?

J'ai trouvé ce roman très intéressant pour bien des raisons.
Tout d'abord, il aborde un sujet que je n'avais encore jamais lu en jeunesse, celui d'un parent emprisonné. C'est écrit de façon très délicate: à chaque chapitre, une lettre qu' Ella écrit à son papa suivit de l'histoire qui avance. On comprend à travers ses mots d'enfant le manque, l'incompréhension, la frustration, l'amour aussi que la petite fille lui porte.
Ensuite, il est également question de la pression de groupe, de l'importance d'être apprécié des autres, de la différence, de ce que l'on est prêt à faire pour s'intégrer. Au départ c'est léger mais peu à peu, Ella se laisse entraîner dans quelque chose qui la dépasse et qui lui fait faire une grosse bêtise. Mais c'est une petite intelligente qui va comprendre qu'elle n'a pas pris le bon chemin et qui va tout faire pour réparer le mal qu'elle a fait. Surtout, elle va s'accepter et grandir.
C'est un très beau et bon roman!
De plus, je suis totalement fan de la couverture.

[Eve L-A Witherington · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book we meet Ella whom always feels on the edge of friendship group's at her new school. She falls into a friendship with Queen of attention Lydia whom seems to use Ella to find out more about their classmate, mysterious Molly whom doesn't mix with anyone and sits alone.



Pressured by pushy Lydia into investigating into Molly's life and what she herself hides from inside her house. As Ella uses her photography skills to document what she finds, she learns true friendship and helps a woman in need...



As Ella also has to protect a secret about her family, she discovers a lesson about trust and true friendship despite first appearances.



It was a great book as we are not only drawn into the mystery of what is hidden in Molly's house but also over the fact of the fake friend and true possible friend angle in the story too. It was a read that teaches kids not to judge each other just on outwards appearance but on what we as people are truly about as we each have different interests and secrets.

[Mattie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ella has just moved house with her mum and younger brother. She is struggling to fit in at her new school when the most popular girl, Lydia, decides to become her friend. Ella is delighted at the attention from Lydia, but Lydia likes to investigate secrets and Ella is hiding a huge one!

After telling Lydia her secret, Ella is trapped. Forced by Lydia to investigate the quiet, lonely girl at school, Ella uncovers a horrible secret that she has been hiding, and it turns out Lydia’s motives weren’t what they seemed.

Strengths
This book is charming and thought-provoking. Cath Howe has perfectly understood the thoughts and attitudes of young children and this book comes across as very realistic. I think young readers will be able to relate to various characters in the book and become captivated by the mysteries and relationships.

The story deals with many issues including peer pressure, fitting in, bullying, loneliness, honesty, friendship and illness. Many middle grade readers will enjoy reading this book just for the story, but I also think it could be used to provoke conversations about these topics.

Weaknesses
This book is very honest and realistic, which makes it tough to read at times. This is part of the charm of the book, but it may be triggering or upsetting for sensitive readers.

Summary
I would definitely recommend this title to middle grade readers and I will be purchasing a copy for my library.

[James Watt · Rating 5 out of 5]

On a personal level, this was the first book I'd read that featured a child with eczema and she NAILED it. Little behaviours, preferences, she got them spot on - I actually found her on social media to say thank you for not only the first representation I'd found but an accurate one.

This isn't the main plot though. It's all about the complexities of freindship, how someone can be completely false whilst saying and doing nothing wrong - it's SO in tune with a lot of real life situations I know kids and girls especially are facing in UKS2. It's about not judging by someone's appearance and behaviour and not following the herd. This author is the one I try and point my older girls towards in particular, purely because of the subtlety of the situations she's writing about. So impressive, covering topics I first encournatered in a Jacqueline Wilson book but with a more Wonder-style feel.

[Bex · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this sweet tale. It highlighted the difficulties of finding friendship at school, being led in the wrong direction and paving your own way.

Ella Is a newcomer to a school and wants desperately to fit in. She is drawn to the most popular girl in school who brings her into the fold but Ella soon discovers that being part of her group might not be all she dreamed of. She makes a pretty big mistake in her desperation to fit in, and then has to figure out who she is and what she should do to remedy it. I imagine a lot of young children would relate to her plight as high school can be an unforgiving place for many.

The way Ella's story unfolds is sweet emotional and in parts heart breaking. This is a book many people can enjoy.

[Isabel Mwangi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just finished this book. I really love all of Cath Howe's books: their topics, characters, plot, morals and their front covers really represent everything in a good middle-grade book. It really has hidden meaning and messages used to help children and teach them about being in the position of some of the characters in an enjoyable, friendly way. I love the main character and I love all of the side plots as well as the main focus of the story. I really love the rest of the characters as well and the significance they have to creating the story into the way it did. Amazing book, really well written. Well done Cath Howe.
(read on Kindle)

[HP Saucerer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ella on the Outside is a hugely relatable tale and enormously fun to read. I read aloud with my 8 year-old daughter and we flew through the short, revelatory chapters. Ella, the book’s protagonist and narrator, is hugely likeable, Cath Howe perfectly captures all of her anxieties and worries. Ella makes mistakes, but it’s impossible not to root for her; time and time again, we found ourselves hoping, willing her to do what is right. Overall, this was an engaging, warm and thoughtful novel and definitely one I would highly recommend.