Lottie Brooks is about to start a new school without any friends, and worries that she is behind her classmates in growing up. Puffin lists the paperback, ISBN 9780241460887, for a 9–12 audience. The US edition is listed for 8–12, so check the edition you buy.
What is the reading like?
Lottie tells her story in a diary voice with drawings through the pages. At 432 pages it is a long book, but the short entries and pictures keep it moving.
What might parents want to preview?
The story is about growing up: friendships changing, embarrassment, and Lottie’s worries about her body compared with other girls’. These are the themes many readers come to it for. Read the opening yourself if you want to know how openly it talks about them, and be ready for questions.
An age range is only a starting point. Choose for your child’s interests and comfort with the topics, and let them put it down if it is not the right time.
Which book should we start with?
Start with book 1, The Extremely Embarrassing Life of Lottie Brooks. Later books follow Lottie as she gets older, so check each one before passing it on.
Try a little book chat
Ask: “What would you tell Lottie on her first day?” It invites your child to talk about the story’s worries from a step away, without asking about their own.
Questions parents ask
What age is Lottie Brooks for?
Puffin lists ISBN 9780241460887 for a 9–12 audience; the US edition is listed for 8–12. Sample the opening for the topics and your child’s comfort with them.
Is Lottie Brooks like Dork Diaries?
Both are funny illustrated diaries about school and friendship. Lottie Brooks spends more time on growing up and body worries; sample each to see which fits your reader.
Does this guide cover the whole series?
No. It introduces book 1. Later books follow Lottie further into growing up and are worth checking one by one.
