She has worked on the music counter at WH Smith, been an investment banker, a waitress, a property developer, investigated missing millions for The Sultan of Brunei, founded a successful consulting business, worked for HM Treasury restructuring banks, oh….and cooked dinners at a care home for the elderly.

This laugh-out-loud diary is perfect for fans looking for their next Diary of a Wimpy Kid or The Extremely Embarrassing Life ofLottie Brooks. Gorgeously expressive illustrations by Aleksei Bitskoff and some seriously surreal escapades make this a fabulously fun read about being true to yourself, ideal for readers aged 9+. This is such a brilliant and hilarious story which made me laugh out loud so many times! When Harper Drew receives a journal for her birthday she decides to start writing down everything that happens in her life because Harper Drew’s life is anything but normal. While Harper is a little obsessed with being invited to Maisie Felix’s next party, her mum is obsessed about bleach and supermarkets, her older brother is obsessed with his hair and her uncle Paul is obsessed with being a Hollywood movie producer, though he’s never actually produced a finished film yet. While her life with her family becomes more and more crazy, Harper is determined to help her friend Edward by raising donations, however even raising money for a worthy cause has its problems. My biggest problem with this book was Harper's parents. I started this book laughing out loud at their scatterbrainedness because they had nice qualities and weren't abusive but after a while, all the gags that were supposed to make the reader laugh only made me cringe. All I could think was these are exactly the kind of parents, people write Reddit AITA posts about thinking it's a funny situation and get the kind of answers that tell them to go to therapy and surround themselves with better people. I mean, I understand Harper is a middle child just entering her teen years so of course she feels invisible and misunderstood but some of the situations that these parents put their kids in reeks of neglect. My name is Harper Drew. I’m using my new journal to take note of all the totally ridiculous things that seem to go on around me with my family and friends. I seem to be the ONLY ONE who sees this all of this stuff for what it is. Completely BEYOND normal.But I need to focus on organising a talent show to raise money for the local foodbank. It’s going to be great … apart from the fact Troy seems to care more about gaining more followers, aka his “DesTroyers” on his YouTube channel, than he does about helping me out. Fizzing with fun. From friendship dramas to family catastrophes, it's a perfect choice for fans of funny!" - Jen Carney, author of The Accidental Diary of B.U.G Before starting work on her children’s fiction series, Kathy had quite a few jobs. She was better at some than others.

The Nottinghill Carnival takes central stage in this story about families, memories and the power of dance and festivals. Author Yaba Badoe tells...My name is Harper Drew. I’m using my new journal to take note of all the totally ridiculous things that seem to go on around me with my family and friends. I seem to be the ONLY ONE who sees this all of this stuff for what it is. Completely BEYONDnormal. While the story is funny throughout and a great humorous read, it also brings up some great issues about friendships and even has some disability representation which I liked as the focus was on the character rather than their condition though it still played a part in the story. My name is Harper Drew. I started this journal to write down all the mayhem happening with my friends and family. Is it just me or is it getting a whole lot more chaotic around here lately? Overall this is such a great and funny read and I’d recommend it to anyone who loves a funny story with lots of silly things happening. There is never a dull moment in this book and so many silly things happen that it will keep you laughing out loud throughout. It also ends in a way that leaves you with a smile on your face, not just from laughing but because things wrap up well for Harper and her friends and family too. This book is the first in a series of Harper Drew books and I can’t wait to see more of what will happen to Harper and her family. If this book is anything to go by then the rest of the series should be brilliant! 😀 My name is Harper Drew. I'm using my new journal to take note of all the totally ridiculous things that seem to go on around me with my family and friends. I seem to be the only one who sees all of this stuff for what it is. Completely beyond normal.

I think a lot of readers will find Harper Drew to be relatable and will enjoy listening to her charming but bemused anecdotes of her family and friends. The "Drew Dial Rating" which she assigns to each individual in terms of their "bizarre, odd, weird, and totally ridiculous" behaviour is funny and an effective way of showing where she stands herself on the rating scale. She never makes these judgements about them in a negative disparaging manner; you sense that despite knowing they are eccentric and unruly, she herself is easy-going, affable, and accepts them for who they are (even her very annoying older brother). She realises that by them being who they are is what makes her who she is. I really liked her introduction to them by comparing them to sweets and found it refreshing that she is confident and self-assured. Despite wanting to be friends with the spoilt brat of the class, she never questions or tries to change herself. I read it first to see what I thought - Harper is a great character. Clever, resilient and funny. Her friends (and her choice of friends) are nicely created and present a refreshing story in a traditional setting (school diary). The traditional context of the school diary worked well for my children as it made the plot, the characters, the jokes and the morals of the story entirely accessible and relevant to them.The relatable new series, all about embracing your family, and finding unique ways to deal with life’s dramas. For starters there is a snake on the loose in my neighbourhood – a 6ft Python called Betty to be exact, my dad’s decided to re-tile the bathroom and NOBODY is allowed in there, and my older brother Troy seems to be constantly kitted out in expensive designer clothing. I’m the only one who has noticed he’s acting shifty … But her love of writing was sparked when collaborating on the best-selling children’s non-fiction titles You Are Awesome (April 2018) and Dare to be You (September 2020) with Matthew Syed. Kathy believes that children should all have confidence in their own potential, and not be limited by the beliefs they (or others) hold Before starting work on her children’s fiction series, Kathy had quite a few jobs. She was better at some than others. What's New, Harper Drew? introduces us to Harper's family and friends. Through Harper's diary entries, we are able to witness the ill-fated yet hilarious trip to France, her brother Troy's attempts at making a skateboarding vlog and the suspicious behaviour of her Uncle Paul (who is supposed to be a Hollywood movie producer though no one has ever seen any of his films). All this while Harper tries to get on the good side of the very popular Maisie Felix to bag an invite to Maisie's garden party. My parents and my grandparents, Leslie and Weslie, have signed up for a TV house swap makeover challenge, and while my mum is decorating their house in calming tones, my grandparents have chosen leopard print wallpaper for ours… wait until mum sees it!

Can Harper find a way to show her brother that kindness is more important than being popular? The second book of a relatable new illustrated series, all about embracing your family, and finding unique ways to deal with life's dramas.The start of a relatable new illustrated series, all about embracing your family, and finding unique ways to deal with life's dramas. Written in a diary format, the book follows the drama and antics of the Drew family, recorded by Harper, middle child and probably the only sane person in the family (except for her little brother, The Prune, but he's still young so there's time for that to change). Fizzing with fun. From friendship dramas to family catastrophes, it’s a perfect choice for fans of funny!”– Jen Carney, author of The Accidental Diary of B.U.G