Important Note: I was not asked or paid to read this book. I borrowed it from the library.
Ella on the Outside is the first Cath Howe book I’ve ever read. I would be interested in reading more by her.
The story is about Ella, the new girl at school who is struggling to fit in. Over time, we learn more about her past and why her family moved to a new town. She is keeping a big secret. I guessed her secret early on, but young readers might be surprised by it. I didn’t guess the Molly character’s big secret though. It was sad and addressed around three different problems some people face. Depression and hoarding were two of them, but I won’t spoil the third one…
The story unfolds slowly, increasing tension over time as you watch Ella make bad decisions. She doesn’t drastically change overnight, which is very realistic. You see her slowly waking up to how she is being controlled by the villain.
Are there illustrations?
There are no illustrations except for the cute image on the cover, which is included as chapter headings. This is great practice for kids moving away from illustrated books. You might be worried about their attention span while reading books without pictures, but it’s okay because the chapters aren’t very long. I found myself doing the “Just one more chapter and then I’ll go to sleep” game before bed, but eventually I managed to pull myself away…or fall asleep whilst reading.
I’m glad there was no filler. Each chapter includes something new and exciting, so the story keeps progressing to the end.
Do I recommend this book?
Yes! Ella on the Outside is a great story that addresses several issues, particularly social exclusion, bullying, depression and loss. I didn’t see anything that was inappropriate for kids to read or learn about.
I would highly recommend this book.
If you’d like more middle grade books, check out mine here. I write middle grade books like Ella on the Outside that address important topics kids should learn about.