The chatty style draws young readers straight into the story, and the constant stream of corny jokes masks, but does not conceal, the deeper issues

An unsentimental and truthful book that is even better for a strong sense of mischief

An appealing mix of events and reactions that are both entertaining and moving. A book that lingers in the mind long after it is put down

Tracy is a marvellously feisty creation: she is arrogant and rude, but the occasional glimpses we get of the vulnerable girl behind the tough exterior are enough to endear her to the reader . . . The excellent spiky illustrations by Nick Sharratt on nearly every page are a perfect complement to the text

A sensitive and beautifully observed story . . . our young readers appreciated both the humour and the pathos

Told in the zany, entirely convincing voice of Tracy Beaker herself . . . The strains of communal life with other children, rivalries and friendships and jokes, all spring to life, and Tracy's prose is decorated throughout with cheeky line drawings

Many years down the line, memories of those happy shared times in which lessons are disguised as pure enjoyment for both reader and listener will be recalled as golden days.