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

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

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

Tracy is lively and spirited, and her narrative funny and moving

A breath of fresh air. It is entertaining yet tender but by no means sentimental when it confronts the need we all have for commitment in relationships, for trust, for love . . . A real bonus is that the book genuinely celebrates the act of writing - and not by preaching, I promise

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

Poignant, funny and heartwarming first story about the damaged, demanding and delightful Tracy Beaker

I think this is my favourite book of all