- Illustrated Chapter Books
- Ages 8–11
- Comedy
My Brilliant Life and Other Disasters
Book 2 of 4 in Jess JacksonView the full series
Jess and Natalie are best friends again, but new-found comic-book fame goes to Jess's head just as a rival cartoonist arrives to snatch her crown, in a funny, true-to-life sequel about the perils of getting what you want.
- Best for8–11
- FormatIllustrated
- Length208 pp
- Read aloud~1 hr25 min
The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Comedic
- Conversational
Tone
- Funny
- Irreverent
- Warm
- Heartwarming
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
Jessica and Natalie have patched things up, and life is looking good: the comic Jess and her friends launched at school is a runaway hit and Jess is basking in her new-found fame. But success is a slippery thing. Jess starts neglecting the wildlife project she promised to do with Natalie, and just when she's feeling untouchable, a talented new cartoonist called Scarlett turns up gunning for her comic crown. Between her petition-brandishing big sister, her little brother Ryan and her mum's excruciating nicknames, Jess has plenty of home-grown disasters to juggle too. The second in comedian Catherine Wilkins's Jess Jackson series is another pin-sharp, laugh-out-loud comedy about friendship, jealousy and keeping your head when things go right, illustrated throughout by Sarah Horne. Warm, quick and hugely relatable, it's a treat for anyone who loved the first book.
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
Aimed at 8-11s reading independently, with cartoon-led humour that suits confident younger readers and reads aloud well from about 7. The best-friend rivalry lands hardest for upper-primary readers.
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- Best fit · 8–11
- Read aloud · 7–10
- Independent · 8–11
Prose load
Light
Visual support
Moderate
Reluctant-reader friendly
Very
Read-aloud quality
Strong
Works well for
- Reading aloud
- Reading together
- Reluctant readers
Nothing in the book is likely to concern most parents. Safe to recommend without preview.
Bedtime suitability
3 / 5 · Workable
Sensitive-child
4 / 5 · Good fit
Graphic intensity
1 / 5 · None
Best for
- Funny school stories
- Friendship dramas
- Reluctant readers
- Tween girls
- Cartooning and comics
Avoid if
No common reasons to avoid this one — a rare clean sweep on the sensitivity flags.
Particularly good for children who are…
- Making friends
- Interested in art and creativity
- Reluctant reader
Why it lands
Why they love it.
Why kids love it
Jess finally has friends and fame, and then it all threatens to slip away. Watching her comic empire wobble under a talented rival is funny, tense and completely relatable for anyone who's ever wanted to be the best at something.
- Being understood finally
- Friendship and belonging
- Proving yourself
Why parents love it
A witty sequel that quietly explores jealousy, humility and the strain success puts on friendships, all without ever slowing the jokes. The cartoon-led humour keeps reluctant readers turning pages.
- Shared humour
- Quick to read
In the series
Jess Jackson.
4 books · open the series →
About the creators
About the creators.
If you liked this
Three ways out of this book.
If you liked this, try…
Lateral matches. Same shelf, different texture.
Come into this from…
Easier or preparing reads — perfect lead-ins.
Where to go next…
Escalation reads — a step up in scale, silliness, or stakes.
More like this…
Books that share themes and topics with this one.
