- Illustrated Chapter Books
- Ages 7–9
- Comedy
Riley Wright is Always Wrong
Book 1 in Riley WrightView the full series
The first in a warm, laugh-out-loud illustrated diary series for 7-9s: Riley starts a new school where her dad is the head teacher, and has to find her place, a talent for the talent show, and a way to survive the school's meanest girl.
- Best for7–9
- FormatIllustrated
- Length135 pp
- Read aloud~54 min
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The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Comedic
- Conversational
- Epistolary
Tone
- Funny
- Warm
- Heartwarming
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
Riley Wright is starting at Heverton Junior School with one truly awkward disadvantage: her majorly embarrassing dad is the new head teacher. Now she has to work out how to fit in, pin down a talent for the looming talent show, look out for her unpredictable new best friend Emmie, and stand up to super-mean Harper, all while her dad keeps making things worse. Told through Riley's funny, doodle-filled diary, this is the first in a hugely engaging journal-style series for readers aged 7 and up, illustrated throughout by Sr. Sanchez. Warm, relatable and packed with hot chocolate, sparkly pens and a secret library, it celebrates friendship and finding your people, and lands on the truth that being a good friend might be the best talent of all. Perfect for fans of Lottie Brooks, Dork Diaries and Nina Peanut.
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
Pitched at 7-9s reading independently, with big print, lots of illustration and short diary entries that build reading confidence. Works well read aloud from about 6, and the school-and-friendship theme suits children starting somewhere new.
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- Best fit · 7–9
- Read aloud · 6–9
- Independent · 7–9
Prose load
Light
Visual support
High
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 diary
- Reluctant readers
- Starting new school
- Friendship
Avoid if
- Wants high stakes adventure
Particularly good for children who are…
- Starting school
- Making friends
- Being bullied
Why it lands
Why they love it.
Why kids love it
Riley's diary is funny and totally relatable, from a dad who is also the head teacher to a talent show she has no talent for. Kids cheer as she wobbles, gets things wrong, and figures out who her real friends are.
- Friendship and belonging
- Proving yourself
- Being understood finally
Why parents love it
Short, heavily illustrated and full of heart, this is ideal for newly independent 7-9s, with a gentle message about kindness and being a good friend. The doodle-packed pages and relatable school worries make it an easy, confidence-building read.
- Shared humour
- Quick to read
In the series
Riley Wright.
3 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.
Where to go next…
Escalation reads — a step up in scale, silliness, or stakes.
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