- Illustrated Chapter Books
- Ages 9–12
- Comedy
The Catastrophic Friendship Fails of Lottie Brooks
Book 2 of 8 in Lottie BrooksView the full series
Lottie's two best friends won't get along, the school musical looms and there's a new baby at home. Book two of the illustrated diary is a warm, funny anatomy of the way friendships wobble at eleven.
- Best for9–12
- FormatIllustrated
The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Comedic
- Conversational
- Epistolary
Tone
- Funny
- Irreverent
- Warm
- Heartwarming
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
Lottie Brooks is eleven and three-quarters and finally settling into secondary school, until her original best friend Molly moves back home. Delighted, Lottie tries to merge Molly with her new best friend Jess into one glorious 'Terrific Threesome', only to discover that the two of them can't stand each other. As Molly drifts towards the popular Amber, Lottie is left feeling wobbly, jealous and confused about who her real friends even are. Meanwhile there's a new baby sister, Bella, an annoying little brother, Toby, and the small matter of auditioning for the school production of The Little Mermaid, where a starring role might just impress her mega-crush Daniel, even if it means singing as a crab. Told in Katie Kirby's signature diary of doodles, lists and over-shares, this second Lottie Brooks book is a spot-on, laugh-out-loud portrait of friendship jealousy and the impossible job of keeping everyone you love in the same room.
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
A 9-12 independent read that follows straight on from book one but stands alone. The friendship-jealousy storyline speaks to children navigating shifting best-friend groups, and the diary format keeps it fast and accessible for reluctant readers.
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- Best fit · 9–12
- Read aloud · 9–12
- Independent · 9–12
Prose load
Light
Visual support
High
Reluctant-reader friendly
Very
Read-aloud quality
Workable
Works well for
- Reading together
- Gift-buying
- 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
- Friendship dramas
- Reluctant readers
- Tween girls
- School stories
Avoid if
- Wants action adventure
- Wants fantasy
Particularly good for children who are…
- Making friends
- New sibling
- Reluctant reader
- Low self esteem
Why it lands
Why they love it.
Why kids love it
Anyone who's ever tried to make two friends like each other will recognise Lottie's Terrific Threesome disaster. The audition for The Little Mermaid, the crush on Daniel and the new baby chaos are told with lists, doodles and laugh-out-loud honesty.
- Friendship and belonging
- Being understood finally
- Proving yourself
Why parents love it
It takes the tangled politics of tween friendships seriously while keeping every page funny. Reluctant readers fly through it, and the way Lottie learns friendships can bend without breaking gives parents plenty to talk about.
- Shared humour
- Quick to read
In the series
Lottie Brooks.
8 books · open the series →
About the author & illustrator
Katie Kirby.
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.
