About the Author

Karys McEwen is the current president of the Victorian branch of the Children’s Book Council of Australia. She is also a school librarian, and she is passionate about the role libraries and literature play in the wellbeing of young people. She has been a columnist for Books+Publishing and her work has appeared in library journals such as Synergy , Incite and Connections. All the Little Tricky Things is her debut middle-grade novel.

Reviews

‘A sweet and hopeful slice of country-town life in the final summer before high school.’
*Nova Weetman*

‘A big warm hug of a book, tender and true. McEwen writes perceptively about the emotions of growing up and maybe growing apart from everything and everyone you’ve always known. I loved it.’
*Danielle Binks*

‘A warm, relatable and reassuring read, this book is a must for anyone embarking on secondary school.’
*Jane Godwin*

'Karys McEwen’s prose is gorgeous and she deftly traverses the highs and lows of tweenhood with a rich cast of characters. Ideal for 8–12-year-olds, All the Little Tricky Things will appeal to fans of Maddie in the Middle and The Edge of Thirteen.’
*Charlotte Callander, Books+Publishing*

‘Astutely homes in on that complicated and specific space between leaving primary school and facing a completely new stage in life…McEwen honours the complexity of the tween experience, and infuses it with warmth and originality.’
*Frances Atkinson, Age*

‘[A] wonderful book for not just readers who are struggling with anxiety about high school or a school change, but also for readers struggling with friendship balance and finding themselves. All the Little Tricky Things is an essential book for all school and public libraries as well as a making a great gift for any young reader who is about to enter a new phase of their lives.’
*Storylinks*

‘A sublime coming-of-age story…This is a funny, wholly engrossing tale encompassing a twelve-year-old’s doubts and concerns about change…Bertie is a character with whom many middle-school readers will identify.’
*Fran Knight, Magpies*

‘A gentle but insightful story of the dilemmas of life and friendship for a young girl...This is a book that touches emotional strings and makes a tuneful note.’
*ReadPlus*

‘McEwan explores the dynamics of the friendship gently and sensitively.’
*SAETA*