Promotional Information

Utterly hilarious and utterly compellingfantastically well-observed glimpse into the charming-but-insane thoughts of a teenage girlgirls will LOVE this, boys will be reading it over their shoulder

About the Author

Sue's writing career started in London around 1980, with various assignments for magazines and newspapers, and her first radio work, BIG AND LITTLE, which won a Sony Award for Best Children's Programme. Other radio projects have included the series UP THE GARDEN PATH, THE WORDSMITHS AT GORSEMERE, and THE SIT-CROM. Various radio shows have invited sue aboard as a guest, including: STOP THE WEEK, A WORD IN EDGEWAYS, QUOTE UNQUOTE, SLIGHTLY FOXED, A GOOD READ, LOOSE ENDS and WOMAN'S HOUR. UP THE GARDEN PATH was adapted by Sue for television and three series were produced by Humphrey Barclay and Granada Television. It started off Sue's first novel, followed soon after by a sequel, LOVE'S LABOURS, in which the comprehensive school teacher Izzy gets even more comprehensively entangled. LOVE FORTY was Sue's autobiographical account of going to live in the country, the birth of her daughter (1985) and the glorious dawn of middle age. A more recent novel, SHEEP'S EYES AND HOGWASH, which one might call an unexpectedly romantic version of pastoral, is published by Heinemann. Children's Books include BIG AND LITTLE, CHINA LEE, ME JANE, BIG TROUBLE and MR LOOPY AND MRS SNOOPY. COME BACK GRANDMA is published by Random House and was shortlisted for the Smarties Prize. This is Sue's second book for Bloomsbury. She lives on a remote organic farm near Nailsworth in Gloucestershire.

Reviews

'It's classic stuff ... laugh out loud funny' Carousel

Gr 7-10-In this first book in a proposed trilogy, readers are introduced to Jess Jordan, her friend Flora, a few love interests, and Jess's mom, grandma, and absent father whose funny e-mailed horoscopes begin each chapter. The book has a fun cover and the plot is well paced, ending on a cliff-hanger leaving plenty of threads to be answered in the next book. These junior Bridget Joneses have plenty of charm: Will Jess pine for dreamy Brad or realize that her good friend Fred is the man for her? The way the author handles the situation and adds a few levels of conflict and a few possible love triangles will have readers ready for the second installment. This title will appeal to fans of Meg Cabot, Louise Rennison, and others who like heroines who have a little vinegar to go with their sugar.-Amy Patrick, New York Public Library Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.