Polly Plays Her Part

Anne-Marie Conway's Polly Plays Her Part is a funny, sharp-edged drama club story for 10 year olds about a girl whose family keeps rearranging itself without asking her.

What happens

Polly's mum and dad live seven houses apart on the same street. Dad has moved in with Diane at number 11, and they've got a baby called Jake. Mum is at number 25, and Polly counts the distance in giant strides and pigeon steps.

Then Mum comes home with big news. She's got a job selling holiday homes in Spain. It's only for a year, she says. And Polly isn't going with her.

So Polly and her bin bags move seven doors up the road into a tiny bedroom at Dad's. Her cat Cosmo isn't allowed to come (Diane's not keen on cats). Baby Jake flings carrot goo in her face at dinner. She's pretty sure Diane is trying to poison her with pesto.

Is Polly being a bit of a nightmare? Yes, and she knows it. That's what makes her such good company. She's stroppy and funny and hurt all at once. Every so often she says something that makes you realise how lonely she is.

The one place that feels good is Star Makers, the Saturday drama club. Mandy, who runs it, has a new musical ready called CRASH! about a girl who gets sucked into a computer game. Polly wants the lead part more than anything. Her friendship with Phoebe is still quite new, and she's a bit jealous of Phoebe's other friends. Monty B, who's apparently allergic to the colour pink, is a scene-stealer.

Meanwhile, Polly spends her nights on her new laptop. She plays a game called THWACKERS for hours after everyone's gone to bed, climbing the leader board. It's a gentle way into talking about screen time and online safety, which is exactly what the show is about too.

It's not the first Star Makers story, but you'll pick up who's who very quickly.

It'll probably land best with a reader who's been through a family change themselves. Blended families, new babies and parents who've moved on are all here, and it doesn't pretend any of it is easy. The drama club scenes stop it from ever feeling too heavy.

What to read next

If they'd like another girl whose family seems to be falling apart around her, Forbidden Friends is a gripping one by the same author. Bee's dad has disappeared, and a policeman is asking her questions before breakfast.