The Mystery of Me

Karen McCombie's The Mystery of Me is a short, gripping school story for 9 year olds about a girl who can't remember who she used to be.

What happens

"I can't remember dying." That's how Ketty starts, and what a first line. After a coach crash on a school trip, her heart stopped for 2 minutes and 39 seconds. Then she was in a coma for two weeks.

Now she's going back to Hartford Academy. Her memory is creeping back in scraps. She can't catch the name of the smiley lady in Reception, or remember where Maths is.

Everyone says she's the same old Ketty. So why are girls whispering about her in the corridor? And why does it feel like there's stuff nobody will tell her?

The one person who seems to get it is Otis. He draws her a map of the school. He shares his cheese and pickle sandwich. When she shows him what's under her long hair, he doesn't flinch.

I won't say what Ketty finds out about her old self. It's a proper twist, and it really makes you think.

It's told by Ketty in the present tense, so you're right inside her head as the panic bubbles up. Words slip away from her halfway through a sentence. Memories flash in and vanish again. It's a very real picture of feeling lost in your own life.

And it asks a big question too. Can you choose who you are? What if you don't much like the person everyone remembers?

Worth knowing before you hand it over

The crash, the coma and Ketty's head injury are all part of the story from the first page, and she has panic attacks at school. There's a hint of a first crush as well, which some readers will giggle at and others won't even notice.

It's a quick read, perfect for a child who likes big feelings without a big page count.

What to read next

If they'd like another Karen McCombie story about a fresh start somewhere new, try The Mystery in Flat 6B. JoJo moves into a gloomy tower block with his dad and his pet rat, and finds chalk arrows waiting for him on the stairs.