Nothing Ever Happens Here by Sarah Hagger-Holt

First things first, I am way older than the target demographic for this book.  To be honest it really doesn't read like a children's book, it just reads like a very good story that happens to have a 12 year old as it's protagonist.  I will readily admit that I thoroughly enjoyed this story and following Izzy through one school term when her private life becomes very, very public.

The subject matter itself is a very sensitive one.  Being transgender and admitting it to yourself is difficult enough but then to have to admit to loved ones that you are not who you appear to be; especially if you are married with children is traumatising.  This story deals more with how it effects just one member of the Palmer family, 12 year old Izzy.  From her confusion about what to call her Dad to how this is going to affect her life it is constructed beautifully on an emotional level.

Yes, the issues are dumbed down to neat little soundbites and the familial disruption is kept to a minimum so that the author can make the subject matter suitable for a young audience.  Whilst there is a lot of simplification the main issues, as Izzy sees them, are addressed and the importance of a support network for all the family is stressed.  The bullying and ostracism Izzy feels at school are well drawn but their resolution feels too convenient and clear cut somehow and left me feeling a little cheated out of the harsher realities of school life and I didn't feel they were really representative of how spiteful school children are when they sense even the tiniest difference.

However, this is a wonderfully positive book about difference and being yourself.  The friendships within it, within and outside the family, are realistically drawn and I can see it being easy for a female audience in that Tween age bracket recognising Izzy's life in their own.  It also sets the scene for some important dialogue with children about not only LGBTQ+ issues but about life in general and the horrors that school can throw at you.  Best of all it is fun to read and the author knows how to get a character across on the page so that you genuinely care about what happens to them and are keen to keep reading.

I would recommend reading this through before giving it to your child to read as they WILL have further questions and a knowledge of the text will help you know where to pitch the replies.

I would love to see a YA novel or even an adult novel from this author dealing with the same subject - heck, you could even use the same family as Megan is 16 so would be a great foil for the YA protagonist and the adult book could be told from either the mum or the dad's perspective.

THIS IS AN HONEST AND UNBIASED REVIEW OF A FREE COPY OF THE BOOK RECEIVED VIA AMAZON