You're Not the Boss of Me!

You're Not The Boss Of Me! is a humorous middle grade tale about Amy, the central character, achieving equality in a school setting so will appeal to older primary and younger secondary aged students. It also features her busy, somewhat chaotic family life.

Amy is a problem solver at home. She tries to help which comes from a positive place but she doesn't always think things through, which just adds to the chaos. Thankfully her family understands her good intentions and with their loving support, Amy gradually learns from her mistakes. She also has to learn to negotiate the sometimes difficult world of friendships but it is the inequality she experiences in lead up to the school show that prove to be her biggest test.

Catherine Wilkins uses humour and down-to-earth first person narration to explore what it feels like to come up against peers who treat the protagonist unjustly. This is further compounded by the main adult in charge taking a laissez-faire approach to overseeing the production and compounding Amy's unfair treatment. This allows the reader to imagine what possible solutions there could be for Amy to resolve being frozen out where the usual 'tell an adult' option is not so readily available.

This book is a relatively easy read as you become quickly invested in Amy and want to know if she will ever get her moment in the spotlight. It will be popular with children who enjoy the 'lol' genre but would also offer them the opportunity to think about the ethical issues that are central to the story. The story also has an catchy title and cover which will attract middle grade readers.

272 pages / Reviewed by Ruth Cornish, school librarian

Suggested Reading Age 9+

You're Not the Boss of Me! Is the latest book by writer and stand-up comedian Catherine Wilkins. The story follows Amy Miller's experience of wanting to write and perform in the school comedy show. Amy is a really positive person. She is confident in her abilities and adores nothing more than writing and performing her own comedy sketches. As the school announces that it will be hosting a comedy revue, Amy is excited and confident that she will finally get to show off her talents.

However, she did not bank on coming up against Harry who has been put in charge of directing the show. At every opportunity, Harry rejects all of Amy's thoughts, ideas and sketches. He does not want her to be involved in any part of the production and blatantly refuses her to have any input into the revue. Harry also turns all the boys in the show against her as well. Amy discusses how she is being treated with her older sister Caz, who explains to her that what she is experiencing is sexism. Armed only with her wit and her intelligence, Amy is determined that she will have her sketches in the show and that she has the right to perform in front of the school.

I really liked Amy as the main character of the book. She has such a positive can-do attitude, and she does show real resilience against the insurmountable odds that are stacked against her. She is absolutely determined to showcase her work and her talents. I really liked that Amy discussed things openly and honestly with her friends and family, she really had to collaborate with them to achieve her end goal. I also really liked that Wilkins allowed Amy to have flaws and we can see that she does make mistakes and that not all of her decisions are perfect.

Overall, the book is a funny story and as the reader we really want Amy to succeed. I enjoyed the camaraderie between the girls and I think for younger readers this may be the first time that they read about sexism. Wilkins' plot allows the reader to see and understand the concept of what sexism is.

There are also some very positive messages in the book about being true to yourself and standing up for the courage of your convictions which I really liked. I think fans of Pamela Butchart and Louise Rennison will enjoy this book. I would say that it is best suited for a middle-grade audience.

272 pages / Reviewed by Julie Broadbent, school librarian

Suggested Reading Age 9+