How to Be Brave - by Daisy May Johnson (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Daisy May Johnson's How to Be Brave is a delightfully zany yet heartwarming middle-grade novel about a young girl who bands together with her boarding school friends to find her missing mother.

Calla North and her mother Elizabeth live a quiet but happy life together. Elizabeth happens to be the world's leading expert on ducks--but unfortunately, being an expert on ducks doesn't always pay the bills (no pun intended).

When Elizabeth is offered a well-paid research trip to the Amazon, it's an opportunity too good to miss. But while her mother's off exploring, Calla winds up at boarding school. No adventures are likely to find her there--or so she thinks.

Then Calla receives the terrible news that her mother's plane has gone missing. Can Calla, her friends, and a motley crew of nuns defeat an evil new headmistress and find Elizabeth before it's too late?

Review Quotes

"Both the young and the young-at-heart will find delight in the traditional good vs. evil depicted in the form of the most villainous of villains and a host of spunky female characters who are persistent enough to save the day." --School Library Journal, starred review

"Fans of Eva Ibbotson, British baking shows, and boarding school stories will happily immerse themselves in this cozily familiar setting . . . . An entertaining and humorous adventure." --Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

Daisy May Johnson is a writer, researcher, chartered librarian, and former A14 Writer In Residence with the University of Cambridge. She blogs about children's literature at Did You Ever Stop To Think, Tweets as ChaletFan, and even sends the occasional Tiny Letter. When she's not doing any of that, you can find her curled up with her favourite school stories or baking the world's best chocolate brownies. She lives in the UK, and How to Be Brave is her first book.