Wonderful, eye-catching young fiction from author/illustrator Dee Shulman that all girls will instantly be drawn to. Designed to look like a girl's real diary, with a scrapbook style and full-colour illustrations.
Polly Price didn't think it was possible for her actress mother, Arabella Diamonte, to be any more embarrassing than on the trip to San Francisco last summer. That is until she agrees to take part in a television programme called Celebrity Home Watch and a camera crew arrives at their home to film. Her mother lacks volume control at the best of times, so this is truly a reality tv nightmare -- with no escape for Polly!
Dee Shulman has created a real hit for young readers with her charming full-colour illustrations and interactive concept.
Dee studied English at York University, and Illustration at Harrow School of Art. She began her career in magazines, book-jackets, cartoon strips and pop-video storyboards, and started writing for children when her own children were small. In spite of a diet of gummy bears and sherbet fountains her children have insisted on growing up - so her characters have had to grow up with them, and now even they refuse to do what they’re told!
Mijn hemel, ik blij dat ik dit boek heb meegenomen uit de bibliotheek! Wat was dit leuk zeg. Polly was een geweldig leuk meisje wiens leven helemaal overhoop wordt gehaald door haar ma en haar ma's lifecoach (een onuitstaanbaar persoon genaamd Vanilla). Ik was heel blij met Polly's down-to-earth personage. Chelsea was een superlief meisje, en wat was ze dapper! Ik was alleen best wel gefrustreerd met het feit dat die moeder zo haar dochter mocht behandelen (en dat ze het blijkbaar niet erg vond dat Vanilla mee deed). Haar maar in een kast (die eigenlijk een kamer hoorde te zijn) schoof, haar telkens probeerde te verstoppen, en oh ja, als er dan wat gebeurd met dochterlief wel boos wordt maar verder geen enkel dropje actie onderneemt (want waarschijnlijk breken haar nageltjes dan). Het boek zit vol met stripjes/illustraties/foto's en meer. Het is een echt dagboek! Ik moet wel even lachen hoor om 1 dingetje. Aan het begin zien we dus een zogezegd fotootje van Polly en haar vriendinnen, maar aan het einde van het boek zit wederom een foto van Polly alleen dan een totaal ander meisje met bruin, in plaats van blond, haar. Weten jullie al wie Polly is? :P
My Totally Secret Diary: Reality TV Nightmare is a quick read that will really appeal to younger readers who like their books to be a little more interactive. It's filled with eccentric characters, quirky drawings and real photographs depicting people and places mentioned in the story.
My favourite character was Vanilla, Polly's mum's crazy life coach. She was really into astrology and tarot, and wow did she talk some cosmic rubbish! If I was Polly, I would have been seriously miffed at the prospect of sharing a house with this woman, so all things considered, I think she handled it very well. If I ever see a lady resembling Vanilla, I'll be running in the opposite direction, that's for sure.
I occasionally had a bit of trouble with the layout of the pages, as they're very busy, with a lot going on. Having to stop and check I'd caught everything briefly disrupted my flow of reading, and proved to be a bit of a distraction. I'm sure younger readers will have no problem with it at all, and will highly approve of the packed pages.
The story itself was a bit far-fetched, but I think that added to the humour and tone of the book. Everything that can go wrong does go wrong, and poor Polly is left to avoid being teased by older boys and being humiliated in front of her peers. It's not an easy life, but then being a teenager never is. Dee Shulman has a created a book that is fast and fun, and is guaranteed to be a hit with fans of the diary-and-drawing format.
My Totally Secret Diary: Reality TV Nightmare is the second graphic novel-style diary of 11-year-old Polly.
I really loved the format of Reality TV Nightmare. The diary entries were interspersed will full colour doodles, photographs of Polly’s friends and pictures from her magazines. Even her writing had spelling mistakes and crossings out. A completely authentic tween diary.
I felt so sorry for poor Polly, though. The eccentric and really annoying Vanilla, yep, Vanilla, and Polly’s selfish, self-centred Mum made Polly’s life a misery. I don’t think I would have lasted as long as she did without snapping!
This is a short, sweet and very funny diary perfect for young teen or tween girls. Pure fun!
Cute illustrations, glittery cover. High school age character who acts 12. Perfect for 11 year old girls who want to read about older girls but whose parents won't let them.
This is the 3rd book in Dee Shulman's "Polly Price Series" and GOOD GRAVY IT'S AMAZING!! I've read all three books; and Dee Shulman is officially my 2nd favorite author. In the WORLD.
This book is illustrated and written from an interesting and hilarious teen who struggles with embarrassment and fame. I loved how realistic it is; it's literally like you're reading a real life diary.
Buuuuut....like all books, there's pros and cons. The bright side & dark side. The good and the bad. Here are mine:
Things I Din't Care For: -Polly has some serious disrespect to her mom; which isn't right since you should respect your parents; no matter who they are or what they do
-There's some language; nothing TERRIBLE at all, just 'stupid, dumb, OMG' etc
-She's a little TOO honest... xD (yes that's a thing)
There is some romance; she's got a crush, y'know; your typical teenager diary. But this was really clean, easy to read, VERY funny, and once again, LOVE the illustrations!!! *high fives Dee Shulman*
Ha ha I'm 15 so a bit old to be reading this kind of book I love young books like this there really funny and the drawings are childlike I like that about the book