This one just wasn't for me. I'm not sure what it was, but I just felt disconnected and ended up not finishing as I was starting to just scroll tik tok and procrastinate reading,

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

One of the tropes in books that I have loved since I was a little girl is main character forced to go to boarding school. The books of my youth made them seems o magical with midnight feasts and a gaggle of new friends and ultimately some evil to conquer. Daisy May Johnson's How to be Brave plays into this so very well that it sparked in me a long forgotten love.

It is the story of Calla, a young girl who has taken up residence in a boarding school while her mum goes on an expedition of a life time. However, through this multigenerational tale we also see that nefarious people are in this school with an evil agenda to complete.

How to be Brave is a survival story and shows how collectively people can conquer evil. It is a joyous romp and leaves you smiling.

A very heart warming story.

How to be Brave by Daisy May Johnson is available now.

For more information regarding Daisy Mae Johnson (@chaletfan) please visit www.didyoueverstoptothink.com.

For more information regarding Pushkin Press (@PushkinPress) please visit www.pushkinpress.com.

I no longer have an interest in reviewing this title but would like to thank the publisher and author for the opportunity, it is now far past the publication and archive date. I have awarded 3 stars to keep this review neutral.

Nice enough story but the footnotes got in the way of the flow of the book.
I also felt it was a little obvious where the story was going so it lost our attention a little.
Average not amazing sorry

This book would of been the kind of book I would of loved to have read as a Kid and I feel so lucky that Netgalley and the publishers provided me with the chance.

There is so much going on in this story so I will keep this short as you really need to read it for yourselves. To start with we have an amazing mother and daughter relationship which is strong, a boarding school run by nuns who break the mould on how a nun should be like, copious amounts of biscuits and lastly a baddie with a grudge.

I loved that the chapters were short and that there were footnotes made the book a quick and very enjoyable read. So much so I have the new book How to Be True on my wishlist. For all these reasons and much much more I have given How To Be Brave 4 stars.

I've been reading How To Be Brave to my twins and they've really enjoyed the storyline of Elizabeth and Calla North. The footnotes for us didn't work very well as a storytelling mechanism, but I'm sure that would work better in printed format. Overall a fun tale!

When I first heard about, ‘How to be Brave,’ I knew immediately it would be just my cup of tea, as Calla’s mum has a passion for ducks (you did read that right, I did say ducks), I have a complete obsession with boarding school stories and mysteries, this story delivers these both brilliantly. Calla has never had what you would call a normal existence, she’s spent most of her childhood parenting her mother and when her mum’s dream job offer arrives, she finds herself packed off to a very unusual boarding school run by nuns, which has a more practical than educational curriculum. But something very strange is going on at the school. The headteacher has been usurped, there are strange men in suits patrolling the grounds and they’re forcing the girls to drink kale smoothies – quelle horreur! Things go from bad to worse when Calla’s mum disappears off grid and Calla uncovers a terrible plot, together with her new friends the eccentric but marvellous Edie and Hanna she must find a way to thwart their dastardly headmistress. A truly extravagant romp of an adventure that is bound to delight and entertain readers with it’s terribly bad behaviour and wonderful characters. Despite the contemporary setting, it has (and I mean this in the very best way) an old fashioned charm that really endeared me to the story. It was totally irresistible with it s midnight feasts, hidden passageways and pranks all produced with a very modern and humorous twist. Original and quirky, this is simply wonderful.

Great school adventure with originality, mystery and remarkable characters. I enjoyed reading this book with my 10-year-old daughter who thought it was lovely from beginning to the end. Thanks to NetGalley for the review copy.

This was an adorable little book that made me want to have boarding school adventures with newlyfound friends, and eat biscuits all day. The chapters are written in a very unique fashion, with some being only a few lines long to some spanning a few pages. Although the story was very predictable, I think it would make a great children’s film on Disney+. What I found a tad bit annoying in the book were the footnotes as they laid out everything in the book, and therefore taking away any air of mystery the book could have. Perhaps it may be because I am not the target audience for the book, but I do think that it’s better to show than to tell every detail.

4 stars

Super great read for a middle grade author!
here is the synopsis why i ask you guys to pick this up!

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.

Thank you for the arc once again!

How to be Brave is rammed with funny, believable characters that you will instantly fall in love with. Outside of Elizabeth and Calla (both of whom are equally great), the cast of girls and adults is substantial. Yes, on the outside the novel does resemble St Trinian’s in its themes of anarchy and resistance, but the characters are far more rounded and substantial. Calla’s dorm mates Eddie and Hannah are brilliant. Hannah: talkative, bookish, resourceful. Eddie: quite mad, rebellious, French. Along with Calla, they lead a rebellion against a new regime at the school that is ruining everything the Order set up. All that made the school different and fun (baking, books and bike maintenance) are removed and the nuns who encouraged them silenced or removed from duty. Little does the new head realise what she’s up against.

Johnson is a very clever writer utilising an interesting narrative choice. How to be Brave is told anecdotally from a certain character’s recollection. (I won’t spoil who it is). This is a brave aspect to use as it could go wrong when writing in the third person about this character, but Johnson keeps the narrative perspective clean and clear. As a writer, Johnson does owe a lot to the aforementioned Pratchett and that’s none clearer than in her use of footnotes. Used to add asides from the narrator, they are equally funny as the main text. Only on a few occasions did I find them invasive and that was usually because I’d missed the numbering in the main text (the numbers do resemble other punctuation so do be aware) and then had to read back after reading the footnote.

There are some great visual moments in How to be Brave and a lot of the humour comes from these scenes. From big set pieces to smaller more subtle happenings, Johnson has a deft touch with conveying the unsaid. There’s many a non-verbal conversation between the Sisters or the girls that say much more than pages of dialogue.

How to be Brave is a fantastic, funny and exciting debut novel. Filled to the brim with great characters, fast-paced dialogue and imaginative scenarios this is a series that shows huge potential. I can not wait for the next novel.

Duck and biscuit filled fun from beginning to end!

Calla's mum is visiting the Amazon rainforest on a research trip devoted to her favourite duck, so Calla will be spending six months at the boarding school her mum attended as a child. But neither the research trip, nor the school, are what they seem, and Calla is going to have be the bravest she's ever been to keep both herself and her mum safe.

My favourite thing about this story was the footnotes. Sadly (or perhaps fortunately for you) I don't seem to be able to add footnotes to the blog, otherwise this post would be full of them too. They provided so much additional humour and depth to the story and were incredibly fun to read, even digitally when they don't format as neatly as they would in a printed book.

The relationship between Calla and her mother, Elizabeth, was central to this story and really special. But over the course of the story, Calla also makes and learns to rely on a fantastic group of friends. Edie was a brilliant character who brought adventure and humour to every scene she was in. The nuns and their lessons were another endless source of delight - there was nothing these sisters couldn't teach!


I really enjoyed How to be Brave and am so pleased I got the chance to take part in this tour. Read this novel with some sweet treats on hand though - from discussions about ganache to secret biscuit stashes, it is guaranteed to leave you hungry!

I really enjoyed this book. The author pulled on the heart strings a lot sooner than I thought she would have…. but the part about Aslan really pushed me over the edge!

It’s a fun and action packed read, I loved the friendship, the adventures and mischief, and lets not forget the biscuits. The footnotes were a little off putting, especially if I forgot what they were relating to and I had to flick back.

Thank you to Poppy at Pushkin Press for my eCopy of How to be Brave! I loved this book so much that I raced out to buy myself a physical copy.

This is a really fun, middle grade read that is of course about more than just ducks and biscuits. Narrated by one of the Good Sisters, who looks quite like a penguin, there are fun footnotes and a cast of charming characters.

“Elizabeth North was one of the bravest and strongest women in the entire world.”

Set in a boarding school that Calla Rose’s mother Elizabeth once attended, the lighthearted fun is sprinkled with the exploration of grief and what it means to be who you are. With her Mum on a journey to the Amazon rainforest, Calla is left worrying about her well-being whilst joining a rebellion against the mean headmistress who has taken over.

“People who tell you what not to read are generally not good people.”

Eddie, excellent at subterfuge, and the ferocious ball of fire that is Edith are a couple of favourite characters. Though I would never say no to a sit down with the sisters over a cup of tea and some biscuits.

“Gondor calls for aid.” It is an absolutely bizarre and brilliant read, the first book to ever make me laugh out loud. And oh god I’m emotional over a duck.

The novel begins with Elizabeth North who, after the tragic death of her parents, is sent away to live at the School of the Good Sisters. At first, she struggles to cope and doesn't quite fit in, but gradually she starts to befriend fellow students and develops a strong interest in ducks. Fast forward many years later, and Elizabeth's daughter Calla starts the same school. Her mum has gone to the Amazon to discover the location of a rare breed of duck. But, this once-in-a-lifetime trip isn't as innocent as it seems, and it is up to Calla to rescue her mother.

Reading stories set in boarding schools always makes me nostalgic (there is something so cosy about them), and How to Be Brave was no different. I loved the camaraderie between the pupils, and seeing both Elizabeth and Calla make friends was very sweet and touching. After all their hardships, you did root for them to succeed. Admittedly, I wasn't entirely convinced by Elizabeth's character development. As an adult, she is a loving, intelligent and quirky figure, but the quirkiness is pushed so far that it becomes far-fetched. For a young girl who is so caring to a duck, to become an adult who, at points, seems downright reckless and clueless as to her daughter's welfare, seemed out-of-place. However, rebellious schoolgirl Edie is one of the best characters in the novel and more than makes up for Elizabeth in the latter half. She is very spunky and funny, and I can see a lot of younger readers relating to her. Johnson has created a fun cast of characters, and I could easily see them in a series.

I also really enjoyed Johnson's writing. It's very engaging and accessible; even when discussing difficult topics such as grief, she does so with great sensitivity and understanding. Children will be able to empathise with the themes of the book, even if they haven't directly experienced them themselves. How to Be Brave is also really funny. Johnson has littered the book with duck-related puns and witty footnotes (one of the nuns likes footnotes) which never ceased to make me smile. It helped make the novel more light-hearted and fun to read. I devoured this all in two sittings, which for me is pretty much unheard of.!

Overall, I liked How to Be Brave While I did have some issues with Elizabeth's character, I enjoyed the plot and Johnson's writing in particular. She is a very witty and charming writer, and I'm definitely curious to see what she produces next. A really fun and funny book that I think young readers will love!

From the description I was really looking forward to reading this book, however I found it hard to get into and some parts overly long. I did not like the use of the footnote either - some were alright but others were not needed at all! Though you did not know which were which until you looked.

I think the basics of the story was there and I liked how the characters from Elizabeth's time at the school were part of the mystery.

I’m sure I’ve mentioned how much I adore Pushkin Press as a publisher and their children’s books are always a complete delight to read. I am so happy that I got the opportunity to sink into this brand new treasure and introduce it to you.

Elizabeth North has always been fascinated by rare duck species, particularly the Mallardus Amazonica. As an adult, Elizabeth is a widowed mother to Calla, who knows that her mother has never been normal and that she sometimes has to take care of the adult parts of life. Then Elizabeth is given an amazing opportunity to travel to the Amazon rainforest and study the incredible birds she has always loved. Calla knows that her mother has to go and that means Calla enrolling at the School of the Good Sisters, an unconventional convent boarding school, where Elizabeth was also a student. But as Calla starts to make friends and absorb herself in school life with a new, strict headmistress, she realises that her mother still hasn’t called…

The story is supplemented with footnotes, which provide additional background information and commentary that is so much fun to read. All of the girls are obsessed with baked goods and this is often used to make judgements of people and measurements of how good or bad things really are. The narrative voice came through really well in the footnotes too. They let the reader in on small pieces of information that fleshes out the characters just that little bit more.

The library at the School of the Good Sisters sounds like the perfect place to curl up and escape everything. In the first few chapters during Elizabeth’s time at the school, it is packed full of children’s classics and magical worlds to dive into. In Calla’s time, we barely see the library itself but we know that the only books allowed are academic. Magic and adventure has literally been removed from the school, so we know we’re in for a tough time!

There is a really important mantra that resonates throughout the book and that is to always be your true, authentic self. Even if that self is weird and different to everyone else, you shouldn’t ever try to hide it. In fact, you should use it to shine and show the world who you really are. This is something that I think should be central to every children’s book and a message that every child should have instilled into them.

Thankfully, Calla does have the lovely Good Sister Christine to watch over her at school. Chrissie was Elizabeth’s best friend during their time as students at the School of the Good Sisters and she understands Elizabeth almost as well as Calla does. Her loyalty means that she is only too happy to take care of Calla while Elizabeth has to chase her dreams. With the help of one of Calla’s room mates Hana, Christine is running a secret library within the school, smuggling children’s classics to the students who ask for them. I couldn’t help but smile at the fact that the teachers were all fully on board with overturning the tyranny that Headmistress DeWitt has unleashed on the school.

I think my favourite character is Calla’s other room mate Edie. She is a small, militant, French girl who takes it upon herself to organise a rebellion and cause chaos in order to take back the school and reinstate the beloved Good Sister June as headmistress. Her passion and dedication to the cause is so admirable and I just couldn’t wait to see what scheme Edie would come up with next. She also proves herself to be a very good friend when Calla needs her too and I wonder whether anything would have got done if Edie hadn’t been there. I would love to read a series of Edie just running around, defeating evil wherever it crops up.

There is also a wonderful character named Gareth, who is employed as one of Headmistress DeWitt’s henchmen but all he really wants is to master ganache. Every time he cropped up, he would be asking the universe to help him with this specific baking skill and he made me laugh so often that I think I fell in love with him a bit. He was the perfect ‘evil but not really evil’ character for a children’s book and I like to think he went on to ace the ganache and now owns a patisserie full of delicate sweet goodies!

Even when the final battle is going on and there are students running riot everywhere, there is still cake being passed around. There are secret stashes of biscuits in almost every cupboard in the school and it seems that it’s always time to delve into them. As a huge biscuit fan myself, I wanted to be amongst these amazing, feisty girls so much!

How To Be Brave is a witty, quirky and wonderfully heartwarming story that celebrates confident, smart and courageous women. It’s about chosen family, loyalty, the power of friendship and the importance of stories. There is also a relentless chant of owning who you are and never wavering from your true self, no matter what the world throws at you. Charming, funny and written in a warm friendly tone, this is a book for everyone who needs the inspiration to be themselves.

So many brilliant debut authors appearing in 2021 and Daisy May Johnson is another to add to the list.

Having to be brave is nothing new to mother and daughter, Elizabeth and Calla. Together, they have faced more than their fair share of difficulties and lows in life and have always put on a brave face to see them through. So when Elizabeth is invited to take part in a six-month research project involving ducks in the Amazon Rainforest she jumps at the chance.

With Elizabeth heading off, Calla finds herself on her own adventure as she attends the School of Good Sisters, a boarding school run by nuns that Elizabeth attended when she was a child. But trouble is afoot at the school and new headmistress, Magda DeWitt - who also happens to be a childhood acquaintance of Elizabeth’s, is up to no good. Soon, Calla finds herself at the centre of a kidnapping plot, with a mother lost deep in the Amazon jungle, and relying on her wits, baked delicacies, a blessing of nuns and her new best friends Edie and Hanna to uncover the truth…

How to be Brave is a delightful twist on the classic boarding school story and it makes for an enjoyable, lively and heart-warming read. It is a story of girl power, making friends, a very special duck, nuns and lots of biscuits. The story takes the good versus evil narrative approach and sees the students rebel against the new regime and rules with the support of their teachers. For readers familiar with the Harry Potter series, they will notice similarities with Harry and his mates trying to overthrow Dolores Umbridge after she took over at Hogwarts. It worked as a storyline then and it works well again here.

Rather than professors, there are nuns and they are very partial to naughtiness. Apprentice wizards are replaced by young girls all of whom are modern protagonists and make for excellent female role models. They are brave, resourceful and full of girl power. In their bid to overthrow headmistress Magda DeWitt, the students are up for pulling any prank and things get more outrageous as the story progresses. The mischief making is a great deal of fun and I took much delight in the antics of the not-so-good sisters behaving badly. It turns out that no challenge can not be overcome as long as you have friends, plenty of spirit and delicious baked treats.

Readers will find themselves keen to attend the School of the Good Sisters that is a far cry from my view of a traditional boarding school. There are no moody matrons, lessons in handwriting and algebra, or strict discipline. Instead, you’ll most likely find students out on the roof, enjoying lessons in astrology, baking, woodland camping and how to maintain a helicopter, and of course, eating lots of cakes and biscuits - sweet treats are dished out more readily than homework at the School of the Good Sisters.

What makes the story stand-out from the crowd is Daisy May Johnson’s authorial voice, it is really unique and I found the writing style highly engaging. The conversational tone makes it feel like you are sat with the author as she is retelling you the story that she herself has been told - it was easy to picture myself sat in the North Tower bedroom with Good Sister June, eating pink wafers, custard creams and lemon drizzle cake and listening to Johnson share her story. And then there are the footnotes. Now, it is highly unusual that I read a fiction book with footnotes but I thoroughly enjoyed Johnson’s use of them - they are clever, witty and genuinely add something extra to the story.

A very well-written and appealing debut.

Recommended for 8+.

With huge thanks to Daisy May Johnson and Pushkin Press for the advanced reader copy that I received via Netgalley.

What a brilliant book. full of adventure, mystery and some of the wackiest teachers since St Trinians. I absolutely loved it and would recommend to anyone who likes a good boarding school escapade.