A lovely little read all about Scarlett Fife who has really big feelings! We follow Scarlett as she navigates school, friends and her very big feelings. Scarlett cannot seem to control her angry outbursts and it lands her in trouble with her mum and she has to prove to her mum she can control her emotions. A very light and funny book for middle grade children.

I’d recommend buying this book for children who may have trouble with their emotions and are reluctant to talk about them. There are some wonderful drawings which help break the book up and it’s really funny!

I loved the Who let the Gods out series and was keen to see How Maz Evans has moved on and how her writing style works for slighter younger readers. I loved it. We have a lovable, but far from perfect character, who struggle with her emotion but is trying hard to understand her outbursts. Strange things seem to happen when she angry and in this humorous but emotive take we get to see inside the mind and thought of a special young lady. A great read and it will be devoured by its readers.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Hachette Children's Group in exchange for an honest review.

This story follows Scarlett Fife. Most things about her life are pretty typical for a 9 (almost 10) year old. She loves maths, is obsessed with the latest UniMingo product, enjoys pizza nights with her mum and stepdad and spending time at her dad's house. However, Scarlett is known for letting her temper get the better of her. Her mum gives her an ultimatum, if Scarlett loses her temper once more, their family trip to an amazing theme park will be cancelled. Scarlett is really trying to manage her anger, but soon she discovers that each time she tries to keep it in, it bursts out of her...literally causing things to explode around her!

This was a lovely light-hearted read with an important message and I had a great time reading it. Scarlett is a feisty and hilarious main character who isn’t afraid to speak up when she feels something isn’t right. She doesn’t always make the best decisions, but you can’t help by love Scarlet for her honesty and how hard she tries. There are so many other brilliant characters that I can’t possibly list them all, so I’ll just stick to my favourites. First, William U and his mum. Every scene they were in was hilarious. I could practically hear Mrs U’s voice in my head explaining William’s latest syndrome! Then there was Maisie. Everyone should have a Maisie in their life. She gives such great advice and shows unconditional acceptance of Scarlett for just being who she is – I love it! Finally, Jakub is complete #stepdadgoals. I love this book’s representation of a ‘friendly divorce’ and Jakub, along with Scarlett’s mum and dad, portrays this brilliantly.

This will be a great read for children aged 8+ who like funny adventure stories with a little bit of magical mystery.

The Exploding Life of Scarlett Fife is a fantastically funny story bursting with personality and full of all the things that are important to children. Maz Evans really hit the nail on the head with the challenges families face and how children see the world. With so many laugh-out-loud moments, I also found myself feeling quite emotional about the relationship between Scarlett and her mum.

Scarlett Fife is a little girl with BIG FEELINGS. More than anything, she wants to do the right thing, earn positivity points and be allowed to look after Mr Nibbles, the class pet, for the weekend. But no matter how hard she tries, there’s always someone who does better. Navigating through life is tricky. The things adults say can be confusing (was it prosthetic or Prosecco?) and sometimes BIG FEELINGS cause things to EXPLODE! Young readers will see that they aren’t alone in finding things difficult and that there are always adults who are willing to help.

I thoroughly enjoyed this powerful book from so many perspectives: as a teacher, I recognised the wonderful chaos of school routines; as a parent, I empathised with the constant juggling and having to manage everyone’s needs; and having spent so much time with children, I loved Scarlett’s spunky take on all the big events in her life. The Exploding Life of Scarlett Fife will make a brilliant bedtime read aloud that everyone will enjoy!

Thank you to Hachette Children’s & NetGalley for this wonderful book!

We loved this book - both kids tore through it and my daughter has posted a review on her instagram (link below) - she says:
Thanks again to @netgalley for letting me read this book before it even being published! I thought is was amazing! It was so funny and I really hated William U and his mum. Have you ever heard of someone being allergies to homework! This book made me laugh so hard I nearly tipped over my mums cup of tea! I hope you enjoy it as much as me!

https://www.instagram.com/p/CNibvb_n6N8/

I really enjoyed Scarlett Fife’s journey through difficult family situations and dealing with her anger (in particular the exploding elephant poo incident). I like the inclusion of the difficulties faced by working mums, discrimination and the marriage of the two aunts. My main issue with the book is that I am unsure of the age group it is written for. The premise of the story seems to be quite young but some of the language and jokes are quite mature, So it will be interesting to find out who enjoys this book when I can share it in school.

Scarlett Fife feels anger bubbling inside her and when it does it is hard to control. Maz Evans has created a book with a modern, relevant feel that my 7 year old enjoyed reading with me. He enjoyed the scenarios that Scarlett found herself in and laughed out loud at parts. He also enjoyed that Scarlett enjoyed maths and this was something that I hadn't considered before, in a main character. He enjoyed discussing the characters and the scenarios he identified with.

Thank you for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Scarlett’s life is a bit complicated. Her step dad has lost his job so her mum is having to work extra hard to make ends meet, with the result that she’s a bit distracted and not paying Scarlett as much attention as she’d like. Her best friend Maisie also wants to be friends with new girl, Polly and William is as spoilt and selfish as ever, especially when he doesn’t get his own way. All of these things cause Scarlett to feel really angry... and when Scarlett feels angry, it’s as if she will EXPLODE!

Can Scarlett control her temper and begin to understand her feelings?

This is a great, fun read. I really enjoyed all the play on words; those expressions which don’t really make sense when you think about them and the teachers’ names which reflect their personalities.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

this is the start of what promises to be a fantastic new series from the amazing Maz Evans. It is written for a slightly younger audience than her beloved "Who Let the Gods out" series, but just as funny. However, as always, we know that there are serious underlying issues that are being addressed in the stories and this book is about Scarlett and the real issues she has about holding in her anger, and when it escapes, things can get very messy. I can't wait to see how this series develops, I think it is an absolute winner.

I can see how it would be enjoyable for younger children, but it's not for me. It actually reads like a steam of consciousness, but I found it as exhausting as it was charming. Scarlett has too much energy for me! But no doubt, kids will love this! It has all of the silliness of something like Walliams, but a much richer story, a stronger narrator, and an altogether more positive atmosphere.

Thank you to Hachette and Netgalley for the ARC.
I read this to my daughter over a few nights and we LOVED it. The opening line “I am so angry I think my bum might fall off” is just amazing ! The character of Scarlett struggles to contain her big feelings and the anger bubbles up inside her with explosive results. As a character this emotional this seemed to make her even more likeable, in the same way as Roald Dahl’s Matilda. As a parent, the explosive emotions in the book were a great way of starting a conversation about feelings and how they would react.
This book is well written with clear humour that children can pick up on, as well as an added layer for adult listener/readers too. As a parent, I particularly enjoyed the references to the coloured maths tables (which the kids have obviously figured out already), the pushy PTA mum whose kid gets away with everything and the nonsensical playground rumours about Ms Pitt Bull.
Thoroughly enjoyable! We look forward to the rest of the series !

As a primary school teacher, there is a big gap for chapter books for ages 6+ so it is so brilliant that this book fits that profile! It would be a perfect read aloud or silent reader for children from Y2 upwards. It is funny, it is heartwarming and it reminds me a lot of Matilda.

I lost count of how many times I laughed out loud reading this story. It was so brilliant!

If Scarlett Fife looses her temper one more time, her mum has promised to cancel their trip to Mega Awesome Sicky Fun World. So she is determined to keep it in, no matter how mean William U is to her, or how upset she is about missing out on the role she wants in the school play. The only problem is, when Scarlett tries to keep her anger bottled up inside, other things tend to explode instead...

This story was so much fun to read. Scarlett's voice is superbly strong throughout. She is reminiscent of Matilda and I think lots of young readers will like her just as much. The other characters are equally brilliant. Her best friend Maisie has some hilarious sayings and Scarlet's family were all wonderful (to the point where I couldn't pick a favourite). I also really liked Miss Pitt-Bull, who is introduced as if she is Trunchbull 2.0, but is anything but.

There are also some really serious messages about anger and how children should deal with it, but they're woven seamlessly into the humour of the story, so it never feels didactic or preachy.

I can't wait to start this all over again with my daughter, who I think will enjoy it just as much. It's a great story for adults and children to share, because there are a lot of jokes I think adults will find funnier than readers at the younger end of the age range, and other moments which children will probably favour. It works on two levels, like the best kids films (and what a brilliant film this would make!)

Filled with perfectly pitched humour Maz Evan’s book for younger readers is an absolute delight.

Meet Scarlett, an incredibly likeable character with BIG FEELINGS. Very big. Blending facts and fantasy Evan’s deftly dives into anger, into strong feelings and how these can be oh-so overwhelming for younger ones.

I adored Scarlett’s best friend Maisie who, with her fab red glasses, can see plenty of things that Scarlett can’t – making them a perfect match.

Strongly paced plot with plenty to keep younger readers hooked.

Filled with warmth, humour & friendship… I have BIG [SMILEY] FEELINGS about this book.

Emma Perry
Picture book author & reviewer [MyBookCorner]

If anyone (me) doubted that Maz Evans' trademark humour from Who Let The Gods Out could transfer into a younger text, they ( I ) can now consider themselves convinced. This book takes the best of her classic one-liners and packages them into a sweet book about how we handle our emotions when things just don't seem fair. Perfect for fans of Pamela Butchart's books, whose style this book follows in the footsteps of.

I know that we have not yet reached the end of March but I already feel sure that this will be one of my books of the year when December arrives. Anyone who has spent any time reading with children will know that a funny book will keep them engaged, entertained and contribute to a love of reading and stories. When that book is written with such skill that it delivers a laugh in practically every paragraph and, underneath the laughter, contains some powerful life lessons, it becomes a treasure in every classroom, library and home.

Scarlett Fife is instantly relatable, an almost-ten-year-old girl with the sorts of worries that any school child will recognise, including wanting to win sufficient “positivity points” to gain the ultimate classroom reward, fending off one particular classmate’s unpleasant behaviour and worrying about losing her best friend to the popular “new girl”. On top of that, her engineer mother is exhausted from working extra hours “to make ends meet” because her stepdad Jakub has been dismissed by his racist boss. This results in the sort of oversights which are huge to a school child like forgetting to send in Scarlett’s spending money and lunch order for a school trip.

However, Scarlett’s biggest worry is her tendency to experience BIG FEELINGS and subsequent temper loss. She describes the way the anger bubbles up inside her tummy until it explodes out of her in language that will ring a bell of recognition with many. We are led to understand that this trait has frequently landed her in trouble, and now Mum has laid down the ultimate Mumishment! If Scarlett loses her temper again she will have her long anticipated trip to Super Mega Awesome Sicky Fun World theme park cancelled. Thus Scarlett must try to contain her anger throughout the provoking situations she faces...with hilariously explosive consequences.

She can rely on her best friend Maisie for sensible words at crucial moments, although Maisie’s use of Latin expressions was the cause of much merriment from this reader. The level of humour in this book is outstanding, with jokes and asides which will have adults and children in fits of giggles. William U, the source of many of Scarlett’s enraged moments is blessed with the Chinook of helicopter parents, who constantly excuses his bad behaviour with an imaginative list of syndromes and Scarlett’s definition of an executive head teacher made me snort with laughter!

I do not want to give away too many plot details for fear of ruining your enjoyment of this story but instead will say that I loved it on so many levels. Firstly the uproarious humour. I honestly laughed out loud at many situations, word plays and misunderstandings scattered throughout the plot. This really is a book which will be enjoyed as much by adults who might read it aloud as the children who are listening or reading it independently. Which brings me to my second point; it is another wonderful example of illustrated fiction which makes the reading process relaxing and enjoyable for those children who are still on their way to mastering the process of reading independently.

Then there is the representation which flows so naturally throughout the book and ensures that many children will see their own experience or that of their classmates on display. Scarlett’s parents have an amicable divorce ensuring that Scarlett feels loved and valued, but she herself compares this to a classmate whose parents do not have this mature relationship. Scarlett’s stepdad Jakub is Polish and her real Dad has only one arm and hardly ever uses his “Prosecco” arm. Much of the plot is built around the upcoming wedding of Scarlett’s Auntie Rosa, a high-powered lawyer to Auntie Amara, a creative therapist. As prejudices to some of these characters are mulled over by the childlike fair-mindedness of Scarlett’s voice, readers can see the obvious message that everyone should be valued for who they are.

Finally, through the different voices of wise adults, Scarlett comes to understand that anger is natural, can in some cases be used to positive effect and that there are strategies she can use to deal with her feelings rather than having to bottle them up inside.

This is a marvellous book, bursting with joy and good sense and celebrating love in its many forms. I am sure that it will become a much-loved addition to your classroom, library or home and I certainly hope that there will be more books featuring Scarlett Fife.

I am grateful to NetGalley and Hachette Children’s Books for access to an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

A funny, heartwarming and highly relatable read about a little girl with BIG FEELINGS! Loved the diverse cast of characters and all the wonderful relationships this story explores. It's a tingly, happy hug of a book! And sneakily packed with a lot of wisdom around anger - what it is, what triggers it, how to deal with it and how it can be a force for good in the world. A lovely conversation-starter for a VERY important topic!

I read this book with my 8 year old daughter and we both really enjoyed it. Scarlett is funny and likeable and the story made us both giggle at times, it not only kept my daughter asking for more but also kept me entertained too! We’ll be looking for more by this author! Thank you so much for this arc.

This new title from the author of the 'Who Let The God's Out?' series, is another funny read. Scarlett Fife has big feelings about lots of things, especially if she thinks that something is unfair. Trying to control those feelings takes a lot of effort and, sometimes, the effort causes unintentional results.

There are lots of jokes and funny lines within the story. Some of these might go over the heads of younger readers but, as an adult, I really enjoyed them!

I think this would work really well as a class read-aloud story, as the characters lend themselves really well to different voices and emphasis.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for this advance copy in exchange for my review.

I absolutely loved The Exploding Life of Scarlett Fife. Scarlett's anger is well-explored with both the reasons behind it and the subsequent consequences as well as how Scarlett learns to deal with it. The method of blowing out 10 candles on your fingers is brilliant!
The explosions get increasingly spectacular and seeing a character as great as Scarlett recognise and deal with such a big emotion will help young readers to recognise it within themselves.

Scarlett's voice is realistic and the book is both emotional and humorous. The family dynamic and interactions felt very real and lots of children will see themselves or their family members in this story, which is brilliant.

Overall this is story full of heart and emotion that fans of Charlie Changes Into A Chicken will love.