Thank you, NetGalley and Atmosphere Press, for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review.

Elaine Insinnia’s You Go, Girl is a blend of funny anecdotes, serious consideration of the events that might occur in many young lives, and consideration of social issues in a light-hearted, but nevertheless thoughtful way. The style is young, but there are some delightfully nostalgic moments for the older reader. These range from references to popular songs and films of the 1950s and 60s, to clothing styles, playing in the street, and food to the more serious ones of the stereotyped gender roles and their impact on girls’ comfort, aspirations and behaviour.

Twelve-year-old Lainie has written a diary, and this becomes the daily reading for her and her granddaughter, Suzie over seven days together. From fingers flying over a mobile phone, to adjusting an aerial to listen to a wireless, the two read the diary, and apply much of its information to Suzie’s present everyday life. They find common cause in seeking to understand other people’s behaviour, navigating relationships with friends and parents, social concerns and understanding that although singers such as Frankie Avalon and Connie Francis no longer dominate the airwaves (or their modern equivalent), some social concerns of the past resonate with the present.

This is a pleasantly easy book to read, and although geared to a younger market in its style, has something for older readers. By raising serious issues, without introducing heavy analysis, Elaine Insinnia has effectively written about the challenges posed around some serious social issues and provided ideas and strategies for dealing with them.