When her mum goes away for work, Dani is upset not only that she will miss her mum and gran, but that she will be attending a dull, grey boarding school far from her best friend with whom she makes whacky YouTube videos using their old toys as actors. But when her mum drops her off for her dreaded term at St Grizelda’s School Girls, she is shocked to find it is nothing like the website had led them to believe! Firstly there are no grey uniforms, secondly, as the title suggests there is a goat roaming around and a boy on the register, but thirdly the lessons are like none Dani has ever experienced before! Will Dani be able to make friends and settle or will her mum come and save her?

This is a fun read, perfectly suited to children from 7-12, which is brilliantly enhanced by the illustrations of Becka Moor, who captivates the weird and wonderful school which Karen McCombie has created.

I am so pleased that ‘St Grizzles School for Girls, Goats and Random Boys’ is just the first instalment – book 2, ‘St Grizzle’s School for Girls, Ghost and Runaway Grannies’ is due for release in June. This is another entertaining great from Karen McCombie which could run and run. Karen is, after all, the queen of long series with Ally’s World and Indie Kidd as just two examples.

The story follows a young girl called Danni whose mum has to go to Antarctica to study penguin bums and leaves her at a strange and silly boarding school. It was a very good story about making friends and bring lonely but loved without realising it. I feel this book is a great introduction to the characters and look forward to reading the sequel.