Tokai welcomes Katie Kirby on her Lottie Brooks book tour

Hundreds of excited girls came to see children’s author Katie Kirby, who spoke about her new book, Lottie Brooks vs The Ultra Mean Girls, at a Tokai mall last Thursday, September 18.

Ms Kirby from the United Kingdom is visiting South Africa for the first time. She became well-known for being the author of the Lottie Brooks series, which she started in 2021. Her latest book is the eighth book in this series. 

“The Lottie Brooks series is about Lottie, who we meet at 11, who is just about to start secondary school, and her best friend has moved over to Australia, and she is all alone at her new school. It is all about her journey of making new friends and trying to fit in,” she said.

In the latest book, Lottie Brooks vs The Ultra Mean Girls , Ms Kirby said Lottie’s one friend leaves her friendship and becomes friends with a lot of mean girls.

“It deals with different groups, social media, and how Lottie fixes that friendship,” she said.

Ms Kirby said she found the reception from all the young girls who came to see her to be amazing.

 “I am amazed how popular the Lottie Brooks series is here and how many children can relate to Lottie,” she said.

Janine Joemat, who brought her daughters to see Ms Kirby, said it is good to have children reading.

“Literacy in the province and the country is a challenge, so anything that encourages children to read is wonderful, though it is also important for girls to have positive role models,” she said.

Girls from Sun Valley Primary School also came out to see Ms Kirby. School Governing Body (SGB) chairperson, Amy McIver, who accompanied the girls, said the school’s junior librarians were so excited to meet Ms Kirby, author of one of their favourite books.

“It was a special way to be able to reward them for their hard work and diligence this year, and to grow their love of reading," she said.