MY NAME IS LARA BLOOM AND THIS IS MY LIFE . . .

Meet Lara Bloom - the best friend you never knew you needed. This is her diary . . .

When Lara meets super-cute new boy Caiden, she begins to think that the way to his heart is to give herself a glow up. But her friends are not impressed. You should never glow up for a boy, only for yourself!

As Lara and her friends embark on their project of empowerment and self-love, Lara shares her innermost thoughts with her online journal. How can she keep her hair under control when she's playing football? Why is she so fast on the pitch yet so uncoordinated off it? And how will she ever convince Caiden to take an interest in her?

With her worries safely locked in her top-secret journal, Lara is on track to unlock the glow-up of her dreams. Surely nothing could possibly go wrong . . .?!

A heart-warming story of friendship, crushes and learning to love yourself. Perfect for fans of GEEK GIRL, Louise Rennison and Alesha Dixon.

The must-read teen novel of the year. This is the diary of LARA BLOOM - clumsy, chaotic and totally crushing on Caiden!

About the Author
Dee Benson has loved books since childhood. Exploring Narnia, adventuring with the Famous Five and indulging in all things girly with the Sweet Valley Twins sparked her love for reading. She finds it surreal that she now gets to create her own worlds and characters in books of her own. At university, she studied Molecular Biology with Genetics and only survived it by writing fiction during lectures. When she isn't writing, Dee enjoys long walks, good food and music that makes her wish she could sing. She lives in Liverpool with her husband and two daughters.

Reviews
When Lara's friends decide to transform their looks in a shared glow-up, Lara isn't keen, until gorgeous new boy Caiden appears. But will she ever get her hair under control - or grow beyond an AA cup? And how much does she really need to change? A warm, funny, delightfully hapless diary-format story for 11+. * Guardian *
I absolutely adored Glow Up, Lara Bloom! It was hilarious, heartwarming and real. If you enjoyed Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging, you'll love this book too. Dee's writing is so immersive; it was as if I was experiencing life, including all the embarrassing bits, with Lara. Being a teen can be hard, but Dee has shown that you just need the right community around you to get by. I can't wait to see what she writes next! * Rachel Faturoti, author of Sade and Her Shadow Beasts *
Lara Bloom is the absolute coolest! A queen on and off the pitch! A funny, honest and fierce book about friendship, facing bullies head on and why other people's opinions don't matter as much as you think they do. Long live the SQuIDGE squad! * Kate Weston, author of Diary of a Confused Feminist *
Dee Benson is an exciting, new and authentic voice and from the moment I started reading, I was transported into the joyful highs, bittersweet lows and crazy fun antics of Lara Bloom's life. This book is a celebration and a delightful insight into adolescence, relatable to readers everywhere. I loved it. * J. P. Rose, author of The Haunting of Tyrese Walker *
This book is a hug from friends, a roar against bullies, and a back-of-the-net super goal for being the best version of who you want to be - for you, and no one else. Lara is a brilliant, funny, modern teen heroine and I really, really want to be part of the SQuIDGE Squad now. * Holly Race, author of A Midnight Dark and Golden *
When footy-loving Lara falls for Caiden, she thinks the best way to impress him is to ditch her looks and upgrade with a glow up. Wrong! Luckily, she's surrounded by friends who know you should always change for yourself and not for a boy. A cracking debut, interweaving an important message for teens about body acceptance. * City Kids *
Told partly in diary journal form this story of a self-confessed teenage catastrophe is full of humour, heart and authenticity. * WRD *
A heart-warming story of friendship, crushes and learning to love yourself. Perfect for fans of GEEK GIRL, Louise Rennison and Alesha Dixon. * Teen Librarian *
A warm, funny, delightfully hapless diary-format story for 11+. * The Guardian *
The journalling of a 14-year-old football captain recalls the hilarity and warmth of Louise Rennison, complete with mean girls and their minions, a cute boy at school and a series of incredibly embarrassing incidents. The cringe factor of early adolescence is captured beautifully (or terrifyingly), with disaster moments always made better with a pack of good friends. * The Irish Times *



Book Information
ISBN 9781471412912
Author Dee Benson
Format Paperback
Page Count 368
Imprint Hot Key Books
Publisher Hot Key Books
Weight(grams) 269g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 21mm