The Seaside Sleepover

This is the third novel in a series of stand-alones which started with Sleepovers.  It features the two protagonists, Lily, the older sister by two years, who is a wheelchair user and uses Makaton to communicate, and Daisy, who is neurotypical.

The two sisters, much to Daisy’s delight and Lily’s fear, are given the opportunity to look after a very naughty dog called Scruff while his elderly owner is in hospital. Scruff steals the narrative at many points, as the reader is constantly guessing what type of mischief he may get into next.

The two sisters go on holiday to the seaside, with their parents and Lily’s best friend, Natalie who uses a walker. They have been invited by their Uncle Gary.  Will they be able to control Scruff who accompanies them? And will the beach prove accessible to those who must use wheels to get around?

Wilson’s skill in this novel is that she depicts Lily, even with her communication challenges, as a fully-rounded character and as a natural part of the story. Refreshingly, Lily also experiences and is aware of people’s mixed and sometimes prejudiced reactions to her. It is important for young readers to see you can convey anger without being verbal.

Wilson also explores the accessibility challenges that the girls experience. The one slight reservation I have, is that the specially designed wheelchair and walker for use on sand, that the girls hire, may be more readily available than in real life!

The final neurotypical character who stood out for me is the girls’ Uncle Gary. He has a drag act at the seaside and is so well loved by everyone that they wish they were related to him. Many readers may feel the same.