Peony Pinker

Peony Pinker wants a dog; a bit of TLC from Mum; a bit of peace from Dad (the world’s worst agony aunt); but, most of all right now, for her big sister’s horrible new best friend to stop being mean to her. It’s not going to happen. But then Mr Kaminski next door tells her the secret of how to get what you want…The first book in a funny, fantastic new series starring Peony and her crazy family, 'How to Get What You Want by Peony Pinker' was a Blue Peter Book Club choice.

Peony Pinker is not "cool". She likes animals and messing about, not fitness routines and celebrity news. But when Dad becomes a celebrity agony aunt, the coolest girls in school invite Peony to join their group. Now she's watching the right films and doing the right activities to fit in...and she hasn't got time for her old friends any more. But is the "cool" crowd really where Peony wants to be? A funny and thought-provoking story, from best-selling author Jenny Alexander.

It's winter and the Pinkers are out of shape - so Dad decides to use the whole family to test out his ideas for a new fit-in-four-weeks diet book. But after a few weeks of early morning runs and cardboard-flavored ready meals, (meaning Peony needs chips and double helpings of pudding at lunch every day to make up), Peony's become so unfit she can barely walk up the hill home. And she's supposed to be climbing Mount Snowdon in just a few weeks!