LoveReading4Kids Says
May 2026 Book of the Month
First book in a new series, Mel Taylor-Bessent’s Riley Wright Is Always Wrong hits all the right notes for readers who adore doodle-packed, diary-format nuggets of character-driven quirkiness, especially those who also love sparkly gel pens and new notebooks, and experience day-to-day struggles with cringey parents, and feeling average.
Riley’s first outing sees her having to deal with the strife of moving schools, coupled with the fact that her dad is the headmaster. When Riley and Dad arrive at school, while 50% of her “feels like a celebrity with swishy hair and a mega-watt smile”, her other half feels “like a caged animal who needed a nervous poo”, such is Riley’s distinctive way of thinking.
Riley’s mission to make new friends gets off to a speedy start when she finds a friend in Emmie, an irrepressible “chaotic ninja”, as Riley describes her. A girl who loves homework, and has a secret library, Emmie is a fabulous force of independence and empathy.
All seems to be going unexpectedly swimmingly, until Riley’s dad suggests that the school puts on a talent show: “Didn’t he know how totally, wholeheartedly, one hundred per cent TALENTLESS I was”? Then there’s mean girl Harper to contend with…
Fast-paced and laced with messages around kindness, Riley Wright Is Always Wrong is a great mix of humour and heart. All that considered, though Riley declares herself to be “Awkward, Accident-prone, and Annoyingly Average”, she is, in fact, likely to feel like an awesome friend to all the readers who will relate to her.
Reviewed by Joanne OwenJoanne Owen is a writer, reviewer and workshop presenter whose lifelong love of books began when she was growing up in Pembrokeshire, Wales.
More reviews by Joanne Owen About Riley Wright Is Always Wrong
Riley Wright is starting at Heverton Junior School with one awkward disadvantage: her MAJORLY embarrassing dad is the new head teacher …!!
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Riley Wright Is Always Wrong Synopsis
Riley Wright is starting at Heverton Junior School with one awkward disadvantage: her MAJORLY embarrassing dad is the new head teacher …!!
New school, new friends (hopefully!). Riley Wright has to figure out how to fit in, pin down a talent for the talent show, look out for her unpredictable new BFF Emmie and face down super mean girl Harper … As someone who gets a lot of stuff wrong, when will Riley finally get something RIGHT?
KIDS LOVE RILEY!
'Mel is a great writer. Can't she just publish like three of these at the same time?' - Anaya, 9
'I definitely recommend Riley Wright!' - Lily, 8
A Letter from the author:
"HELLO FRIEND!!!!!
How are you? I LOVE WHAT YOU’VE DONE WITH YOUR HAIR!
If we’ve met or you follow me on social media, you’ll probably know that I’m a RIDICULOUSLY excitable person. A new notebook . . . a shiny Christmas bauble . . . a chocolate bar waiting in the fridge after a long day at work – I’m SQUEALING just thinking about it!
But something else I get even more excited about is a new story idea. And this one came in a flurry. Riley Wright, age 8, with her electrocuted chicken hair and flashing panda trainers, skidded into my head in November 2024 like a memory that had just been unlocked. It was almost like being reunited with my childhood BFF. She felt so real, so relatable, so like me and my friends when we were at school, and I hope readers will make instant BFFs with Riley, too.
I don’t know about you, but when I was at primary school, I LIVED for sleepovers, no homework days, and afternoons right before the Christmas holidays when we’d get to watch a festive movie instead of going to maths! RESULT! I also longed for a secret place I could hide in with my closest friends, like a hidden tree house in the playground, a trap door in the lunch hall, or a concealed corridor hidden behind a bookcase in the library.
Of course, this childhood dream never came true, but that’s one of the things I LOVE about writing. When you write, anything can happen. When you write, your wildest wishes can come true.
So, of course, I’ve given Riley and her eccentric friend Emmie their very own top-secret hideout in the middle of Heverton Junior School. Nobody else knows about it. Nobody knows how often they sneak in there to share stories and secrets over a bag of smushed chocolate stars. Nobody else knows how cool or magical or totally AWESOME it is. Nobody else except . . . well . . . you.
As you might gather from the title, poor Riley gets a lot of things wrong. But she’s also hilarious, and kind, and the exact type of friend I would have loved to grow up with.I really hope readers take Riley to their hearts as much as I have, and that her amusing antics, clumsiness, and endearing personality provide a go-to reading for pleasure series, like a younger Wimpy Kid or Lottie Brooks.
I could not be more excited to be sharing RILEY WRIGHT IS ALWAYS WRONG with you! Beautifully illustrated by Sr Sanchez and edited / designed / published by the outstanding Farshore team, I already know that Riley is a character that’s going to stay with me forever. I’m also EXTRA EXCITED to announce that Book 2 will be coming in Autumn 2026, so there won’t be long to wait!
Happy reading, and I hope you enjoy meeting your new BFF!
Mel xoxo"
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9780008801670 |
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21st May 2026 |
| Author: |
Mel Taylor-Bessent |
| Illustrator: |
Sr. Sanchez |
| Publisher: |
Farshore an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers |
| Format: |
Paperback |
| Pagination: |
144 pages |
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Mel Taylor-Bessent Press Reviews
'A lively fun-filled story that children will love' - Dame Jacqueline Wilson
'As funny as Lottie Brooks, with the madcap energy of Pamela Butchart, Riley Wright is smart, sharp and totally relatable. I loved it!' - Abie Longstaff, author of The Magic Potions Shop and The Fairytale Hairdresser series
'I love Riley! A fun and charming book bursting with energy.' - Laura Dockrill, author of Darcy Burdock
'Instantly engaging, hugely appealing and full of laughs. Riley Wright is a wonderfully bright and bubbly new voice in the diary style format - like a younger female Wimpy Kid.' - Andy Shepherd, author of The Boy Who Grew Dragons
'It is impossible not to smile at every page and cheer out loud for the new girl in school, Riley Wright. With a big personality and heart to match, Riley is just the BFF that readers have been waiting for. A fresh, funny and utterly charming book, from start to finish.' - Clara Vulliamy, author of Dottie Detective
'Riley and her BFF are a laugh-out-loud unstoppable duo, taking readers on a giggly, squirmy tour through the ups and downs of junior school. Packed with laughs, oops moments and best friend fun.' - Vashti Hardy, author of Harley Hitch
'An adorable, fun and feel-good story. Readers will love Riley with her electrocuted chicken hair, her relatable worries and her sparky attitude. A new series that's sure to become a favourite.' - Rashmi Sirdeshpande, author of Hari Kumar Ultimate Superstar
'I loved it! Funny, heartwarming and very engaging.' - Harriet Muncaster, author of Isadora Moon
'Hilarious, heartfelt and filled with so many memorable moments. Get ready for Riley Wright to be the best friend you never knew you needed. Why be right when you can have so much fun being wrong!' - Jo Clarke, author of Libby and the Parisian Puzzle
'Riley Wright is ADORABLE! Funny, zippy and relatable - these books will become fast favourites.' - Perdita Cargill, author of Diary of an Accidental Witch
'Riley Wright thinks she is Awkward, Accident-prone, and Annoyingly Average. I think she's AMAZING and AWESOME! A hilarious, endearing and uplifting read which made me laugh and cringe on Riley's behalf in equal measures. I can't wait to see what Riley does next!' - Serena Patel, author of Anisha Accidental Detective
'As a parent, Dad is absolute parent-goals but as a reader, who was once a child with major hair frizz issues, Riley is a character I think everyone young person can relate to. I was giggling away from the first page and desperately wishing I had a Secret Understairs Library too! Mel Taylor-Bessent has created a perfect read for those who love a funny book - it's feel-good Louise Rennison for junior school readers.' - Swapna Haddow, author of Dave Pigeon
'Massively fun and laugh out loud. I loved this book. Riley Wright is going to become your new BFF!' - Jenny McLachlan, author of Fairy vs Wizard
'Riley Wright ticks ALL the WRIGHT boxes with all the scented rainbow pens, a tonne of hilarity and oodles of heart. This is the kind of book I'd have devoured as a kid! And I'm pretty sure it will never be in the school library because there will be an infinite waiting list to borrow it! It's the kind of book kids in class would fight over to read next.' - Laura Ellen Anderson, author of Amelia Fang
About Mel Taylor-Bessent
Founder of the hugely successful Authorfy and Little Star Writing, Mel Taylor-Bessent has made her career connecting readers to their favourite authors and encouraging children to write for pleasure. After gaining a Creative Writing degree, Mel launched her first business at the age of 22 and ran creative writing workshops for thousands of children aged 6-12. As a result, she also arranged hundreds of author events and witnessed first-hand the positive impact these interactions had on her students. In 2017, she decided to replicate this via online 'Author Masterclasses' on a website she created called Authorfy.com.
Since then, Authorfy has gone on to win numerous awards, partner with the likes of World Book Day and BookTrust, and is used in classrooms all over the world.
Mel is the best-selling author of The Christmas Carrolls and Race to Imagination Island series and has been writing stories for as long as she can remember. In 2025, Mel was shortlisted for the Ruth Rendell Award in 2025 for her work championing literacy in the UK.
More About Mel Taylor-Bessent
