"Engrossing family drama as Hattie has to cope with a new school and a new ‘sister’."
May 2026 Book of the Month
Cath Howe is an author with a real knack for creating characters and situations that are eminently relatable, authentic and empathetic. Her writing is clear and accessible, and the length makes them perfect for a class read aloud.
We meet our central character Hattie at the key moment of transition to secondary school. She is largely looking forward to it; she was popular at primary school, even if something of a livewire, and she hopes to continue the fun in the company of her best friend Amber.
She is the middle child in a loving but chaotic family and, as the only girl, she had always dreamed of having a sister and when it is announced that Seren, her Mum’s goddaughter will need to come to stay with them, she looks forward to that too. But neither experience goes well for our impulsive narrator. Seren is quiet and uncommunicative and seems to be getting special treatment at home.
A real strength of this author is that she is not afraid to show characters with flaws, who just seem to make things worse for themselves. In the wake of discovering she is not in the same class as Amber, who seems to have new friends and then not making the A team for football, Hattie’s behaviour spirals.
She thinks the whole world prefers Seren, but we can see the hurt underlying her unacceptable actions. As readers we can see all too clearly the frustrations, jealousy and sense of injustice she feels, but we can also see where she is going wrong. From the outside we can understand the difficult nature of Seren’s situation and can only hope that Hattie comes to understand this before irreparable damage is done.
The plot layers incidents at home and school in a very believable manner and there is no easy dramatic solution, nor is Hattie the only one with flaws. We can see adults making mistakes too!
Hattie gradually gains control of her emotions and is eventually able to discuss things with her parents and very tentatively with Seren. We can be proud of how Hattie has grown and developed in this tricky period and how she has worked hard to achieve a hopeful outcome. This is a really positive message of resilience, kindness and communication for readers who will find lots to discuss as they unpick the rights and wrongs of the situation and another brilliant example of honest and sensitive storytelling from an author who never disappoints.
A stunning contemporary real-life story from the brilliant author of Ella on the Outside, with beautiful illustrations by Miguel Bustos.
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the best books for 9-12 year olds · the best books for teenagers
A stunning contemporary real-life story from the brilliant author of Ella on the Outside, with beautiful illustrations by Miguel Bustos. Hattie's life is already complicated enough.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Two Is A Crowd and determined it is suitable for children aged 9-12 years old
Two Is A Crowd features in the following genres: Featured Books for 9+ readers, Featured Books for 11+ readers, Books of the Month, Recommendations, Star Books, Stories about Family and Friends, School Stories, PSHE: Family Issues, Personal Social Health Economic (PSHE), Children’s / Teenage fiction: General, modern and contemporary fiction, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational
Paperback. £7.19, down from the £7.99 cover price. In Stock.
Two Is A Crowd was written by Cath Howe and published by Nosy Crow
Two Is A Crowd has 240 pages
£7.19, reduced from £7.99. In Stock.
