Diary Disaster by Meredith Costain

Ill. by Danielle McDonald. Ella Diaries book 14. Scholastic, 2018, ISBN 9781743818077
(Age: 7-9) Themes: Diaries, Turtle Conservation, Camping. Ella is a bubbly, bright character who loves to record and sketch all her activities, her feelings and the dramas of her life in her diary. Peach is a dominant colour in this fourteenth junior novel and for fans who love Ella's recounts, this shows that her enemy Her Royal Pushiness Princess Peach Parker is involved. Ella's excited to board the ferry for a five-day school excursion to Turtle Island. There will be beachcombing, craft, and lots of fun with her friends. What is fantabulously FABULOUS is the opportunity to watch baby turtles hatching and learn about their conservation.
Ella's one concern is how to hide her diary; she disguises it inside an old book cover with the title of 50 Scrumptious Ways to Cook Green Vegetables! Peach Parker and her two annoying friends push their way on to the bus and grab the favoured back seats much to Ella's annoyance. Adding to her woes, is the fact that Peach, Prinny and Jade are all in her cabin as well.
Nature walks, creative murals with natural objects, driftwood, shells and found objects and a visit to the lagoon are some of the highlights on Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday morning the mood changes, there's different style of writing, bolder and darker and peach becomes the predominant colour: yes Ella's enemy Peach has stolen her diary and taken over the commentary. She adds unflattering details about Ella's beach volleyball skills and she gives Ella and Zoe the worst jobs during the mural making - cleaning up. How will Peach and Ella resolve their problems?
Meredith Costain continues to write fun and relatable stories for a younger audience who love Ella's unique expressions, world-view and cute sketches. Diary Disaster is another entertaining and easy to read chronicle of Ella's life.
Rhyllis Bignell