Lovereading4kids Reader reviews of
Dear Scarlett by Fleur Hitchcock
Below are the complete reviews, written by Lovereading4kids members.
Lucy Minton age 9
Dear Scarlett is heart-warming story about a
girl called Scarlett who, mysteriously, receives a
box from her father-but he has been dead for
five years!!! Consequently, she has a LOT of
questions: who was he really? Why couldn’t he
have just given it to her while he was still alive,
instead of giving it to someone else who would
let her have it when she was eleven?
This book is quite unusual because, unlike most
other authors, the writer of Dear Scarlett wrote
this book in present tense instead of past tense.
That’s a very clever thing to do as it means that
all the action is happening at that very moment
instead of in the past.
As well as that, this book has a really gripping
plot that had me on the edge of my seat, and the
author used lots of creative description which
helped me paint an accurate picture of the
characters, the setting, and the main objects in
the story. A fantastic read!
Emma Baird age 10
Dear Scarlett is a mystery, adventure book which is at times sad but also funny. I really
enjoyed it and hope this review makes you want to read it too.
Scarlett doesn’t really fit in at school and neither does her new found friend Ellie. One of
the reasons she doesn’t fit in is because her dad is a thief. Or is he really? When a
mysterious box arrives shortly after Scarlett’s birthday Scarlett and Ellie start to wonder
if they’re being told the truth.
My favourite part was when Scarlett received the box because it’s mysterious and Fluer’s
use of words pulled me into the mystery and made try to solve it and guess what was in
the box. I like the way Scarlett thinks because she is very ‘down to earth’ and sensible. My
favourite character is Scarlett’s little brother Syd because he’s always there to brighten
Lovereading4kids Reader reviews of
Dear Scarlett by Fleur Hitchcock
Emma Baird age 10 .... Con’t
up the story and make me laugh! I would definitely recommend this book and read it
over and over again!
If you like solving mysteries then this is the book for you.
Aimee Mclachlan
www.thesweetreview.com
‘I stare at the box, then I pick it up and shake it. It rattles, but only a little. Dad. It’s from
my dad. He’s been dead for five years…’
Amazing, mysterious, and immensely intriguing, Dear Scarlett tells a fantastic story
which made me want to live her life. Twists, turns, clues and keys; this book will never
bore you, even if you read it a hundred times.
Scarlett lives with her mum and little brother called Syd. Often Uncle Derek and his
soppy daughter Ellie comes to visit them.Things are fairly happy for her, but not as
happy as when her father was around. Her dad was a thief. They say he was a bad man
and ended up in prison. But then Scarlett was given a box from her fathers solicitor, a
box full of clues, a box that may turn Scarletts life upside down…
Dear Scarlett is one of the best books I have read. Full of humour and mystery, Dear
Scarlett should be read by everyone. I’m glad I’ve read it.
I would recommend this book for fans of the Ruby Redfort series by Lauren Child.
Alexander Bisland, age 7
Scarlett’s dad was called Richard McNally and on Scarlett’s 11th birthday, 5 years after
her father died, she got a box from her father’s solicitor which made her wonder if he
really was a notorious jewel thief or something much more exciting!!! Scarlett and her
new friend Ellie go on a big adventure that leads to the truth about her father.
Most of the clues that would lead her through her father’s life were in the box he gave her.
The most important clues were “keep looking up” and “keep up the gym” and at the end of
the book she finds out how to use them.
The book was very funny, scary, mysterious and exciting and it kept me entertained.
Lovereading4kids Reader reviews of
Dear Scarlett by Fleur Hitchcock
My favourite character is Syd, Scarlett’s brother because he is funny and makes me laugh
when he tries to speak. I recommend this book to children who like mysteries and going
on adventures. I think children aged 7 would still understand the story and enjoy it even
though it is for age 9+.
I give this book 5/5 because it is brilliant. I would like to read more of Fleur Hitchcock’s
books.
Shannon Street, 11
Dear Scarlett is an extremely funny book. I like
how it’s something that wouldn’t happen every
day but yet it’s really realistic. It made me
laugh and it was just a really good book, one of
the best books I have ever read.
One of my favourite parts is where Mrs Gayton
falls in the swimming pool and Scarlett and
Ellie rescue her. Every page was exciting and
when I was reading it I just couldn’t put it
down. If I had to sum it up in one word I would
say unputdownable.
Sam Harper, age 9
This is the story of a young girl called
Scarlett and the box of clues left to her by
her dead father. The clues lead Scarlett and
her new friend Ellie through a series of
crazy adventures which help them to solve the mystery of her dad's life and the
secret which he has left for her.
Their adventures are dangerous and funny and made this a really exciting book to
read. It kept me guessing about where the clues would lead and what would
happen next. The events were often unexpected and I really could not put the book
down as I was so eager to find out what was going to happen to Scarlett and Ellie.
Scarlett has a vivid imagination and the story is written from her point of view so I
felt like I really knew her and what she was feeling. The characters were easy to
picture in my mind and I particularly liked the description of Ellie at the start of the
story as it helped me to clearly imagine how she looked and even what she smelt
like!
Lovereading4kids Reader reviews of
Dear Scarlett by Fleur Hitchcock
The chapter titles were really funny and my favourites were 'A Brief History of Fish
Paste' and 'Penguin v's Watercress'.
Dear Scarlett is a gripping story which made me laugh out loud and I
would thoroughly recommend it to anyone who likes adventures or
mysteries. You'll love it!
Cody Robertson, age 9
I enjoyed this book because it is funny and definitely adventurous. It
unfolds the secret of Scarlett’s dad’s life. Throughout the book Scarlett tries to
discover her Dad’s life with her one and only friend, Ellie. Ellie is a girl who likes
kittens, puppies and girly stuff, but Scarlett is one of the tom boys.
Everyone thinks Scarlett’s dad is a jewel thief, but is this really true? Scarlett is
given a box and in the box she finds some tools, she uses the tools to break into a
shop! When I found out what he did I was shocked! Well if you want to find out
you’ll have to read the book! I would recommend this book to a girl who loves
adventures.
Eve Mitchell, age 9
Dear Scarlett is an exciting, funny and sometimes scary novel. It is a wellwritten story by Fleur Hitchcock and is all about decision making. Scarlett
lives in a fairly normal house and everything seems ordinary, until Scarlett is given
a BIG responsibility. Her father leaves her his tools in his will, but why? Did he
want her to become a thief like him?
The tools bring Scarlett adventure…she rescues some penguins from the zoo
(maybe the most thrilling part of the book). She wonders if she should give her box
to the suspicious Mayoress and driver, or should she just give up and throw the
tools away? Also somebody keeps getting in Scarlett’s way; her hilarious baby
brother, Syd. If you’re familiar with the Diary of a Wimpy Kid you will know
Manny, Greg’s kid brother, who I find similar to Syd in this book. I enjoyed this
novel the more I read of it. If you like gripping adventure stories I suggest
you pick this book up and get reading.