We present an extract from a new book for young readers, The Brightest Star, the follow-up to the award-winning The Deepest Breath, from author Meg Grehan.
Stevie, Chloe and Andrew are starting secondary school, and everything is new and scary.
There are new people, new classrooms, new challenges. Stevie and Chloe know that they like each other and their afterschool group, The Rainbow Club. But Andrew's pulling away and the friends are worried.
They thought they knew who they were together but now they're not so sure.
I know a lot of things
About a lot of things
But the thing I know the most about
Is me
Stevie
I know that I am exactly twelve years and 364 days old
I know it's my birthday tomorrow
And that my hair is still brown
My eyes are still green
And I’m still allergic to peanuts
I know I have a mum
Whose room is right next to mine
And sometimes
At night
We tap and scratch Morse code messages to each other
Morse code is great for telling jokes
I know that I know I have a dad
Who I haven’t talked to in a while
And I know that that’s OK
And definitely not my fault
I still hope he sends a birthday card
Though I know
He won’t
I know I love space and stars and the possibility of aliens
I know what I think happened to Anastasia
And I know I love tea with two sugars
I know that the ocean isn’t really all that scary
And octopuses are still very cool
I know I get this feeling
When I look at my best friend
Chloe
I know it’s fizzy and warm and lovely and
I know
Exactly
What it is
I know I want to hold her hand
And maybe kiss her some day
And I want us to grow up together
And I know
Exactly
What this feeling is
When I look at Chloe
I feel
Affection
I feel bravery
I feel
Pride
I know a lot about me
But I also know a lot about Chloe
I know she is kind and cool and funny
I know she is way better at maths than I am
And that she helps me when I get stuck
Because she is a very good best friend
I know that I know she still paints her nails every week
Pink this week!
And she still loves magic
And is somehow
Still
Confusing me
With it
Which is sometimes frustrating
Because I like to know how things work
But it’s also very
Very
Impressive
I think Chloe is the coolest
I love when we hang out
When we read together
When we go to the aquarium
Our favourite place
Together
'
We have a teddy we share
His name is Sydney
And he’s an octopus
My very favourite octopus
We take turns minding him and sometimes
We bring him to the aquarium
With us
It’s our own
Special thing
We have another best friend
His name is Andrew
And he has moved
From the very best cookies
To the very best, most delicious, most elaborate
Cakes
He’s making my birthday cake
And that makes me feel
Special
And loved
And known
Because he said he’s going to make it
Space themed!
I love space
I know it seems scary
I do
So big
So vast
So
So
Unknown
But I think that’s what I like about it
I can’t possibly know everything about space
Nobody does!
But I can learn
And explore
And wonder
And that feels
Freeing
And exciting
The sea used to scare me
So I wrote about it in my notebook
My notebook is giant
It has hundreds of pages
And I still
Still!
Haven’t used them all
But I think that’s a good thing
Because before
When I was scared
I would use my notebook to make me feel safe
I would collect information
Facts and figures and findings
And I would store them all
In this book
Just
In
Case
In case of what?
I’m not sure
You see
I thought
That if I knew everything there was to know in the world
I would be ready for anything
I would be safe safe safe
But here’s the thing!
I am safe
I might still feel scared
I might still feel anxious
But I don’t feel
Unsafe
Any more
Because
Because!
I trust myself
And I know I have my mum
And she’s the grown-up (even if I’m about to be thirteen)
And I know
I can go to her if anything
Scares me
Or worries me
I know now
That not all bad things
Are big bad things
I know that
And I trust myself to know the difference
I know
I have
Chloe and Andrew
And I can turn to them
Any time
I have a problem
Or need some help or advice
And I know I have Dr Wells
My therapist
Who reminds me
Every week
That I am strong
That I am brave
That I am capable and worthy and wonderful
Though
Honestly
I don’t think I need reminding
Any more
Because now
I think
That’s something
I know
Too
The Brightest Star is published by Little Island
