You can also use the external lift near the Artists' Entrance on Southbank Centre Square to reach Mandela Walk, Level 2. But anyway, I have to say I didn't realise just how short a read this would be and was therefore a little disappointed by this, having thought I'd be in for a good summers read, only to finish it within 2 days. Nevertheless it was an enjoyable enough read, I liked how Lily's sleepover that rivalled Chloe's in that it was all about quality over quantity, with just Daisy and Lily and their respective best friends Emily and Natalie, like I thought that was a really nice concept. It was interesting as well showing how impressionable young people can really be, with Amy and Bella having been easily influenced into attending Chloe's birthday party due to having the chance to swim and dance, with both these things being their respective favourite hobbies! On the other hand though, it would have been nice to see more of Amy, Bella, Daisy and Emily in their friendship group together.

The only issue I have - I found a few small inaccuracies. The main one is how much more modern this book is than the other - there’s tiktok and mobile phones and social media etc. I get how many years later it is but the difference is huge. Lily, Daisy's older sister, decides that she is also going to throw a brilliant sleepover on the same night as Chloe's. How can they possibly compete? Tween friendship dramas, inclusive characters and best friends make this the perfect book for 8-12 year old readers. Lily is disabled and represented in a realistic and respectful manner. Her interactions with her friends and family using the sign / symbol language of Makaton ( called Key Word Sign in Australia and used by people all over the world who have speech delay or communication difficulties) and joy at being understood, included and able to make her wants known is palpable. I absolutely loved it! I loved how Lily was a much more developed character this time around; last time, she was talked about a lot but we never really got to know her very well. But this time she was more developed and I absolutely loved how she communicated with those around her using Makatron. I had never heard of Makatron before this book so it was so good to learn about it!! Uncle Gary is amazing, and i loved how his drag queen persona was brought into the book as well, that was so good to see!Honestly the first one was a better book, but Lily was better written in this one. I might just be nostalgic for my own childhood though. Sleepovers featured Daisy, the new girl at school who was desperate to fit in with her new friends in the Alphabet Club. I know some have found the transition to modern life a little jarring, as the original book was set in the early 2000s and the sequel includes references to TikTok and drag queens, but to me it didn't read as weird or out of place, simply a different aspect of life at the primary school not shown in the first book. I think the addition of a drag queen was interesting, as I don't think all parents will necessarily enjoy the talk about nightclubs and might find the switching pronouns complicated. I'm not a parent, so I really don't know where I stand on this. I think maybe a little more explanation could've been nice, as I know as a child I would've been very confused by Uncle Gary's appearance as a woman and the use of she/her to refer to him, on and off!

If you're a fan of Jacqueline Wilson, I'm sure you won't be disappointed with this book, it was a fun little read during some annual leave from work. Former children’s laureate and author of more than 100 books, Wilson is one of Britain’s bestselling children’s authors. Known for characters like Tracy Beaker and Hetty Feather, she has legions of loyal fans both in the UK and throughout the world.To reach this entrance, enter the Royal Festival Hall via the Southbank Centre Square Doors. Take the JCB Glass Lift to Level 2 and exit to the Riverside Terrace. Turn right to find the Queen Elizabeth Hall main entrance. As well as winning many awards for her books, including the Children's Book of the Year, Jacqueline is a former Children's Laureate, and in 2008 she was appointed a Dame. I'd say kids should definitely read it. As an adult, only read it if you really want to see Lily written better than in the first one! A bit of a boring book apart from that though. If you have really fond memories of the original, maybe give this one a miss unless your curiosity is killing you!

Jacqueline Wilson wrote her first novel when she was nine years old, and she has been writing ever since. She is now one of Britain's bestselling and most beloved children's authors. She has written over 100 books and is the creator of characters such as Tracy Beaker and Hetty Feather. More than forty million copies of her books have been sold.

According to the publisher, for the last five years Sleepovers has been a bestselling Jacqueline Wilson title and has since publication sold almost half a million copies. The continued interest in the novel “prompted Wilson to revisit the story and write this brand-new sequel about Daisy and her sister, Lily.”