Hey, Girl!

Always truthful, deeply perceptive and understanding, this new collection from Rachel Rooney explores what it means to be a girl in the 21st Century


Rachel Rooney's much-anticipated new collection focuses on what it means to be a young teenage girl, in poems that are sometimes lyrical, sometimes pensive, sometimes right in your face. Always, though, whether reminiscent or challenging, her writing is truthful, perceptive and understanding. Its poems will be read by boys as well as girls. But they speak to girls most directly, reaching deep into what it means to be a 21st century teenager. Dealing with the public and private self, perception and reality: full of memories, dangers, difficulties, and humorous situations, they are the work of an outstanding poet at the height of her powers.

“"I absolutely love this new children's poetry book." --David Walliams on A Kid in My Class”

"A teenage girl travels the path to her future in a coming-of-age collection aimed at younger teenagers. Truthful, deeply perceptive and understanding, say the publishers."

“Superb…These poems are stirring, demonstrating a life of hope and disappointment, rejection and opportunity… Bookwagon loves this thoughtful, rousing book. We recommend Hey, Girl! to readers and those who love them.”

“I’ve always liked Rooney’s work for its spareness and lack of gush…Is she a children’s poet? I prefer to think of her as a poet whose work can speak to children and young adults, but can also be fully appreciated on its own terms by readers of any age.”

"An inspired and important collection. Girls will find themselves in the pages, which will help them to find themselves in life. Rachel Rooney is a very skilled poet, this is evident throughout, but so is her heart for girls who face challenges. Excellent stuff."

"Another wonderful collection from Rachel Rooney with fab illustrations from Milo Hartnoll. Diverse beautifully written poems for older children and teens."

“Poems for young teens - thought-provoking, poem-provoking poems exploring what it means to be human and evolving an identity. Vivid, lyrical, witty, deeply-felt.” – Chrissie Gittins, poet, via Twitter

"Imbued with insight, warmth, encouragement & reassurance, this special collection should be in the hands of teenage girls everywhere."

Rachel Rooney is among the most admired children's poets of our time. She worked as a teacher of special needs children while bringing up her three sons and continues to take a close interest in the welfare of children with mental health problems. She is the author of A Kid In Our Class, shortlisted for the CLiPPA Children's Poetry Prize in 2019, and one of the most widely-read poetry collections for children. Rachel is also author of The Language of Cat, winner of the CLPE Poetry Prize in 2011, and My Life as a Goldfish (2014). She lives in Brighton, England.


Milo Hartnoll studied illustration at the University of Brighton, and is a painter and illustrator. He lives in Brighton.

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