Evie P and Me by Petra James, illustrated by Andrew Joyner

Title: Evie P and Me

Author: Petra James, illustrated by Andrew Joyner

Genre: Adventure

Publisher: Walker Books Australia

Published: 1^st September 2025

Format: Paperback

Pages: 144

Price: $16.99

Synopsis: An unforgettable character at the heart of a story filled with imagination and adventure

Evie P, the air-explorer has arrived for her first day at school, her unusual life spent in an air balloon has left her bereft of “ordinary” experiences, like classrooms, and friends, but she is full of quirk, adventure, and above all, inspiration. This story celebrates imagination, language, the joy of finding a sparkly new friend, and the art of play. With timeless illustrations by Andrew Joyner.

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Evie P is an air explorer, and she’s always lived in an airship with her family. And she’s starting a new school. But on a Tuesday. Who starts a new school on a Tuesday? Evie P! Evie P and Lily, the character telling the story, become fast friends. Lily is taken by Evie’s stories and wondrous adventures that turn the classroom and playground into a world of wonder. Imagination is at the heart of this novel as it explores friendship, a quest to find something lost, and uniting everyone with a common interest…or a common enemy.

Imagination is at the heart of so many children’s books in a variety of ways. Lily’s story about Evie P, a new person starting on a Tuesday sparks so many ways of thinking, so many stories and adventures during one lunchtime in the playground. Each character is fun and unique, from Lily who tells the story, to the class lie detector, Gretchen Aughtie, and the keeper of the class diary, Tom Abergeldie. Then there’s the teacher, Ms Trunketabella, who nurtures her class’s vibrancy and creativity.

Written for junior readers, who are just gaining their confidence in reading longer books, this was a joy to read. It’s simplicity captures something magic about reading. It is modern, yet feels timeless at the same time. As though it could be set during any modern time period, because there’s nothing that dates this book. Because it captures childhood wonder of exploring your world, your imagination and things you don’t know about. At its heart, it is about friendship, and the magic of a strong friendship where you want to discover everything about each other. Where being without your friend is something unbearable. It’s this magic that Lily and Evie P bring to life.

There’s a joy in imagination, and it comes to life without screens in this book. It’s stories and art, and Evie P’s secret device that she says she has to hide from someone. It’s airships and travel and all sorts of magic that makes this a great read for younger readers. I loved reading it, and loved its simplicity and heart. This is what made it special, because filling books with wonder and that can take you on an adventure is what reading is all about. This book fits in perfectly with this year’s Book Week theme, Book an Adventure. Because Evie P’s adventure is what this story is all about, and it would have made for a great Book Week display.

I hope this book flies and finds its readers, just like all the other fabulous books out there.