Big Bones - Softcover

Laura Dockrill is a very talented writer Author: Mhairi McFarlane

Big Bones is the book I wish I'd had as a teenager and Bluebelle is a friend I wish I had today. Laura has written a beautiful love letter to some of the most important things in life: friends, family and food. Author: Lindsey Kelk

A celebration of food sisterly love and what it means to be teen today, Big Bones had me laughing out loud Source: The Sun

I loved this character so much, she is a total breath of fresh air, an inspiration and we could all do with taking a lesson from her. I recommend this for every single person Source: Edel's Book Blog

As energising as a super food salad, as satisfying and nourishing as your favourite home-cooked meal, this delectable novel about feeling comfortable in your own skin has been prepared with sisterly love and comes served on a bed of inspiration. Stuffed with lashings of laugh-out-loud loveliness (just wait until you read about Bum Tills...), relatable real-life truths and love in all its complicated, dizzying forms (food-love, friend-love, sisterly-love, boy-love, self-love), this is, quite simply, the best YA book about self-esteem and body image I've ever read Source: Lovereading

this book is a real lesson in loving yourself and ignoring what people thing! BB's confidence is inspiring! Source: Shout Magazine

It was so deeply refreshing to read about a young woman who had utter confidence in how she looked, seeing sexy in muffin tops and belly rolls. It shows how ingrained it is, for me at least, to be in a space where we expect young women to hate how they look, as I found myself continually having my head pulled up but this novel surprise. Bluebelle is a pleasure to spend time with, and the story of her family, the navigation of the 'from child to adult' years, and be relationship with food are all equally absorbing. Pull up a seat at her table and tuck in! Source: Dogeared Reads

Laura Dockrill has such a unique writing style and her poetic freshness is a joy to behold. One second, you are laughing big belly laughs at her turn of phrase, and the next, you are crying There is so much food for thought in Big Bones, making it a book for teenagers to savour, and, above all, enjoy. Adult readers may wish they'd had the book to accompany them when they were teenagers, too Source: Booktrust

Big Bones is a book with a big heart Source: The Skinny

First of all, I LOVED the body positivity in Big Bones. It's a topic that I feel isn't addressed enough in YA fiction and it should be. Why shouldn't we all learn to love our bodies? Bluebelle's admiration for her own body was inspirational - young girls will read this book and hopefully realise that they don't need to be stick thin to be beautiful. Granted, BB was a fictional character but in my mind she is a beautiful young woman. Big Bones was an entertaining read and shows you the importance of loving yourself, looking out for family and friends and finding out what really matters. It's a book that helps bring out body positivity in a unique way and the character of BB will certainly stick with me for a long time Source: Amy's Bookish Life

Laura Dockrill is a performance poet and novelist whose wonderfully inventive and vibrant approach to life is reflected in the rich and vividly imagined worlds she creates. Laura grew up in Brixton and attended the Brit School. Laura has always had a vivacious spark, finding creativity in words - from poetry to novels and scripts to song lyrics. She is author of the Carnegie Medal nominated YA novel Lorali, as well as the Darcy Burdock series (Random House) for younger readers, which was also nominated for the Carnegie Medal and shortlisted for the Waterstones Children's Book Prize in 2014. Other books include Echoes (Harper Collins), a collection of poems and short stories. Laura has appeared on Blue Peter and CBeebies and is a frequent poet performer at festivals including Glastonbury, Hay, Edinburgh, London Literary Festival and Latitude.

Children's books are at the heart of her work. She curated The Wondercrump World of Roald Dahl exhibition at the Southbank Centre and loves to visit schools and festivals and meet young readers who are as spirited as her. Laura lives in London and is currently working on her new teen novel, a play and a poetry collection. You can follow her on Twitter @LauraDockrill.