Ella is at a new school, her best friend is far away, her father is in prison, and she is finding this difficult to deal with.

Then the troubles really start, who can you trust, who is your friend?

Ella on the Outside is a well-written look at a young girls difficulties in steering through the complexities of new school and friendships, whilst dealing with domestic problems and growing up.

We watch as Ella grows and conquers all these difficulties, finding out what it means to be a good friend.

A great middle grade book, exploring lots of issues but still a good read with that.