Laurel Remington Books

The Polka Dot Shop was for me a very enjoyable read, exploring themes of friendship, family, mental health and valuing entrepreneurialism among young people.

13-year-old Andy is the only pupil in her school who is not keen on the new no-uniform policy. While her classmates talk endlessly about fashion and look forward to weekend shopping sprees, Andy has to wear pre-loved clothes that come from her mum’s run-down vintage boutique.

One day, Andy finds a bag of high-quality designer clothes at the back of the shop and suddenly she spots an appealing outfit and begins to see a renewed potential in the pre-used fashion business. But in order for her plans to come to fruition, Andy will need a little help from her friends, a dose of business acumen and huge amounts of determination to find a way to transform the boutique and keep everyone happy along the way. Andy and her mum also need to find a way to bridge their growing divide by beginning to see things from each other’s perspectives, which is not an easy journey for either of them.

I really enjoyed the way that young entrepreneurialism was presented so positively in this story. There is a lot of warmth in Laurel Remington’s writing and the characters are hugely relatable with realistic relationships portrayed, plus a hint of budding romance. This book is suitable for upper KS2+.