Review Detail

I Conquer Britain is the companion novel to Sophie Pitt-Turnbull Discovers America. In these two stories, two girls swap families and lives for the summer, with Sophie traveling to New York and Cherokee, aka Cherry, taking on England.

This books focuses on Cherrys adventures in England, from her first airplane ride (more eventful than most), to her final goodbyes and all of the fun in between. Cherokees mother had the brilliant idea of switching daughters with her good friend, Caroline Pitt-Turnbull, for the summer. This resulted on Cherry being shipped off to England for the summer, though she figures it has to be better than Brooklyn. After hearing so much about England from so many different people, Cherokee finds that England is nothing like she thought it would be.

Cherry is an alternative, goth kind of girl, and when she drops in on the prim and proper Pitt-Turnbull family, it looks like she will be in for an awkward summer. But Cherokee is one to make the most out of any situation, and finds humor in the strange events that befall her. Whether she is being barfed on by an old lady, walking dogs that are more or less walking her, spying on the Pitt-Turnbulls mysterious son Czar, or being mistakenly arrested, Cherrys adventures are sure to have readers laughing out loud.

This book is such a quick read, and the shorter length will appeal to reluctant readers. My only complaint is that I want to see more of Cherry, and all of the other colorful characters that she has met. Since Cherokee and Sophie have their summer stories split up into two volumes, they still have not met each other. I would love to read a sequel where the two girls finally meet, and Cherokee can get to know the girl behind the blindingly pink room.

Sheldon captures the sarcastic but witty voice of Cherokee perfectly, creating one of the most realistic portraits of a teen I have seen. From the author of Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, I Conquer Britain is another wild and fun book for teens, and I wouldnt be surprised if it was optioned as a movie as well!