Essie Redcup’s Extremely Secret Diary! by S.K. Sheridan follows Essie, a street kid in Deal City. All she knows is survival and being locked away in smelly cells. Her world is unstable, and she is forced to live and go only where officers tell her. These officers run the city by order of the High Sages. But through Essie's diary, she shares her daily struggles from looking for food to trying to stay warm. Essie also helps the other kids like Kimbo, Rettle, and Harlo. But her life takes a turn when she meets a boy named Kerren and a woman named Yanette. Through these encounters, she discovers something much bigger about her past and her identity. She also begins to question everything she always believed about the High Sages. Will Essie’s discovery of the truth about her world put her in danger?

S.K. Sheridan has written an adventurous story with wonderful fantasy elements. I loved the balance of action with Essie’s quiet moments. Essie narrated the story as if she were talking directly to her diary. Her character was honest, observant, and funny. Learning the backstory about Essie’s surname and her red metal cup was touching. There were emotional and comedic moments. There were also moments where I held my breath, especially when she escaped and was being chased. I think middle-grade readers will be able to relate to Essie. The way she bared her soul in her diary made her vulnerable. I enjoyed the worldbuilding around Deal City and the idea of the Worldroot Tree. Readers who enjoyed similar fantasy stories like B.B. Alston’s Amari and the Night Brothers would enjoy Essie Redcup’s Extremely Secret Diary!

Essie Redcup's Extremely Secret Diary! by S.K. Sheridan takes one young girl on the adventure of a lifetime. Essie was just a street kid when she discovered there was more to her story. She’s no stranger to secrets, but she never expected the trouble one would land her in. After overhearing a rumor, she learns that the High Sages in charge of the city are keeping terrible secrets. Now she’s on the run, trying to stay a step ahead by journeying through the various branches that comprise the Worldroot Tree. Along the way, she discovers worlds both beautiful and dangerous. The further she travels, the closer she comes to finding the truth, something she must uncover before she’s punished for knowing too much.

S.K. Sheridan has created one fun-filled adventure after another through different worlds on the branches of a world tree. Each world offers something new for Essie to discover, taking her from a yard with unfriendly chickens into a dangerous journey. She begins the story as an orphan without an identity, but that is not how this story ends. At the start, she’s running away from things, and over the course of the journey, she discovers the bravery it takes to face them. This makes for a lighthearted but heartfelt coming-of-age journey that never becomes too intense. The story is an easy read for younger children transitioning to longer chapter books, but older readers will also enjoy the story. The formatting is that of a diary, with each chapter a new entry. This provides short and quick sentences that fit the perspective of a girl writing her adventures down. She often talks directly to the reader, which gives the story an interactive quality that works well, as well as giving a reflective tone. Embark on a charming and fun journey with Essie Redcup’s Extremely Secret Diary!, which will take you into extraordinary worlds where secrets are exposed and adventure is discovered.