How to Read the It Girl Series in Order
If you are looking for a laugh-out-loud series about teenage awkwardness, sudden fame, and loyal friendships, Katy Birchall's The It Girl series is the perfect place to start. Frequently compared to classic teen comedies like The Princess Diaries and Holly Smale's Geek Girl, the series follows the hilarious exploits of 14-year-old Anna Huntley.
Because the series follows a single continuous storyline with character growth, relationship developments, and wedding planning, you must read the books in order. Here is the recommended reading path for the series:
- The It Girl (2015) – Also published as The It Girl: Superstar Geek.
- Team Awkward (2016)
- Don't Tell the Bridesmaid (2017) – Also published as The It Girl in Rome (2018).
The Book-by-Book Breakdown
1. The It Girl (2015)
Anna Huntley is a self-proclaimed socially inept dork who is happiest when hanging out with her two best friends, Jess and Danny, or teaching her dog (aptly named Dog) how to high-five. Her life takes a dramatic, chaotic turn when her single father gets engaged to Helena Montaine, one of the most famous actresses in the world. Overnight, Anna is thrust into the relentless media spotlight. Suddenly labeled London's newest 'It Girl,' she has to navigate paparazzi, school popularity struggles, and her own signature clumsy mishaps, including accidentally setting a classmate's hair on fire.
2. Team Awkward (2016)
Having survived her initial introduction to the limelight, Anna is determined to find her own talent and prove she belongs in her new world. However, finding her 'thing' is easier said than done. After a viral mishap involving a decorative plant pot, Anna decides to form a support group of sorts to help her and her fellow awkward classmates face their social anxieties. Meanwhile, she has to manage her growing crush on the charming Connor and deal with the social hierarchies of her school, proving that being true to yourself is the ultimate challenge.
3. Don't Tell the Bridesmaid / The It Girl in Rome (2017 / 2018)
The grand finale of the trilogy focuses on two massive events in Anna's life: her father's upcoming 'Wedding of the Century' to superstar Helena, and a romantic school trip to Rome. As a bridesmaid, Anna is horrified to find herself forced into a giant, meringue-like dress that threatens to cause another public embarrassment. Desperate for an escape, she looks forward to the class trip to Italy as the perfect opportunity to spend romantic time with her boyfriend Connor. However, avoiding mishaps on the historic streets of Rome proves to be her toughest test yet.
The Great Title Mystery: Is It a Trilogy or a Four-Book Series?
If you look at online bookstores, library catalogs, or database listings (including our own metadata tables), you might see four books listed for this series. This causes a lot of confusion among readers who search for a fourth book that doesn't actually exist. Here is what is happening behind the scenes:
- Different Titles for Book Three: The third installment of the series was published in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth markets under the title Don't Tell the Bridesmaid in January 2017. When the book was published in the United States and other international markets, it was retitled The It Girl in Rome (released in early 2018).
- Database Duplication: Because automated book databases track listings by ISBN and title, they often treat these two versions as separate books. There are only three unique novels in the series, ending with the Rome trip and the wedding.
- The First Book's Alternate Title: Similarly, the first book is sometimes listed as The It Girl: Superstar Geek depending on the publisher and market, though it contains the exact same story.
What to Know Before You Start
Before diving into Anna's world, here are a few practical details to keep in mind:
- Narrative Format: The books are written in a highly engaging, modern multimedia format. The narrative is interspersed with funny emails, text message threads, lists, diary entries, and doodles, making it a very quick and fun read.
- Target Audience: While classified as Young Adult (YA) contemporary comedy, the tone is exceptionally clean, wholesome, and geared toward younger teens and tweens (ages 11 to 15).
- Crossover and Spin-Offs: Katy Birchall has written other popular YA and middle-grade series, such as Hotel Royale (beginning with Secrets of a Teenage Heiress) and Morgan Charmley: Teen Witch. While these share Birchall's signature comedic tone and London settings, they are completely separate stories and do not feature Anna Huntley or her friends.