LoveReading Says
Patrice Lawrence’s new book for Barrington Stoke is heartrending and thought-provoking, a taut first-person narrative that many will find themselves reading in one sitting. 15-year-old Charlene is struggling to say in control of her life. She’s been in care since her mother died two years ago and desperately misses her little sister, who is living with her own father. Knitting is Charlene’s therapy, the click, click, click of the needles helping her find calm, but the pressures she faces at school and outside are overwhelming. An act of cruelty against her leads Charlene to rage and violence. As the security she has known unravels, readers will understand her despair and frustration, particularly at the constant demands on her to be sorry. Written to be accessible to all readers, Needle lets us see through someone else’s eyes, highlighting the restrictive effects of society’s expectations of individuals. Vivid, powerful and unforgettable.
Andrea Reece
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Patrice Lawrence Press Reviews
'A profoundly poignant YA story of an angry, hurt young teenager enmeshed in an inimical system, by an award-winning author' The Guardian
'A brilliantly accomplished, heart-tripping, contemporary novella which will let the young people in your life know they have been heard' Letterbox Library
'A complete page-turner that had me holding back the tears and wanting to dive into the book and make Charlene's world better. A brilliantly told-heart aching insight into the care system, broken homes, family and knitting!' Joseph Coelho, author
'Gripping, important and powerful. Made me weep with both anger and hope' Sophie Anderson, author
'A true window into the life of another, Needle is a must-read ... Patrice Lawrence's writing hits readers like a shock wave' Just Imagine
About Patrice Lawrence
Patrice Lawrence was born in Brighton and brought up in an Italian-Trinidadian household in Sussex. Her first novel, Orangeboy, won the Waterstones Book Prize for Older Children, the YA Book Prize, was shortlisted for the Costa Children's Book Award, and nominated for the Carnegie medal. Her second YA novel, Indigo Donut received rave reviews and was shortlisted for the YA Book Prize.
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