
Recommended by: Sam Bateman/@slbsamantha
Author: Hayley Webster
Form and genre: Fiction
Length: 134 pages
Brief synopsis:
Willow is struggling socially & academically. Her mum is struggling too – since Dad left them & grandma (the lynchpin who held them all together) has died. Willow has no one who sees & values her for who she is anymore.
After school homework club is thrust on Willow.
Here she meets other misfits & hopes to be accepted by them in order to win over cool kid ‘Tay.’
But can Willow earn Tay’s respect by agreeing and partaking in ‘dares’ that are increasingly risky & ‘criminal.’ What will be the cost if she goes along?
Age recommendation: Y6+
Notable reasons for recommending: Covers lots of important themes such as:
Respect – self-respect above all
Honesty
Family – separation, depression
Friendships
Acceptance
Bereavement
Content Warnings
Willow steals things from family members, shops & teachers.
Mum isn’t mentally strong – depressed since their partner left the family home. Masks her difficulties in front of her boyfriend.
Grandma has died – bereavement