"Powerful and moving story of love, loss and redemption "
May 2017 MEGA Debut of the Month |
| ‘I’m invisible’ says our narrator; and certainly no-one sees her hiding out in the old abandoned mill she calls a Castle, or in the shadows behind her mother as they go out begging. Is it that they don’t want to, or that they can’t? We hear her voice clearly enough, describing in simple, vivid prose the stages of her life, from memories of early days with her grandma, to more frightening times on the streets. There are moments of joy and hope, but they get further in between as we gradually come to understand the depth of the grief and loss in her mother’s eyes. Dark, sometimes profound, this is the kind of book that envelops readers in its world, sending them blinking into the light with the voice and images still ringing in their heads. Recommended for fans of David Almond.
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"A deeply moving story of family, homelessness, and the ghosts that won't let us go. Haunting and unforgettable."-Megan Shepherd, New York Times bestselling author of The Secret Horses of Briar Hill
Told in the naïve voice of a homeless girl sheltered by her mother from the world, this is a moving debut perfect for fans of David Almond, A Monster Calls, and Room.
I'm invisible. Ma says I'm supposed to be so the Authorities don't get me. She goes out into the streets almost every day but I'm not allowed. I've got to stay inside the mill so they don't see me.
In an old, abandoned mill, a girl and her ma take shelter from their memories of life on the streets, and watch the busy world go by. The girl calls it the Castle because it's the biggest place they've ever stayed, a home of her own like no other. The windows are boarded up and the floorboards are falling in, but for her neither of those things matter.
Then developers show up, and it's clear that their lives are about to change forever. Desperate to save their refuge from the Authorities and her mother from her own personal demons, the girl seeks out the ghosts of the mill. And with only Caretaker-the old man who's slept outside the mill for decades-around to answer her questions, she begins to wonder what kind of ghosts are haunting both the mill and her mother.
The Girl in Between is a compelling, witty, and at times heartbreaking novel that explores themes of loneliness and grief with effortless warmth and an unforgettable voice that will stick with you long after you've finished.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed The Girl in Between and determined it is suitable for children aged 11-14 years old
The Girl in Between features in the following genres: Debuts of the Month, Recommendations, Stories about Family and Friends, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Featured Books for 13+ readers, Recommended Children's eBooks, Books Reviewed by our Reader Review Panels, Featured Books for 11+ readers
The Girl in Between is available in Hardback, Paperback
The Girl in Between was written by Sarah Carroll and published by Kathy Dawson an imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group
The Girl in Between has 251 pages
