'When I was thirteen I was sent away... Maybe dragged away is a better way to put it.'
A powerful and unflinching graphic memoir about what really happens inside America's secretive 'troubled teen' correctional facilities - told from the inside with raw honesty and dark humour.
Bad Kid tells the story of Sofia's turbulent teenhood, including her experience of being taken away ('kidnapped') to a residential treatment centre aimed at 'troubled teens'.?Wise, funny and heartbreaking all at once, it presents - in a series of flashbacks - the unforgettable portrait?of life in a US 'teenage boot camp' and offers YA readers a glimpse into the harmful effects that labels can have on us.
Powerfully told in black and white comic strips accented with vivid pops of red,?Bad Kid is the coming-of-age story of Sofia's late childhood, and?how her once-happy relationship with her mother sours irreparably when she marries Sofia's stepfather.
It follows?her early teenage rebellion years in which she meets Marigold - 'AKA the coolest girl I'd ever met' - and together?they set about finding themselves through the traditional teen pursuits of rule breaking, smoking, dodgy hook ups?and bright red booty shorts . . . until the day when she is bundled into a car by total strangers and driven 400 miles?to a teenage correction camp based deep in the woodlands of Virginia, US . . .
This powerful and challenging memoir covers themes and ideas that are universal to teenagers everywhere - being misunderstood, mis-labelled and rejected, and speaks to relationship and mental health issues experienced by teens today.
A striking coming-of-age story for YA and adult readers alike, Bad Kid reminds us that no one is beyond redemption - and that reclaiming your story can be the most powerful act of all.
| ISBN: | 9781836001928 |
| Publication date: | 26th March 2026 |
| Author: | Sofia Szamosi |
| Publisher: | Holler |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Pagination: | 391 pages |
| Reading age: | 13+ |
| Genres: |
Graphic novel / Comic book / Manga: Memoirs, true stories and non-fiction Children’s / Teenage general interest: Youth clubs, societies, groups and organisations Children’s / Teenage personal and social topics: Runaways |
'When I was thirteen I was sent away... Maybe dragged away is a better way to put it.' A powerful and unflinching graphic memoir about what really happens inside America's secretive 'troubled teen' correctional facilities - told from the inside with raw honesty and dark humour. Bad Kid tells the story of Sofia's turbulent teenhood, including her experience of being taken away ('kidnapped') to a residential treatment centre aimed at 'troubled teens'.?Wise, funny and heartbreaking all at once, it presents - in a series of flashbacks - the unforgettable portrait?of life in a US 'teenage boot camp' and offers YA readers a glimpse into the harmful effects that labels can have on us. Powerfully told in black and white comic strips accented with vivid pops of red,?Bad Kid is the coming-of-age story of Sofia's late childhood, and?how her once-happy relationship with her mother sours irreparably when she marries Sofia's stepfather. It follows?her early teenage rebellion years in which she meets Marigold - 'AKA the coolest girl I'd ever met' - and together?they set about finding themselves through the traditional teen pursuits of rule breaking, smoking, dodgy hook ups?and bright red booty shorts . . . until the day when she is bundled into a car by total strangers and driven 400 miles?to a teenage correction camp based deep in the woodlands of Virginia, US . . . This powerful and challenging memoir covers themes and ideas that are universal to teenagers everywhere - being misunderstood, mis-labelled and rejected, and speaks to relationship and mental health issues experienced by teens today. A striking coming-of-age story for YA and adult readers alike, Bad Kid reminds us that no one is beyond redemption - and that reclaiming your story can be the most powerful act of all.
Bad Kid is aimed at readers aged 13 and over.
Bad Kid features in the following genres: Graphic novel / Comic book / Manga: Memoirs, true stories and non-fiction, Children’s / Teenage general interest: Youth clubs, societies, groups and organisations, Children’s / Teenage personal and social topics: Runaways
Paperback. £15.29, down from the £16.99 cover price. In Stock.
Bad Kid was written by Sofia Szamosi and published by Holler
Bad Kid has 391 pages
£15.29, reduced from £16.99. In Stock.