Needle

How come, if there’s any kind of ‘incident’ at school, at the shopping centre, it’s always the Black kid in care who gets the blame? Charlene has got used to the fact that no-one ever wants to hear her side of the story but that doesn’t make it any easier or make her any less angry.

 She uses knitting to manage her stress and is making a special blanket for the younger sister she hasn’t seen for two years. All the love she has for Kandi has been poured into it so, when her foster brother destroys it, something inside her snaps. She stabs him in the arm with a knitting needle.

 If people are going to think you’re bad anyway, what’s the point in trying to be good anymore?

 This is a troubling, empathetic and important story that gives a voice to the voiceless. It shows how little control young people in care can have over their own lives.

 Charlene is such a forceful presence it’s easy to forget this is fiction and not a memoir. Compelling but uncomfortable reading aimed at teens/young adults but with a younger reading age and extra features to make it more accessible.