Bad girls
Summary:
10 year-old Mandy is bullied by three girls in her class. After an incident where she is nearly knocked down by a bus trying to avoid the bullies, she is kept at home and befriends boisterious 14-year old Tanya, a foster child of the family next door. A firm friendship grows between the girls as they imagine lives free from their current problems.
Edited by: Dublin City University

Comment:
The novel is significant in its depiction of feeling different and being the subject of bullies as a young pre-adolescent girl. Of equal importance is the sustaining nature of friendships between girls, which later develops between Tanya and Mandy. This is a welcome departure from books for this age group that can focus on being bullied by groups of girls, rather than benefitting from friendships between girls.