Needle

Award-winning author Patrice Lawrence explores the harsh reality of the criminal justice system for young people in this riveting teen drama.

A powerful and heart-rending exploration of a teenager’s journey through grief, rage and getting caught in the criminal justice system from award-winning author Patrice Lawrence.

Charlene is a demon knitter. It’s the only thing she enjoys and the only thing she believes she’s really good at.

So when her foster mum’s son destroys her latest creation, Charlene loses it and stabs him in the hand with her knitting needle. It damages a nerve and she gets sucked into the criminal justice system for assault.

Charlene's not sorry and she’s never apologised to anyone in her life. But people keep telling her that if she says sorry, they’ll go easier on her. Can she bring herself to say it and not mean it when her freedom’s at stake?

Reviews

"A profoundly poignant YA story of an angry, hurt young teenager enmeshed in an inimical system, by an award-winning author" – The Guardian

"A brilliantly accomplished, heart-tripping, contemporary novella which will let the young people in your life know they have been heard" – Letterbox Library

"A complete page-turner that had me holding back the tears and wanting to dive into the book and make Charlene’s world better. A brilliantly told-heart aching insight into the care system, broken homes, family and knitting!" – Joseph Coelho, author

"Gripping, important and powerful. Made me weep with both anger and hope” – Sophie Anderson, author

"A true window into the life of another, Needle is a must-read … Patrice Lawrence's writing hits readers like a shock wave" – Just Imagine

About the author

Patrice Lawrence is a bestselling and multi-award-winning author for children and young adults. Her debut YA novel Orangeboy, won the YA Book Prize, the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize for Older Readers, and was shortlisted for the Costa Children’s Book Award. Her other novels include Indigo Donut, the Jhalak Prize-winner Eight Pieces of Silva and Carnegie Medal longlisted Rat. In 2021, Patrice was awarded an MBE for Services to Literature.