Bad Girls is a children’s novel published in 1996, written by English author Jacqueline Wilson and illustrated by Nick Sharratt. The book revolves around a ten-year-old girl called Mandy being bullied by three girls called Kim, Sarah and Melanie. She later befriends a wayward teenage girl called Tanya who is in foster care and battling her own personal demons.
“Mum said to just ignore them and they’ll get tired of teasing. They haven’t got tired yet.”
Mandy is lonely. She’s been bullied at school for as long as she can remember.
But then she meets Tanya. Fun, daring and glamorous Tanya wants Mandy as HER friend! She can’t believe her luck.
There’s only one issue though. Mandy’s mum isn’t happy. She thinks that Tanya is a BAD GIRL, and a bad influence on her daughter. But even if Tanya gets her into a TEENY bit of trouble, she can always get Mandy out of it – right?
From bestselling author Jacqueline Wilson, Bad Girls is a heartwarming story about confidence, friendship and becoming your own person. The perfect read to start difficult conversations with younger readers about bullying and how we treat others.
