The Girl in Between

By Author / Illustrator

Sarah Carroll

Genre

Adventure

Age range(s)

11+

Publisher

Simon & Schuster Ltd

ISBN

9781471160622

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

04-05-2017

Synopsis

I know the mill has a story cos there's something strange going on. I heard something. I've decided that I'm going to find out what it is later today when Ma leaves. Cos even if it is scary, we live here and we're never leaving. So if there's something going on, I need to know.

In an old, abandoned mill, a girl and her ma take shelter from their memories of life on the streets. To the girl it's home, her safe place, the Castle. But as her ma spins out of control and the Authorities move ever closer, the girl finds herself trapped - stuck in the crumbling mill with only the ghosts of the past for company.

Can she move on before it's too late?

'Perfect for fans of David Almond and Katherine Rundell' - The Guardian
'A compelling and heart-breaking debut with an unexpecting twist, reminiscent of A Monster Calls' - Glamour magazine
'Pitch-perfect Dublin voice' - Irish Times
'The Girl in Between' grabbed me from the start and held on so tight it left bruises' - Geraldine McCaughrean
'In turns beautiful, devastating and ultimately uplifting, The Girl in Between demands re-reading' - Zana Fraillon, author of The Bone Sparrow
`Dark, sometimes profound, this is the kind of book that envelops readers in its world, sending them blinking into the light with the voice and images still ringing in their heads' LoveReading4Kids.co.uk
`A descriptive story that's intriguing, emotionally engaging ... with a twist at the end.' The Book Bag

Reviews

This is the very affecting and thought provoking story of a young girl squatting with her mum in an old flour mill. They haven't always been homeless and through a series of flashbacks the girl tells the story of how they ended up there. Terrified the girl will be taken again away by the mysterious Authorities, her mother has promised to give up drink and orders her to stay inside the mill, safe from prying eyes. So, the young girl passes her days watching the people who pass by everyday on their way to work, and those who live near them. Beneath the facade of their everyday lives, all seem unhappy, haunted by memories and isolated from those around them. The only one who sees the girl is the Caretaker - an old tramp haunted by the memory of a young mill girl, Rose. What happened to her? As winter approaches, and the mill is earmarked for development, her mother starts drinking heavily again. What is haunting her mother? It's time for them to move on, but moving on will mean facing some terrible truths. The young girl's voice is authentic and insightful and despite the hardships she faces, full of humour. Through her innocent eyes, we see the effects of her mum's alcoholism and drug abuse, but the girl never wavers in her love. Carroll tackles the plight of the homeless with compassion and understanding. The twist in the ending will resonate with readers. It will appeal to fans of Lockhart's'We were Liars' and of the film 'The Others'. With its short chapters, appealing narrative voice and assured handling of important topics it would be an ideal book to study with a class.