posted on 27 Apr 2022

Needle by Patrice Lawrence

Fifteen year old Charlene introduces herself as an avid knitter in the first paragraph of this compelling story. It is what she does to relax, stay calm and focussed and to perhaps distract herself from the many difficulties that she has already experienced in her young life:

‘When I’m knitting, it’s like the stress is unwinding itself from inside my head’.

 Importantly, her passion also frames her as a creative ‘doer’ rather than a passive character.

Living in a foster family is never easy, but Charlene has the added problem of separation from her much loved younger sister, Kandi, who she hasn’t seen for the two years since their mother died. She also has to contend with Blake, the unpleasant student son of her foster mother, Annie. Blake is a selfish, jealous young man who clearly does not enjoy sharing his mother’s attention, despite the fact that she has fostered many children for ages.   Like many teenage girls, Charlene enjoys hanging out with her friends, shopping for makeup and being plain silly. However,.a recent incident in a big store had resulted in a humiliating stand-off with a security guard - so she is not in the best of moods. Annie had been called to explain her behaviour and succeeded in baling her out and, at the same time, impressively berating the security guard as a bully. This foster mother is clearly a feisty woman who is determined to stand up to authority.

Although Charlene has some friends, school isn’t her favourite place. She has been in three different schools since being in foster care and so is struggling to stay on top of her work. She enjoys history because it’s all about stories and different perspectives, especially when the teacher is interesting. Unfortunately, a heated discussion about racism with a supply teacher, Ms Nzegwu gets Charlene into trouble and means that Annie is summoned yet again.

Patrice Lawrence is so skilled at painting a likeable character who is in genuine distress about the unfairness of her situation. This is informed by her past experience of working with vulnerable young people and an understanding of the difficulties faced by many children growing up in care. How can she undo her past mistakes and begin to build a happier life? If only like her knitting dropped stitches, they could be unpicked and set right by Annie.

The pivotal scene in the book is when Blake talks to her on her territory (his old bedroom) about the special dinosaur blanket she is knitting for her sister. For a brief moment, he seems to be genuinely impressed with her skill, and suggests she might be good enough to knit something for his girlfriend. But it quickly becomes clear that this is an on-going power struggle which he has to win. When he spitefully destroys the blanket, Charlene stabs him in the hand with her knitting needle and her life changes for the worse.

Her sadness, disappointment and simmering anger is visceral as she is taken away to the police station. Officials are kind to her but she knows that she is on her own as even her favourite aunty can’t find time to help her out. Despite this, she is lucky enough to land a sympathetic duty solicitor and Appropriate Adult who together try to help her to make her case. But she is too angry to fully co- operate and is released ‘under investigation’ into emergency foster care.

I won’t reveal what happens next except to say that we continue to share Charlene’s roller coaster of emotions as she tries to make sense of her dreadful situation.  Is she going to ‘play the game’ and apologise for what she has done, even if she doesn’t mean it? Will she ever get to spend time with her little sister again?

This powerful story published by Barrington Stoke, is ultimately about the importance of family relationships, and will promote plenty of discussion with teen readers.

 Strongly recommended.

 

Karen Argent

April 2022