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Bad Girls
"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.
A rare gift for writing lightly and amusingly about emotional issues. - The Bookseller
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.
A rare gift for writing lightly and amusingly about emotional issues. - The Bookseller
192 pages, Paperback
First published May 2, 1996
About the author
Jacqueline Wilson
366 books5,018 followersJacqueline Wilson was born in Bath in 1945, but spent most of her childhood in Kingston-on-Thames. She always wanted to be a writer and wrote her first ‘novel’ when she was nine, filling in countless Woolworths’ exercise books as she grew up. As a teenager she started work for a magazine publishing company and then went on to work as a journalist on Jackie magazine (which she was told was named after her!) before turning to writing novels full-time.
One of Jacqueline’s most successful and enduring creations has been the famous Tracy Beaker, who first appeared in 1991 in The Story of Tracy Beaker. This was also the first of her books to be illustrated by Nick Sharratt. Since then Jacqueline has been on countless awards shortlists and has gone on to win many awards. The Illustrated Mum won the Guardian Children’s Fiction Award, the 1999 Children’s Book of the Year at the British Book Awards and was also shortlisted for the 1999 Whitbread Children’s Book Award.
Double Act won the prestigious Smarties Medal and the Children’s Book Award as well as being highly commended for the Carnegie Medal. The Story of Tracy Beaker won the 2002 Blue Peter People’s Choice Award.
Jacqueline is one of the nation’s favourite authors, and her books are loved and cherished by young readers not only in the UK but all over the world. She has sold millions of books and in the UK alone the total now stands at over 35 million!
In 2002 Jacqueline was awarded the OBE for services to literacy in schools and from 2005 to 2007 she was the Children’s Laureate. In 2008 she became Dame Jacqueline Wilson.
One of Jacqueline’s most successful and enduring creations has been the famous Tracy Beaker, who first appeared in 1991 in The Story of Tracy Beaker. This was also the first of her books to be illustrated by Nick Sharratt. Since then Jacqueline has been on countless awards shortlists and has gone on to win many awards. The Illustrated Mum won the Guardian Children’s Fiction Award, the 1999 Children’s Book of the Year at the British Book Awards and was also shortlisted for the 1999 Whitbread Children’s Book Award.
Double Act won the prestigious Smarties Medal and the Children’s Book Award as well as being highly commended for the Carnegie Medal. The Story of Tracy Beaker won the 2002 Blue Peter People’s Choice Award.
Jacqueline is one of the nation’s favourite authors, and her books are loved and cherished by young readers not only in the UK but all over the world. She has sold millions of books and in the UK alone the total now stands at over 35 million!
In 2002 Jacqueline was awarded the OBE for services to literacy in schools and from 2005 to 2007 she was the Children’s Laureate. In 2008 she became Dame Jacqueline Wilson.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 366 reviews
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May 4, 2020I re-read this as part of a read-a-thon since it was my favourite Jacqueline Wilson book when I was a kid :)
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September 24, 2017I have such a clear memory of reading this book the first time and using it to test my reading ability in primary school! So cool to read it now and still get something out of it about individuality, not letting other people's judgements stop you, and the effects of bullying.
September 6, 2011
First of all, I would like to say that I just HAD to review this book as I needed virtually no excuses to read it again, it was one of my all time favourite books when I was in junior school and I have probably read it over 50 times in total!
I cannot say a bad word about Jaqueline Wilson as an author in general but this was the first book of hers I read and therefore the one which made me fall in love with her as a little girl. "Bad Girls" tells the story of Mandy White, a normal 10 year old schoolgirl with parents a little older than other children of her age. Mandy is bullied at school by three of the most horrible characters I have ever come across in a children's book; Melanie, Sarah and Kim. Together they make fun of her clothes, hairstyle and generally make her everyday life a misery.
However when Tanya, the new girl next-door, wants to be Mandy's friend, she is delighted! Tanya is older than the girls at school, wears high heels and cool clothes and is MUCH more fun than anyone she has ever known. Mandy's Mum and Dad think that Tanya is a bad girl and that Mandy shouldnt be friends with her, but a series of events and some (very minor!) scrapes with the law prove otherwise and, although Tanya moves away at the end of the story, Mandy's life is greatly improved by their friendship.
Wilson is an author who truly understands her target audience and really gets into their thoughts and feelings,"Bad Girls" is certainly no exception.It deals with some sensitive subjects in a positive and easily accessible way. I personally have a zero-tolerance attitude towards bullying, preventing bullying of any kind is something I am very passionate about. Looking back now it probably all began with reading this book.
In my opinion this book is perfect for children (especially girls!) in years 4-6, or for any child who is just getting into reading on their own with slightly more in-depth novels.
All in all, a touching and moving book about school life, family and the incredible power of true friendship.
I cannot say a bad word about Jaqueline Wilson as an author in general but this was the first book of hers I read and therefore the one which made me fall in love with her as a little girl. "Bad Girls" tells the story of Mandy White, a normal 10 year old schoolgirl with parents a little older than other children of her age. Mandy is bullied at school by three of the most horrible characters I have ever come across in a children's book; Melanie, Sarah and Kim. Together they make fun of her clothes, hairstyle and generally make her everyday life a misery.
However when Tanya, the new girl next-door, wants to be Mandy's friend, she is delighted! Tanya is older than the girls at school, wears high heels and cool clothes and is MUCH more fun than anyone she has ever known. Mandy's Mum and Dad think that Tanya is a bad girl and that Mandy shouldnt be friends with her, but a series of events and some (very minor!) scrapes with the law prove otherwise and, although Tanya moves away at the end of the story, Mandy's life is greatly improved by their friendship.
Wilson is an author who truly understands her target audience and really gets into their thoughts and feelings,"Bad Girls" is certainly no exception.It deals with some sensitive subjects in a positive and easily accessible way. I personally have a zero-tolerance attitude towards bullying, preventing bullying of any kind is something I am very passionate about. Looking back now it probably all began with reading this book.
In my opinion this book is perfect for children (especially girls!) in years 4-6, or for any child who is just getting into reading on their own with slightly more in-depth novels.
All in all, a touching and moving book about school life, family and the incredible power of true friendship.
September 18, 2011
Jacqueline Wilson is more famously known for the creation of the character; Tracy Beaker. I decided to have a look at some of her other books and found myself reading Bad Girls. The story is about a young girl in year 5-6, who feels isolated and is frequently bullied by some of her class mates. Her Mum treats her like a 3 year old and has failed to recognise that her daughter, Mandy, is rapidly becoming a young woman. Mandy desperately tries to make her mum see sense and eventually finds comfort, friendship and understanding in Tanya; a slightly older foster child who has just moved into a house on the same street as Mandy. Could Tanya be the perfect role model that Mandy needs to be guided through adolescence?
This book deals with some real life issues that many children will have to face as they grow up. The author paints a realistic picture of how children interact in the modern world and, more specifically, how they interact within a primary school. I think older primary school children would enjoy this book as they should be able to relate to the characters and hopefully learn some valuable lessons about growing up.
This book deals with some real life issues that many children will have to face as they grow up. The author paints a realistic picture of how children interact in the modern world and, more specifically, how they interact within a primary school. I think older primary school children would enjoy this book as they should be able to relate to the characters and hopefully learn some valuable lessons about growing up.
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September 23, 2018
Read as part of The Infinite Variety Reading Challenge, based on the BBC's Big Read Poll of 2003.
Whilst this book does deal with the harsh issue of bullying, it seems a bit counter productive. Are bullies really likely to read this? I get the feeling most bullies aren't likely to reach for a Jacqueline Wilson book about bullying.
I suppose it's grand for showing that quite a lot of teenaged girls are bullied, though I'm not sure if that's helpful or makes anyone feel good about themselves: "hey, it's not just me!". I also thought there was a slight twee edge to the story throughout and the ending was rather exceptionally get-out-of-jail.
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Whilst this book does deal with the harsh issue of bullying, it seems a bit counter productive. Are bullies really likely to read this? I get the feeling most bullies aren't likely to reach for a Jacqueline Wilson book about bullying.
I suppose it's grand for showing that quite a lot of teenaged girls are bullied, though I'm not sure if that's helpful or makes anyone feel good about themselves: "hey, it's not just me!". I also thought there was a slight twee edge to the story throughout and the ending was rather exceptionally get-out-of-jail.
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January 28, 2012
When I was in Years Five and Six, I adored Jacqueline Wilson. I'd trawl the charity shops in search of her books, and shun anything that wasn't written by her. Some of my early writing attempts bear more than a passing resemblance to her books - but I don't think I plagiarised a book more than Bad Girls.
Mandy, our protagonist, is a hopelessly shy ten-year-old who's babied dreadfully by her parents and bullied mercilessly by other girls at school. Then she meets Tanya, the cool, grown-up bad girl from across the road, and finds a friend at last - though perhaps not the best one for her.
I could identify with Mandy with regards to the bullying, the longing to be someone else and the needing of a confident, cool friend to have my back. I had the same sort of thing with Hannah Baker in Jay Asher's 'Thirteen Reasons Why' - but, unlike 'Thirteen', 'Bad Girls' helped me more than it upset me. It let me know I wasn't alone - and I rooted for Mandy from page one. What I love about Jacqueline Wilson's writing is how she can write as a child, and be both convincing and not patronising. She knows children well, and can write believable stories from their point of view. 'Bad Girls' is the perfect example of that, and I'd recommend it highly to any primary school child who is being bullied, or just loves a good story. From that first line, "They were going to get me", they'll be hooked.
Mandy, our protagonist, is a hopelessly shy ten-year-old who's babied dreadfully by her parents and bullied mercilessly by other girls at school. Then she meets Tanya, the cool, grown-up bad girl from across the road, and finds a friend at last - though perhaps not the best one for her.
I could identify with Mandy with regards to the bullying, the longing to be someone else and the needing of a confident, cool friend to have my back. I had the same sort of thing with Hannah Baker in Jay Asher's 'Thirteen Reasons Why' - but, unlike 'Thirteen', 'Bad Girls' helped me more than it upset me. It let me know I wasn't alone - and I rooted for Mandy from page one. What I love about Jacqueline Wilson's writing is how she can write as a child, and be both convincing and not patronising. She knows children well, and can write believable stories from their point of view. 'Bad Girls' is the perfect example of that, and I'd recommend it highly to any primary school child who is being bullied, or just loves a good story. From that first line, "They were going to get me", they'll be hooked.
November 23, 2021
I love being in the jw universe 😅✨
September 9, 2012
Mandy White is a 10yr old girl who is bullied by one of the most popular girls in the school Kim, Sarah and also her old friend Melaine. Kim is the biggest bully who dictates the way the other girls act towards Mandy. Mandy is embarrassed about her parents as they are not very fashionable, old and overprotective. She tries to make up a lie to try and gain sympathy from her bullies but she gets caught out and ends up getting hit by a bus when trying to avoid her bullies. Whilst she is at home recovering she meets Tanya who is her new next door neighbour. She becomes really good friends with Tanya who her mother disapproves of as she thinks the girl from next door is a bad influence. She discovers her new best friend is not so great after all and her mother was right as she later finds out that Tanya is a regular shoplifter and finally they get caught in the end and are questioned by police.
The book is based on real life situations of bullying which occur within the school environment so I think this book is great for discussing bullying in the classroom and showing children how to deal with bullying.
The book is based on real life situations of bullying which occur within the school environment so I think this book is great for discussing bullying in the classroom and showing children how to deal with bullying.
November 27, 2012
My oldest daughter is in 3rd grade. This is NOT A BOOK for a 3rd grader! I repeat! The book deals with a lot of mature themes, a bit more mature than I would like for my 3rd grader to be reading. Storyline: Mean girls picking on a sheltered only child (10yo) at the bus stop - only child tells a lie that she was adopted due to embarrassment, runs into street, hit by bus, ashamed to tell her mom truth about bullying and her role in it, makes friends with a "fast" hi-heel wearing foster teen next door which mom does not approve of. Foster teen takes her to mall where teen shoplifts and only child gets police experience and learns lesson. I do not want my 3rd grade kid reading this! Maybe when she gets into middle school.
Having said that, it is an interesting read and I'm glad I read it first. This author deals with difficult subjects - abuse, divorce, etc and lots of things my kids are not exposed to.
Having said that, it is an interesting read and I'm glad I read it first. This author deals with difficult subjects - abuse, divorce, etc and lots of things my kids are not exposed to.
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March 13, 2013This book is written by one of my favourite authors; jacqueline wilson,
i found this book vey entertaining and it was also very sad at the start but a very amazing ending about two best friends...one of them was just a girl with no friends and got teased about what she was wearing an what she was like but until she made an grown up friend....everything started to change...not only everything just got better but...some things got worse....the friend who became friends with her dragged her into her bad habits..(shoplifting) this book amazed me..i thought that it might have been a bad ending but it ending up being an amazing, it was a great story that i would like to red again.
i found this book vey entertaining and it was also very sad at the start but a very amazing ending about two best friends...one of them was just a girl with no friends and got teased about what she was wearing an what she was like but until she made an grown up friend....everything started to change...not only everything just got better but...some things got worse....the friend who became friends with her dragged her into her bad habits..(shoplifting) this book amazed me..i thought that it might have been a bad ending but it ending up being an amazing, it was a great story that i would like to red again.
November 2, 2013
Another great Jacqueline Wilson book I probably wouldn't have found if it weren't for the BBC Top 100/200 list. My daughter is at the perfect age to enjoy these so we both read them and can compare notes. Wilson has an uncanny ability to capture many of the nuances of the middle school social dynamic which by the time we're adults we've usually forgotten. I've shared several of these titles with kids I work with in my professional role as a counselor, as Wilson writes about more difficult topics such as kids in foster care, grief, and bullying, so deftly that we feel entertained rather than lectured.
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November 7, 2021This was one of my faves as a kid and I genuinely enjoyed reading it again at the age of 31!
March 13, 2024
Sick days are for re reading childhood favourites
July 17, 2012
this is a children book where mandy is a fragile 10 year old girl bullied at school. she is embarrassed about herself and her family, her parents being quite old and not very stylish. mandy meets tanya, an older girl who is very trendy and rather 'BAD'. she sees tanya earlier on in the book and admires the way she is with her high heels and makeup. mandy gets a boost in her confidence whilst staying with tanya.the two have lots of fun together and mandy is a lot happier in tanyas company she is encountered in a bad situation where tanya has stolen an item of clothing and now there both in trouble with the police.
i like this book because the language and style the book has been written in is very apparent to the age range. i would say this book would appeal to girls of 10-14. it illustrates encounters of every day challenges that girls face and is a good way for girls to reflect on their own lifestyles and in how they make friends. jaqueline wilson has used great examples of what teenagers consider fun but is not so fun when you get in trouble. i would say it raises the question in our head is our friends worth getting into trouble for and helps appreciate our families as they are.i believe this book is well suited for independent reading in the classroom and for girls to take home and read in their spare time, i would say most of jaqueline wilson's books are well suited in this way.
i like this book because the language and style the book has been written in is very apparent to the age range. i would say this book would appeal to girls of 10-14. it illustrates encounters of every day challenges that girls face and is a good way for girls to reflect on their own lifestyles and in how they make friends. jaqueline wilson has used great examples of what teenagers consider fun but is not so fun when you get in trouble. i would say it raises the question in our head is our friends worth getting into trouble for and helps appreciate our families as they are.i believe this book is well suited for independent reading in the classroom and for girls to take home and read in their spare time, i would say most of jaqueline wilson's books are well suited in this way.
October 1, 2011
Jacqueline Wilson is a brilliant children’s literature author with many young girls being familiar with her wide collection of books. ‘Bad Girls’ is about a 10 year old girl, Mandy, who gets bullied by a few of the girls in her class. She is very lonely and scared of going to school but eventually makes friends with Tanya, an older girl who comes from a troubled background.
The book deals with issues that many school girls could probably relate to; from the way that Mandy adores the attention of an older girl and worships Tanya’s every move, to the way Mandy is embarrassed of her mother because she is older than the other mums in the school. Jacqueline Wilson ties these issues together to create a sad story but with a happy ending. The book would therefore be suitable for a lot of girls in KS2 who will find Jacqueline Wilson’s writing very relatable.
In the last chapter Mandy’s school teacher talks about bullying in their class circle time. It is good to read as a trainee teacher as it provides an interesting perspective into why children bully. I would definitely recommend any Jacqueline Wilson book as I think she is a great writer.
The book deals with issues that many school girls could probably relate to; from the way that Mandy adores the attention of an older girl and worships Tanya’s every move, to the way Mandy is embarrassed of her mother because she is older than the other mums in the school. Jacqueline Wilson ties these issues together to create a sad story but with a happy ending. The book would therefore be suitable for a lot of girls in KS2 who will find Jacqueline Wilson’s writing very relatable.
In the last chapter Mandy’s school teacher talks about bullying in their class circle time. It is good to read as a trainee teacher as it provides an interesting perspective into why children bully. I would definitely recommend any Jacqueline Wilson book as I think she is a great writer.
January 1, 2016
This is a great fun read with a couple of serious sides. Mandy is ten, small for her age, and gets teased in school by some bigger girls including one girl she'd thought was her friend. We all had this happen to us, or know it happened to someone, right? Mandy can cope until the girls pick on her parents for being older than most parents. That's just not fair.
Then a slightly older girl called Tanya moves in across the road. She's really cool and a bit tough with short spiky hair, and she doesn't tease Mandy for having plaits. In fact she's fun to be around. But Mandy's mum is worried that Tanya will be a bad influence on young Mandy. You never know what a girl like that might get up to, or what trouble she'll get into someday. What will happen to the friends?
The twin issues of peer pressure and bullying are well dealt with and we see that it's not just Mandy who has problems. This is a really difficult age to live through and young people are all looking for role models and friends. Reading this exciting adventure may help some young adults to understand their own lives better. The frequent cartoon drawings put a smile on your face even during the worrying pages.
Then a slightly older girl called Tanya moves in across the road. She's really cool and a bit tough with short spiky hair, and she doesn't tease Mandy for having plaits. In fact she's fun to be around. But Mandy's mum is worried that Tanya will be a bad influence on young Mandy. You never know what a girl like that might get up to, or what trouble she'll get into someday. What will happen to the friends?
The twin issues of peer pressure and bullying are well dealt with and we see that it's not just Mandy who has problems. This is a really difficult age to live through and young people are all looking for role models and friends. Reading this exciting adventure may help some young adults to understand their own lives better. The frequent cartoon drawings put a smile on your face even during the worrying pages.
May 8, 2012
The book is about a girl called Mandy who gets picked on at school for all different reasons. I read this book when I was younger, but in my first School placement in year 5 this book was used in literacy lesson. The book was used to address the issue of bullying. The book also offers a variety of different ways to access the curriculum, while the children are enjoying reading. The book was used to teach areas such as setting the scene, speech marks and dialogues and describing experiences and feelings. The children in my class really enjoyed reading this book. They looked forward to reading the next chapter as a class, many enjoyed it so much they were reading it independently and coming in and discussing it.
The book would also be good for PHSE discussing bullying, lying and how we should treat each other.
The book would also be good for PHSE discussing bullying, lying and how we should treat each other.
March 24, 2015
I am still fairly indecisive about this book, I thought it was interested and the storyline was good, but I never understood why Mandy's mother was so protective yet let her hang out with Tanya, and I also couldn't understand why Mandy didn't tell anyone that Tanya shoplifts.
I found the character of Mandy to be quite childish and I could completely understand why she got bullied, as I had a similar experience. Yet she didn't change how she was, which I thought was odd. If she liked being the way she was then fine, but she felt too childish and I couldn't understand why she didn't change herself if she was unhappy.
Tanya also annoyed me as she dragged poor Mandy into loads of bad situations and the shoplifting was almost an addiction and I felt she should have been locked up, not just taken to another foster home.
I found the character of Mandy to be quite childish and I could completely understand why she got bullied, as I had a similar experience. Yet she didn't change how she was, which I thought was odd. If she liked being the way she was then fine, but she felt too childish and I couldn't understand why she didn't change herself if she was unhappy.
Tanya also annoyed me as she dragged poor Mandy into loads of bad situations and the shoplifting was almost an addiction and I felt she should have been locked up, not just taken to another foster home.
July 11, 2011
Ibu Mandy tidak suka anaknya bergaul dengan Tanya, anak perempuan bermasalah tetangga mereka.. Nakal, berbicara tidak sopan, melawan, dan berbuat hal aneh2, ibunya takut Mandy akan terpengaruh dan bersikap seperti Tanya pada akhirnya..
Tapi Mandy senang bergaul dengan Tanya, bagi Mandy, Tanya adalah pembawa titik baru dalam hidupnya yang menjemukan, berteman dg Tanya, Mandy tidak lagi dianggap cupu, culun, dan tidak bisa lagi ditindas oleh teman-teman sekelasnya.. Mandy sekarang beda.. Berteman dengan Tanya membuat dia senang dan berdebar-debar.. Menunggu petualangan2 yang akan mereka lakukan berikutnya..
Nah Mandy, mana yang akan kamu pilih, mendengarkan nasihat Ibumu atau kata hatimu?
Lagi2 buku Jacqueline Wilson mampu membawa aku kedalam dunia anak2 yang mengasyikkan..
Tapi Mandy senang bergaul dengan Tanya, bagi Mandy, Tanya adalah pembawa titik baru dalam hidupnya yang menjemukan, berteman dg Tanya, Mandy tidak lagi dianggap cupu, culun, dan tidak bisa lagi ditindas oleh teman-teman sekelasnya.. Mandy sekarang beda.. Berteman dengan Tanya membuat dia senang dan berdebar-debar.. Menunggu petualangan2 yang akan mereka lakukan berikutnya..
Nah Mandy, mana yang akan kamu pilih, mendengarkan nasihat Ibumu atau kata hatimu?
Lagi2 buku Jacqueline Wilson mampu membawa aku kedalam dunia anak2 yang mengasyikkan..
September 19, 2011
This book was amazing! It had once happened to me. Almost everyone has once been bullied! When i was reading the book, i was very excited to read the rest. I was like " OMG this has once happened to me! and it would be fun to see what will happen next to the girl!". At some point of the book,me and my friend, Anjali!! would Laugh out Loud, because of the illustration!! The illustration in the book, made me be more excited of reading the REST!!
I would recommend this book, to any one who was ever been bullied, to teach them that bulling people, isn't very nice!!!!!
OVERALL!! THIS BOOK WAS AMAZING, AND THOUGHTFUL! :)
I would recommend this book, to any one who was ever been bullied, to teach them that bulling people, isn't very nice!!!!!
OVERALL!! THIS BOOK WAS AMAZING, AND THOUGHTFUL! :)
July 21, 2016
A fun read, typical of the nineties kids generation of readers. Wilson adopts perhaps a more grown up tone of writing in this story, confronting issues with bullying and influences of others.
I read this perhaps two or three times as a child and young teenager and enjoyed it each time. Not the most memorable of Wilson books, but still a worth while addition to her collection.
I read this perhaps two or three times as a child and young teenager and enjoyed it each time. Not the most memorable of Wilson books, but still a worth while addition to her collection.
December 27, 2020
i have such a clear memory of reading this as a child and it is honestly one of my first memories of having that satisfied “just finished a book” feeling.
it has always stuck with me but i didnt remember anything about the story, and reading it as an adult it has those trademark JW hard hitting subjects that you appreciate differently from an adult perspective.
it has always stuck with me but i didnt remember anything about the story, and reading it as an adult it has those trademark JW hard hitting subjects that you appreciate differently from an adult perspective.
June 8, 2021
Wasn't a fan of this one. Not really sure what age-group you're supposed to give this book to, as the main character was 10... but featured were "willies", "sex" and "suicide". Not too appropriate? Could just be my opinion!
August 1, 2018
this one is also queer imo
April 26, 2021
Read as part of the BBCs top 200 book challenge.
I somehow skipped this in my preteen days which is a shame as I would have loved it. Jacqueline Wilson captures the problems of growing up so well, makes you want to read and of course throws a few ethical dilemmas in for kids to ponder on too. Brilliant
I somehow skipped this in my preteen days which is a shame as I would have loved it. Jacqueline Wilson captures the problems of growing up so well, makes you want to read and of course throws a few ethical dilemmas in for kids to ponder on too. Brilliant
October 8, 2021
I just love, love, love, love this book! It is about a girl who gets bullied and how she confronts them!
This book contains friendship betrayal and bullies!!!!
Must read if you want to know how to handle your haters/bullies!
This book contains friendship betrayal and bullies!!!!
Must read if you want to know how to handle your haters/bullies!
January 29, 2023
This book is great. Oh, the raw pathos of pre-adolescence. Poor Mandy. She is a ten-year-old kid whose older, uncool parents dress her in bunny shirts and pigtails. They see her as a little kid, which she is, because Mandy still plays with her stuffed monkey collection and has a binary view of right and wrong, but Mandy's also old enough to know that pigtails are uncool, and the mean girls in her class (her old best friend included), who are harassing her, are technically cool. At least, they dress cool.
The terrible girls are at the bus stop, taunting Mandy about her older, fat mom and Mandy makes up a story about how she's adopted and her biological mom is a fashion model, which sounds great until her former best friend calls her a liar because she knows that Mandy is her parents' late-in-life miracle baby. This puts Mandy in a bind for the rest of the book because she's told a lie and can't explain why to her mom. Meanwhile, an incredibly cool girl moves in to the foster home across the street. Tanya has orange hair and wears short shorts and belly shirts and she's in the system, but all she wants is a little girl to try new hairstyles on and do coloring with and basically fill in for the sister she's lost to the foster system, and Mandy is that girl. Mandy is thrilled because Tanya will make her look cool in front of the mean girls and give her hair advice, but horrified because Tanya shoplifts. And Mandy's mom doesn't like Tanya because Tanya is clearly a bucket of issues.
This is a great book. It's nice. It addresses multiple problems in age-appropriate ways. It posits the question, "Who are the bad girls?" Glad I finally got around to reading it.
The terrible girls are at the bus stop, taunting Mandy about her older, fat mom and Mandy makes up a story about how she's adopted and her biological mom is a fashion model, which sounds great until her former best friend calls her a liar because she knows that Mandy is her parents' late-in-life miracle baby. This puts Mandy in a bind for the rest of the book because she's told a lie and can't explain why to her mom. Meanwhile, an incredibly cool girl moves in to the foster home across the street. Tanya has orange hair and wears short shorts and belly shirts and she's in the system, but all she wants is a little girl to try new hairstyles on and do coloring with and basically fill in for the sister she's lost to the foster system, and Mandy is that girl. Mandy is thrilled because Tanya will make her look cool in front of the mean girls and give her hair advice, but horrified because Tanya shoplifts. And Mandy's mom doesn't like Tanya because Tanya is clearly a bucket of issues.
This is a great book. It's nice. It addresses multiple problems in age-appropriate ways. It posits the question, "Who are the bad girls?" Glad I finally got around to reading it.
March 22, 2021
Mandy gets bullied at school. She makes friends with a girl called Tanya, who her parents think is a bad influence. Mandy’s parents are not keen on her hanging out with Tanya but Mandy wants to probe them wrong. Unfortunately, Mandy is caught in a bad situation. She is with Tanya when she shoplifts and they both get arrested. Mandy is worried because she didn’t want to get into trouble with her parents. Mandy is let off the hook but Tanya isn’t, worst of all, her foster Mum hands her back for her to get fostered by different foster parents. Mandy hopes they will see each other again in the future.
December 16, 2013
Bad Girls tells the story of ten year old Mandy who is bullied at school by Melanie, Kim and Sarah. She is kept home one day after narrowly avoiding being hit by a bus in an attempt to escape her bullies. Mandy meets Tanya, a girl fostered by her neighbour. Mandy’s mother is concerned by their friendship, as she perceives Tanya to be a bad influence. One day Mandy is horrified to learn that Tanya often shop lifts, and towards the end of the story, they are caught stealing. Mandy’s mother is initially angry, although she comes to the conclusion that she has perhaps been too strict with her daughter. As a result, she decides to give her daughter more independence. Mandy is allowed to buy new clothes, glasses and restyles her hair in order to break free from the child her mother longs for her to be. Although Tanya is taken to a new foster home, the novel ends happily. Mandy receives a letter from Tanya, who is dyslexic and hates writing, assuring her that they will remain friends and will one day be reunited.
This book falls under the genre of stories with familiar settings. This is a great book, as Jacqueline Wilson deals with challenging themes, such as family life, foster care and bullying in a sensitive, yet effective way.
Age appropriate: Year 3+.
I would recommend this book to have on a class bookshelf for independent reading.
This book falls under the genre of stories with familiar settings. This is a great book, as Jacqueline Wilson deals with challenging themes, such as family life, foster care and bullying in a sensitive, yet effective way.
Age appropriate: Year 3+.
I would recommend this book to have on a class bookshelf for independent reading.
February 3, 2009
Juliette gave me this book to read thinking I'd like it. She was right. It was difficult for me to get through, however.
I was bullied very similarly. I'm sure so many girls were in primary school. I too had a "Miranda Rainbow" I wanted to be. A girl with a backbone, flare, style, courage, everythign I wanted to be... I didn't have the friend outside of school. Despite problems in the friendship, that would have helped me.
I enjoyed the way this story went. It's a hard transition from primary school and being a full child to wading into pre-teen years and approaching the upper years in school. In school it's hard, out of school it's hard. Watching what the adult world can really be like as we walk ever closer to it. I think the way this book introduced that was realistic and, though hard, done well.
It brought me right back to my younger years. I'm glad there was a happy ending. For childrens and preteen books, those make me smile.
I was bullied very similarly. I'm sure so many girls were in primary school. I too had a "Miranda Rainbow" I wanted to be. A girl with a backbone, flare, style, courage, everythign I wanted to be... I didn't have the friend outside of school. Despite problems in the friendship, that would have helped me.
I enjoyed the way this story went. It's a hard transition from primary school and being a full child to wading into pre-teen years and approaching the upper years in school. In school it's hard, out of school it's hard. Watching what the adult world can really be like as we walk ever closer to it. I think the way this book introduced that was realistic and, though hard, done well.
It brought me right back to my younger years. I'm glad there was a happy ending. For childrens and preteen books, those make me smile.
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