Bad Girls [Hardcover]

Jacqueline Wilson (Author), Nick Sharratt (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

Mandy White is a good girl who the bad girls like to pick on. Until a bigger, badder girl makes her her special friend. Tanya is a foster child across the street and she's nothing like good little Mandy. She's fun and she's tough and she wears really cool clothes. Of course, Mandy's overprotective mother wants her precious little daughter to have nothing to do with the new neighbor. But Mandy is growing up and learning a lot about herself and the real world. Like sometimes bad girls are truly terrible bullies. But sometimes, a bad girl can have the best heart and make the best friend.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Mandy White hates looking 8 years old when she's really 10. She's tired of her babyish blond braids, her bunny sweaters, and her fussy older mother who won't let her cut her hair or buy cool clothes. But most of all, Mandy's had it with being her same old boring self. "I just wanted to stop being me. I wanted to grow up a whole new person, not Mandy White." To make matters worse, Mandy is constantly reminded of her shortcomings by beautiful, raven-haired Kim, the school bully. "Girls like Kim never wear glasses or braces.... They never have a silly haircut. They never wear stupid baby clothes.... You can't tease girls like Kim. There's nothing to tease her about." Then Mandy meets Tanya, the wild foster kid from next door. Tanya is 14, dyes her hair bright orange, wears "great clacky high heels" with every outfit, and fears nothing. With Tanya at her side, Mandy feels like she could face an army of Kims. But will Mandy ever learn how to get in touch with her own inner "bad girl" so she can face down Kim once and for all?

British author Jacqueline Wilson has perfectly captured the voice and musings of a 10-year-old in transition. Her discussion of issues like bullying and foster care is leavened with humor and sensitivity, without seeming condescending or message-laden. Mandy White joins the ranks of Amber Brown and Anastasia Krupnik as a realistic and honest heroine for girls in their "tween" years. (Ages 9 to 12) --Jennifer Hubert

From Publishers Weekly

Wilson (The Suitcase Kid) opens this tightly written tale with a bang: 10-year-old Mandy, after being humiliated by three bullying classmates, dashes into the street and gets hit by a bus (she sprains her arm, but is otherwise fine). Mandy's first-person narrative then settles into a credible, engaging account of how she copes with the ongoing taunting from these three "bad girls" and with the coddling of her overprotective mother. The author compellingly demonstrates the dramatic differences in the physical and emotional development among fifth graders. Things begin to look up when Mandy meets 14-year-old Tanya, a foster child who moves into a neighbor's home. With her spiky orange hair, high heels and cropped tops, Tanya couldn't look more unlike the bespectacled Mandy, whose mother dresses her in "stupid baby clothes" and insists she wear her hair in braids. Despite the differences in their ages and backgrounds--and much to the chagrin of Mandy's mother--the two develop a friendship that enables the heroine to assert her individuality. Even after Tanya must move to a "children's home" (after she, with Mandy in tow, gets arrested for shoplifting), Mandy develops a strength and maturity that enable her to relate better to her mother and to brush off the barbs of the bullies. Shaping convincing characters, dialogue and plot, Wilson proves that bad girls can make for a good story. Ages 9-12.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (February 13, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385729162
• ISBN-13: 978-0385729161
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,408,122 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How can you grow up when your mom won't let you?, March 4, 2001

By 

Mary G. Longorio "Texasbookgirl" (Eagle Mountain, UT) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bad Girls (Hardcover)

Being 10 has not been easy for Mandy White. It's bad enough she has to waar her hair in braids and her mom picks out her clothes. Now, Kim has emerged as the most popular girl in class, and has stolen Mandy's former best friend Sarah. The only person who seems to care is Authur King, but a boy? When an unfortunate and embarassing accident forces mandy to stay home for a few days, she notices a new girl in the neighborhood. This girls doesn't have to wear baby clothes, she wears heels and shorts and cropped tops and has spikey hair and wears makeup. The two girls form an unlikely friendship. The combination of Mandy and Tanya provides both girls with new insights, and strengths, and helps them face some of the challenges in their lives. This is a great book for the pre-teen agegroup.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the BEST books!, April 19, 2001

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Bad Girls (Hardcover)

Jacqueline Wilson's "Bad Girls" is such a good book.I would recommend it to just about anyone.It's about a girl named Mandy White who has three girls teasing her at school.Mandy meets a girl named Tanya, but Mandy finds out that Tanya does not really know what's wrong to do, even though people are not watching you. This book has great pictures, and it is written beautifully!You have to read this book!!!!!!! by Courtney

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It opened my eyes and took me into the world of books!, September 10, 2000

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Bad Girls (Paperback)

This book was a fabulous example of Jacqueline Wilson's work. It showed me the problems that could go on in life, and how lucky i am. Jacqueline Wilson is a sensational childrens writer, she is a women with a special talent, she can write books, no ordinary books, but eye catching, amazing, wonderful books. Bad Girls is one fabulous, colourful book. I recommend it to children of any age. Save up your pocket money because this book is a must have!