The Tulip Touch (Puffin Modern Classics) [Paperback]

The following reviews are based on the original book by Anne Fine.
•‘The Tulip Touch grapples with the topical question of what turns children into criminals. It engrossingly chronicles a childhood friendship with a disadvantaged girl who goes to the bad. This novel will make children aged between 11 and 14 think about the dangers of peer pressure and the collective responsibility of society for unhappy children. As always, Fine teaches her lessons by making her readers feel.’ Nicolette Jones, The Sunday Times.

•’It's a brilliant book.’ Ian Hislop

Is anyone born evil? A powerful story about troubled teenagers.

The story of a strange and disturbing friendship seen through the eyes of Natalie as she gets to know Tulip Pierce, a deliquent girl most others go out of their way to avoid. Nobody wants Tulip in their gang. She bunks off school, is rude to the teachers and makes herself unpopular with her classmates by telling awful lies. But none of this matters to Natalie who finds Tulip's behaviour exciting and dangerous. At first she doesn't care that other people are upset by Tulip's bizarre games but as the games become increasingly dangerous and sinister, Natalie realises that Tulip is going too far. Way too far... Tulip becomes even more destructive and after a row with Natalie she commits a terrible crime.

This is a compelling story in which Anne Fine explores the dark side of a friendship bordering on obsession, and sensitively depicts one girl's gradual decline into hostility and violence.

Anne Fine was born and educated in the Midlands, and now lives in County Durham. She has written numerous highly acclaimed and prize-winning books for children and adults, including GOGGLE-EYES, winner of the Guardian Children's Fiction Award and the Carnegie Medal, FLOUR BABIES, winner of the Carnegie Medal and the Whitbread Children's Book Award, BILL'S NEW FROCK, winner of a Smarties Prize, and MADAME DOUBTFIRE, which has become a major feature film.

Anne Fine was named Children's Laureate in 2001.