Bad Girls (1996 novel)

Bad Girls is a British children's novel by Jacqueline Wilson first published in 1996. It achieved position 117 in the Big Read poll to find the U.K.'s best-loved books.

Plot summary

10 - year - old Mandy White is mercilessly tormented at school by three classmates: Kim, Melanie and Sarah. After an incident where she is hit by a bus while crossing a road to avoid the bullies, she is kept at home from school and meets Tanya, a lively older girl being fostered by Mandy's next door neighbour. Despite disapproval from Mandy's elderly mother, who is very overprotective of her and treats her as if she were much younger, the girls become fast friends. They dream of a future where they will be older and independent, free from families and foster homes, and can live together and have fantastic adventures. Mandy becomes afraid when she discovers that Tanya is a frequent shoplifter, but decides not to say anything in case they are forbidden from visiting each other. At the end of the book, Tanya and Mandy are caught by police when Tanya steals from an upmarket clothing shop in town. Mandy's mother are initially angry, but realises she has been too strict with her and allows her to get new glasses and restyle her hair so she won't look quite as childish. Mandy also gains a new friend in Arthur, a shy boy in her class who is obsessed with fantasy stories. She greatly misses Tanya, who was taken to a new foster home when her previous criminal convictions were discovered, but the novel ends on a happy note as Tanya (who has dyslexia and hates writing) has with great difficulty written a letter to Mandy, assuring her that they are best friends forever and will one day be free to see each other again as they had dreamed about. Melanie, who in the past was Mandy's friend, becomes friends with her again.

Tanya makes a brief appearance in another of Jacqueline Wilson's novels, "Dustbin Baby".

Major Characters

Mandy: Mandy is ten years old. She is extremely shy and timid, and has very low self-esteem. She lives with her mother and father, both whom are significantly older than the parents of Mandy's classmates. They often coddle her, and treat her as if she were six rather than ten. Mandy is often teased for this, as she must wear babyish dresses and thick glasses, and has to style her long fair hair in two plaits. Mandy is bullied by Kim, a poplular, confident girl in her class, and two other girls, Sarah and Melanie. Melanie used to be Mandy's best friend, but was lured away by Kim.

Tanya: Tanya is a fourteen-year-old girl who lives across the street from Mandy. She is living with a foster mother, Mrs. Williams, temporarily. Despite the large age gap, she takes a shine to Mandy, who is impressed by her bright orange, cropped hair and stilettos. She is tough and streetwise (once standing up against Kim for Mandy), but kind too. She can be moody, as Mandy finds out, and hates schoolwork as she is dyslexic. Mandy is shocked to discover, one day at the local shopping centre, that Tanya is a frequent shoplifter. However, she gets caught and is sent away from Mrs. William's house, much to Mandy's dismay.

Mandy's Mother: Mandy's mother is fifty-five. She constantly babies Mandy and insists she wear her hair in two plaits, and dresses in cardigans and dresses. She is a sensitive but firm woman. She is a large woman who squeezes herself into dresses that are too small for her.

Kim: Kim is a girl in Mandy's class. She is rather popular and oozes confidence. Mandy mentions that she is very pretty and would definitely make it as a model, with her shiny, black hair and her pearly white teeth. Kim mercilessly bullies Mandy about her parents, her looks and her clothes. She is the ringleader in the bullying trio.

Sarah: Sarah is the second bully in the group. A show-off with thick blonde curls, she looks up to Kim and mostly picks on Mandy just to impress her. Sarah and Melanie often struggle to outdo each other when it comes to pleasing Kim.

Melanie: Melanie is just like Sarah, a minion of Kim's. However, Melanie used to be Mandy's best friend before Kim befriended her. She uses a lot of Mandy's secrets and private imaginary games against Mandy to humiliate her, and to entertain the others. She and Sarah are constantly battling each other to satisfy Kim.

Minor Characters

Mandy's Father: A 62-year-old bearded businessman, Mandy's father is gentler than his wife and often keeps a level head in an escalated situation. He wears sharp suits for work, but loose smocks at home. He has been known to stick up for Tanya against his wife.

Arthur King: A boy in Mandy's class, just as shy and timid as she is. The pair become good friends toward the end of the novel. He enjoys chess and reading about King Arthur and his knights. He often feels guilt for not standing up for Mandy against the bullies.

Pat Williams: The foster mother that Tanya lives with. She mostly fosters babies and toddlers, but Tanya was an emergency case.