Jenny Downham crafts compelling narratives that delve into the profound emotional landscapes of young protagonists facing significant life challenges. Her writing is characterized by an intimate, first-person perspective that draws readers deeply into the characters' experiences and internal struggles. Downham's distinctive voice explores themes of mortality, resilience, and the complexities of the human spirit. Her work offers a powerful and empathetic look at navigating difficult circumstances with courage.
If only Lexi could stop losing her temper and behave herself, her step-father would accept her, her mum would love her like she used to and her step-brother would declare his crushing desire to spend the rest of his life with her. But pushing fury down doesn't make it disappear. Instead, it simmers below the surface waiting to erupt
in Einfacher Sprache
Tessa ist 16 Jahre alt und unheilbar krank. Sie wird nie studieren. Keine Weltreise machen oder sich verlieben. Trotzdem: Sie will noch mal richtig leben bevor sie stirbt. Deshalb schreibt sie eine Liste: Mit allen Dingen, die sie noch machen möchte. Sex, Drogen, berühmt werden… Dann trifft sie den Nachbarsjungen Adam.
Three lives. Three secrets. One heartbreaking story. Shortlisted for the YA Book Prize
Exploring the lives of three generations of women, this novel delves into the complexities of dementia, the challenges of single motherhood, and the struggles of teenage angst. Jenny Downham's poignant storytelling captures the emotional depth and resilience of her characters, offering a profound look at family dynamics and personal growth.
Katie only meets her Grandmother Mary for the first time when she is seventeen and by that point Mary is almost completely lost to dementia. And as her only living relatives, Katies small broken family are forced to care for her. Katie can see something in her, a spark that shes missing in her own life but her mother Caroline, Marys own daughter, hates her. But why? As time goes on snippets of Marys life are revealed to Katie during her brief moments of lucidity and a long kept family secret is at last revealed. Unbecoming celebrates life in a way no other book has done before. The difficulties of dealing with dementia are expertly placed alongside teenage angst and single motherhood and though many issues are tackled this is not an issue book, it is a book to love.
If someone hurts your sister and you're any kind of man, you seek revenge, right? When Mikey's sister claims a boy assaulted her, his world begins to fall apart. If your brother's accused of a terrible crime but says he didn't do it, you defend him, don't you? When Ellie's brother is charged with the offence, her world begins to unravel. When Mikey and Ellie meet, two worlds collide. (From book cover).
Als iemand jouw zusje iets misdaan heeft en je bent een beetje een vent, dan zoek je wraak. Toch? Als iemand je broer beschuldigt van een vreselijke misdaad en hij zegt onschuldig te zijn, dan verdedig je hem. Toch? Wanneer Mikeys zusje beweert verkracht te zijn door een jongen stort zijn wereld in. Wanneer Ellies broer hiervan verdacht wordt stort háár wereld in. Wanneer Mikey en Ellie elkaar ontmoeten glijden hun werelden in elkaar. Niet zonder gevolgen. Jij tegen mij is een onverbiddelijke pageturner over twee jonge mensen die moeten kiezen tussen hun liefde voor elkaar of voor hun familie, voor háár broer of zijn zus.
When eighteen-year-old Mikey's younger sister claims to have been raped and he seeks to avenge the crime, he meets Ellie, the sister of the accused, and befriends her, complicating the situation considerably for all of them.
Tessa has just a few months to live. Fighting back against hospital visits, endless tests, and drugs with horrible side-effects, Tessa compiles a list of things to do before she dies. And number one is sex. Released from the constraints of 'normal' life, Tessa wants new experiences to make her feel alive while her body fails.