^{Two Sides II} Torn

Sara has to move to a refuge after her dad hits her mum. She can't bear to talk about it, not even to her best friend, Hafsa. Hafsa wants to know why Sara is canceling plans and ignoring messages. It's not like her to be so cold. Will Sara share her worries with Hafsa, or will the secrecy tear their friendship apart Following on from a hugely successful first series, Two Sides II is comprised of books with two first-person narratives which run parallel to each other along a carefully structured timeline. One 'bystander' narrative presents a narrow perspective of the main character, usually coming from a place of ignorance or prejudice. The other narrative is voiced by the main character, revealing the broader reality of their situation and what it's really like to be in their shoes. These thoughtful and inclusive stories sensitively address some of the more complex experiences of many teenagers today, with subjects covering domestic abuse, anxiety, gender identity, sexuality, racism, and loneliness. They are perfectly pitched for struggling and reluctant readers aged 13+ with a reading age of roughly 8-9, fulfilling a need for lower-level age-appropriate fiction with the look and feel of a 'real' book. This compelling series will grab students' attention, cautioning them not to assume that they know what someone else is going through, just because of how things look on the outside. They are gripping, hard-hitting and emotional, and are a stark reminder of what it means to be an individual.