Description
By (author) Fisher, Tia
Short /annotation:
”Do you feel safe?” A powerful novel exploring how teenagers can be swept up into county lines. For fans of PUNCHING THE AIR and SPLINTERS OF SUNSHINE.
:
WINNER OF THE YOTO CARNEGIE SHADOWERS” CHOICE AWARD 2024.
A TIMES CHILDREN”S BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024
WINNER OF THE UK LITERARY ASSOCIATION BOOK AWARD (11-14+ CATEGORY).
”Do you feel safe?”
A powerful novel exploring how teenagers can be swept up into county lines.
Erik”s life has been falling apart ever since his dad died. Homework and being good at school stop feeling important when you”re the new man of the house. When Erik”s bad behaviour attracts the wrong crowd, he”s sucked into a terrifying new world of drug dealing, trap houses and violence.
Making money feels good but Erik soon learns that a small favour can become a huge debt.
And when his sisters” lives are threatened, Erik will have to cross one more line to save them.
Written in stunning verse, this is a poignant story about seeking safety and asking for help in times of crisis.
Review quote:
Just wow. Incredible voice,
impeccably crafted – so funny, moving and terrifyingly real. A verse novel for our times. I read it, then read it again. So will you.
Review quote:
While this novel is a work of fiction, it
offers real insight into how children are groomed and coerced by adult criminals.
Review quote:
This is an outstanding and important novel that should be widely read by parents and teachers as well as by the young people who will find it
gripping, relatable, authentic and unputdownable.
Review quote:
Crossing the Line is a
fast-paced, highly readable novel in verse. This an exciting and growing sub-genre of YA fiction that tends to particularly appeal to reluctant or disengaged readers. The innovative use of different fonts and layouts in this case is particularly appealing and draws the reader into the narrative. The post-covid setting is very relatable and the murky world of drug dealing makes for
addictive reading.
Review quote:
Let”s hope the young people who read this
brilliant book pass it on to their parents. They”ll learn a lot.
Biographical note:
Tia Fisher writes books for the rebel inside her. She spent her youth desperate to escape the boredom of a tiny village in Norfolk, writing poems of love and rebellion and reading indiscriminately through the shelves of the local library.
After being expelled from boarding school and dropping out of university, Tia had a bewildering variety of jobs – from TV presenter to ESOL teacher to artists” model – before finding her happy place working in libraries and writing stories. In her fifties she went back to university, and is now the proud owner of a master”s degree in writing for young people. She recently moved back to Norwich and now she loves it.
Tia”s debut teen verse novel, Crossing the Line, was the winner of the 2024 Yoto Carnegie Shadowers” Choice Medal and the UKLA 11-14+ prize, and is in the 2024 Reading for Empathy collection. In 2026 Piccadilly Press will publish Tia”s debut middle-grade story, Operation Doodlebug, which is set in World War Two.
Tia”s website is at tiafisher.com. Tia”s socials can be found at linktr.ee/tiafisherwrites.
Promotional headline:
A powerful novel exploring how teenagers can be swept up into county lines. Winner of the Yoto Carnegie Shadowers” Choice Award 2024 and a Times Children”s Book of the Year 2024.
Feature:
A powerful verse novel tackling the important subject of teenage involvement in county lines
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