Carnegie winner in 1996.

When it was published in 1996 it created a Storm of Protest - especially from those who didn't bother to read it. The book, however, is credible, honest, realistic, moving and sympathetic - not to drug taking, but to some of the reasons for it and how the young fall into it and then, with luck and a bit of help, get themselves out of it.  Junk not for the faint-hearted for it is utterly compelling and terrifying by turns – from bliss through to complete despair we see all manner of emotions that at times will make you feel utterly drained.  It’s a real roller-coaster and yet it is completely honest and real to today’s world.  Controversy has always gone where this book has gone for it’s hard-hitting approach to the subjects of drink, of drugs and of sex.  Junk is an absolute must-read for any teenager and an essential eye-opener to any parent of a teenager. (14+)

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Synopsis

Gemma runs away from home to join her boyfriend, Tar in London. Soon they find themselves hooked on heroin and Gemma is forced into prostitution to pay for the drug.

Reviews

"A Dickens of the future."
Michael Rosen

"A writer of the highest quality with exceptional powers of insight."
Sunday Times

"A very skilled storyteller... this writer involves the reader, plays havoc with the emotions and is certainly not about easy endings."
Wendy Cooling, Books For Keeps

About the Author

Melvin Burgess was born in Sussex in 1954. He did poorly at school and after a short period training as a journalist had a number of odd jobs and was unemployed for much of the time. His first book, The Cry of ther Wolf, was published in 1990, and was shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal. He has since won the Carnegie Medal, the Guardian Children's Fiction Award for his controversial novel, Junk, The Lancashire Children's Book Award for Bloodtide and the LA Times Best Young Adult Book of the Year award for Doing It. His work has been widely adapted for stage and TV, and he has built up a reputation for controversial, hard-hitting books dealing with themes ranging from sex and drugs to adaptions of Norse mythology. Melvin lives and works in Manchester. He has two children, Oliver and Pearl. More books by this author Author 'Like for Like' recommendation