Writing in the Sand

Writing in the Sand Synopsis

“Amy! Wait till you hear this...” I hold my breath.
“What?” I say.
“Last night someone left a baby on our doorstep.” My heart stops. This is it, I think. Now what do I do?

Sixteen-year-old Amy is used to keeping secrets – about her mum’s illness, her irresponsible sister and her ex-boyfriend. Amy is her mum’s sole carer and every day is filled with tiny battles to achieve the simplest things, from cooking a meal to keeping the house clean, especially when social services come round.

No matter how difficult stuff gets, Amy doesn’t want anything to change. But then a shocking discovery turns everything upside-down.
When a newborn baby is left on her best friend’s doorstep, it becomes the talk of the town, and only Amy holds the key to the baby's identity. Now she has two choices: tell the truth, or live a lie forever.

Includes extra materials for reading groups.

Writing in the Sand tackles topical subjects of young carers, teenage pregnancy and adoption with an accessible and sensitive voice. Recent statistics showed that the UK has the highest teenage birth rate in Western Europe, while nearly a quarter of a million children in England and Wales are caring for a relative.