Stitched Up

by Steve Cole, Oriol Vidal (Illustrator)

The horrific real-life cost of fast fashion is exposed in this gripping tale of survival from bestselling author Steve Cole.



When twelve-year-old Hanh is offered a job as a shop assistant in Hanoi, she sees it as a chance to earn money to send back to her family living in poverty in rural Vietnam. But on her arrival in the city, she soon learns that the job offer was a lie and finds herself working in virtual slavery in an illegal garment factory.

Life in this sweatshop is a daily hell of long hours, little rest, poor food and regular violence. Hanh is desperate to escape, but when an opportunity arises will she be able to find the courage to take a dangerous chance?

Genres: Crime, Psychology, Family, Childrens, Young Adult

92 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 2, 2022

About the author

Also publishes as Stephen Cole.

Steve Cole is the slightly crazy, highly frantic, millions-selling, non-stop author of Astrosaurs, Cows In Action, Astrosaurs Academy, The Slime Squad, Z. Rex and many other books (including several original Doctor Who stories).

He used to edit magazines and books but prefers the job of a writer where you can wear pyjamas and eat chocolate all day.

Steve just can't stop writing - if he does, strange robots appear and jostle him vigorously until he starts again.

In his spare time he loves making music, reading old comics, thinking up ideas for new books and slumping in front of a warm TV.

Reviews

[Cherlynn | cherreading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in Vietnam, this novella follows 12-year-old Hanh who is duped into working in an illegal garment factory. I haven't read my books like this and really appreciate how it highlights sweatshop labour, child slavery and behind the scenes of the fast fashion industry. Even though I can't say for sure how dramatized or accurate the book is, it sheds light on prevalent issues that aren't talked about enough.

Stitched-Up also brings attention to the inhumane conditions that children are forced to work in at the expense of their health, along with the lack of rest, food and medical attention. I liked Yen's portrayal as a complex character with her fair share to deal with.

A gripping read from start to end! I highly recommend this to readers of all ages.

[Mabearbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is definitely a book that both children and adults should read. Steve Cole has brilliantly captured child exploration in a nutshell. This book will keep you turning the pages and hoping that Hanh's spirit will sustain her. It will urge you to make conscious fashion choices also, not only with reference to the environment but also out of concern for humanity.

[Dan Allbery · Rating 4 out of 5]

They must have given it fast because Dad signed the contract. The Woman smiled and the Man handed him the two banknotes. Where you live, it would buy you maybe two cups of coffee. That day, it was enough to buy me.

Stitched Up worked for me in so many ways and I'm confident it will do the same for my GR 7 students. At my school we have many students with language and learning differences. It pains me to know the books they want to read are often not accessible to them--the texts are too long or complex, leaving them on the sidelines. The books at their reading level can lead them to "cutesy" covers and child-like plot lines. These middle school students, like all middle school students, crave texts that are a bit more gritty, more mature.

Steve Cole's books have alluring covers that would pull in a middle school audience. The text is larger, simplified, but you wouldn't be able to tell from the outside--a comfort for struggling readers. This text in particular is set in Vietnam and covers topics of human trafficking and sweatshops. It also has a powerful author's note that challenges readers to reconsider their purchasing habits. I have another Cole book queued up and ready to go. Recommended for all MS students--both at and below grade level readers.

[Rj.W · Rating 5 out of 5]

stitched up was an emotional rollercoaster of a book. The way they showed what could happen in the real world while being fiction is insane. They showed up how the trick the kids is so emotional. They showed how bad they got treated and shed a little light to the real world. That’s why i like this book and think its unique in its own way. stitched up was an emotional rollercoaster of a book. The way they showed what could happen in the real world while being fiction is insane. They showed up how the trick the kids is so emotional. They showed how bad they got treated and shed a little light to the real world. That’s why i like this book and think its unique in its own way. stitched up was an emotional rollercoaster of a book. The way they showed what could happen in the real world while being fiction is insane. They showed up how the trick the kids is so emotional. They showed how bad they got treated and shed a little light to the real world. That’s why i like this book and think its unique in its own way.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steve Cole has written many great books but it is not easy to take on difficult subjects and make them accessible to younger readers, and for this I applaud him. Stitched Up takes a very real look at the world of fast fashion and child labour, one of the many difficult topics we face in the modern world. Stitched Up is dark but honest – the main character, Hanh, wants nothing but a better life for herself and her family but it leads her into danger. There is a clear message with real advice, and an opportunity to educate young people on an important subject. I can’t praise this book enough.

As an aside to this, if you’d like to better understand fast fashion and its impact, I highly recommend Clothing Poverty by Andrew Brooks.

[Dante Cardinal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stitched up is a suspenseful book filled with lots of drama and scenes that will leave you on the edge of your seat. The book follows Hahn, and the other 11 girls trapped in the factory with her. Their desire to escape this factory leads them to getting punished in ways you couldn’t imagine, but none the less they are persistent. The role that their master/ruler plays over them is perfect and she has a great backstory to why she is this way which the author did great. The feeling that you get from this story makes it seem as though it’s not a book but rather real life living in the moment. The author makes this book seem like such a real story and makes you feel like your in it yourself.

[Vivienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stitched up was one-off the most heart touching but truthful books I have read. The book consists of the challenges of Hahn and other girls stuck in the life-squeezing-child-labor factory. Trying to escape the factory is a challenge because there is no way to contact anyone in the noisy city. The emotional impact that this book had on me showed the things I have and to be grateful for them. It shows the endless working hours stuck in the factory to produce cheap clothes for others. It has given me the truth and has made me think again while looking at cheap clothes because although I may not pay a high price, someone else has to.

[Kyle W. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stitched up is a suspenseful book filled with hardship and eventual triumph. It is set in a clothing factory in Vietnam, where children are being forced to do manual labor for greedy ownership. The main character, Hanh, was taken from her farmhouse in the suburbs. She is obedient, because she knows that if she were to act out, the consequences would be brutal. Eventually, she, and the rest of her group plan a daring escape; they remain resilient despite countless setbacks. Stitched Up is an interesting read, focusing on the power of persistence, and how one single feeling can change your entire persona.

[Andrew Tran Nam Hung · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book showed in vivid and horrifying details the ugly side of fast fashion. Behind each piece of cheap clothing are stories of lives shattered and dreams broken and losses. It made me think twice before grabbing a new piece of clothes at those shops, and changed the way I looked as them. It's not all sparkles and they are not the savours who bring jobs to those poor countries as they claim to be. They may instead lead to a form of modern slavery, something that should not be supported even though it means having to pay more for our next piece of clothes.

[Vas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novella follows 12 year old Hahn who is tricked into working in an illegal clothing factory that supplies fast fashion to the rest of the world. This story is a devastating reality for many across the globe, and was heartbreaking to read.

Steve Cole has done a fantastic job of making this topic accessible for young readers, it is important for them to understand the issues with cheap labour behind fast fashion before they can begin making their own purchases.

[SarahE · Rating 2 out of 5]

Stitched up is an average story with good ideas. It is about a girl that is stuck working in a garment factory and her escape from it with others. The story’s main downside is its emotional impact. As the emotional impact lacked luster. Making the reader feel nothing for the characters. So when the steaks were razed it felt like everything was going to be okay always. With good storytelling and plot this is an average book.

[Marcel Koniarz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stitched Up by Steve Cole Is another great novel based on true events and the harsh conditions young factory workers have to be in to make clothes AKA in the Fast-Fashion business. Hanh the main character in the story seeks revenge and escape to free herself of the violence and torture. She grows a lot throughout the story showing that she’s a strong leader and determined to stop this wild business.

[Jacob Gonzalez]

stitched up was a very good book. It showed all of the characters' emotions. The author wrote this book in a way that it felt like we were in the story. One of the reasons I liked this book was it wasn’t written for entertainment, it was written to inform how bad these factors really are.the author made this book informative and entertaining at the same time the is why I love this book.

[Jaimi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book for young readers and old alike on the risks of fast fashion. I do wish there were referenced or links for additional learning at the end. In particular to the groups who are working to help.

[sonataiscool · Rating 5 out of 5]

Informative novella about fast fashion and it’s effects through fiction and facts. Must read for everyone.

“Fast fashion is cheap, but someone has to pay.”

“Where you live , it would buy you maybe two cups of coffee. That day, it was enough to buy me.”