Inside

by Julia Jarman, Unknown Author

A compelling account of a young offender's experience behind bars from an award-winning writer for teenagers.

Lee has 'gone down.' Doors have locked and he's in a barred cell. Twelve months for burglary and accidentally injuring an old lady. It seems a long time, even if he can 'keep his nose clean' and shorten the sentence.

Lee has a choice — or so the screws say — to change his life by taking advantage of Anger Management and other classes, or spend his life inside, like his father.

But how can he go straight? On the prison landings, you have to choose sides. Cellmate, Sharpey, seems to give good advice, but can he be trusted? And what about the two warring drug lords both demanding he pay his 'taxes' to them?

Suddenly, the tough estate where Lee once lived seems like an adventure playground. He thought he was tough, but now he's wondering if he can survive.

Genres: Young Adult

Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Julia Jarman is a British author of books for children of all reading ages and ability.

Reviews

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book for streetwise boys/girls who struggle with reading. Clear text and contemporary subject matter make it good for secondary age pupils.

[Alex Lobo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read 👌

[S.C. Skillman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shocking, moving and compelling, this young adult novel tells of seventeen-year-old Lee who has just been incarcerated in a Young Offender's Institution for robbery and assault. I found it a stark and vivid account of the brutal nature of such an environment. J.A. Jarman describes the games played by "the cons" in their moral, emotional and physical manipulation of each other, as well as the often ineffectual "screws" who sometimes seem to exist in a different dimension hardly aware of, and ill-equipped to deal with, the grim reality of what is going on around them. Only the tragic death of an inmate's child provides the breakthrough into Lee's resolve to live a different life "outside", "not a scummy, grey little life....a manky, clanging-in-my-ears sort of life" but "a life full of colours."

[Marj Osborne · Rating 4 out of 5]

An unflinching look at life inside a British prison through the eyes of a first offender. This novel's highly engaging story together with its low level of language make it a great motivating read for reluctant on the edge boys Yr 9 - 11.

[Emma Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting and emotional read.