#Trouble was first published in Welsh as #Helynt by Prestatyn based author Rebecca Roberts
Rebecca Roberts won both the Book of the Year Award (Children and Young People category) and the Tir na n Og Award with #Helynt in 2020, and now the book is available in English.
The novel follows the troubled life of Rachel. After missing the school bus, rather than going home, Rachel decides to skive off school and head into Rhyl for an adventure. In the bar of a seaside nightclub, she meets Shane, a handsome and mysterious man who knows something about her past.
Rachel spends much of her time outside school caring for her mother, who suffers from depression, and her younger sister, but the highlights of her week are the drama group sessions she belongs to. She feels safe there, a different experience to school, where she is bullied because of her disability.
In the acknowledgments Prestatyn-based author recognises the personal circumstances behind the book:
“Finally, I wish to thank the staff of Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, Liverpool, and the ALAC at Ysbyty Maelor, Wrexham.
“Your staff cared for Rachel in this novel, just as you care for my daughter in real life. Once again, thank you for all you have done for our family.”
The novel #trouble available in shops, www.carreg.gwalch.cymru or through the Books Council of Wales’ website: www.gwales.com