The Girl with the Emerald Brooch

The true story of a working-class girl growing up in Northern England during the 1950s.One winter’s day, Jacqueline’s mother gives her an emerald brooch and tells her a secret. In the industrial city of Sheffield, ten year-old Jacqueline has to care for her whole family: her ailing mother, aged father, five year old sister and three-week old brother.At a tender age, when Jacqueline should be playing with her friends, she has to come to terms with birth and death, as well as cooking, cleaning and keeping the home fires burning.Jacqueline becomes a rebellious teenager, discovering boys, cigarettes and rock ‘n’ roll, before facing the challenges of growing up and choosing her own path in life.This wonderful tale is based on the writer’s own childhood. You’ll be gripped from the first sentence as you meet Jacqueline’s family and friends. If you enjoy reading Catherine Cookson novels and watching Call the Midwife, you’ll love this story.