"That's where I should have started the story. I sat for ages in the dark, with my head in a swirl. My thoughts were spinning round and round, like clothes in a washing machine. Bruising, I thought. Alcoholic. Social worker. Foster care. Scum. School. Measles. Cow. Mobile phone. Danielle. That was the beginning. But I'd forgotten that until now. I mean, it's amazing what you can forget ..."

It all started when Gramma died. And then Jonathan and Julie had only apples for dinner. Apples, an alcoholic mother, and one big bruise on Julie's face. Jonathan had no choice but to pack their schoolbags and run away, far from Ma ...

Until the police catch up with them and take Julie away and lock up Jono. And through his questioning, Jonathan must finally confront the real truth.

A powerful tale of one boy's mission to protect his younger sister ... no matter what the cost.

This book has been graded for interest at 12-17 years.

There are 256 pages in this book. This book was published 2011 by Hodder & Stoughton General Division .

Siobhan Parkinson is one of Ireland's leading authors for children and teenagers, and she has won numerous awards for her writing. Siobhan lives in Dublin with her husband and grown-up son.