Tape

by Steven Camden

Overview

TAPE is set to be the outstanding teen debut of 2014. Told with cracking prose, shimmering with humour and devastatingly moving, it will haunt anyone who reads it…Record a voice and it lasts forever…In 1993, Ryan records a diary on an old tape. He talks about his mother’s death, about his dreams, about his love for a new girl at school who doesn’t even know he exists.In 2013, Ameliah moves in with her grandmother after her parents die. There, she finds a tape in the spare room. A tape with a boy’s voice on it – a voice she can’t quite hear, but which seems to be speaking to her.Ryan and Ameliah are connected by more than just a tape.This is their story.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780007511211
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	01/30/2014
Sold by:	HarperCollins Publishers
Format:	eBook
Pages:	368
File size:	2 MB
Age Range:	13 Years

About the Author

Steven Camden is a leading spoken-word poet, performing as Polarbear. He also writes radio plays, teaches storytelling in schools, and was a lead artist for The Ministry of Stories.

You can find out more about Steven at www.facebook.com/stevencamdentheauthor and you can also follow him on twitter at @homeofpolar.

Steven Camden is a leading spoken-word poet, performing as Polarbear. He also writes radio plays, teaches storytelling in schools, and was a lead artist for The Ministry of Stories.

You can find out more about Steven at www.facebook.com/stevencamdentheauthor and you can also follow him on twitter at @homeofpolar.

Editorial Reviews

08/01/2014
Gr 7 Up—Ameliah and Ryan are two English teens who have a lot in common. Both of them have recently experienced the loss of their parents and both are obsessed with cassette tapes. Ameliah is desperate to remain connected to her parents, and knows that they loved music, so she is trying to listen to all of their old favorites. Ryan is recording tapes so he can feel close to his mother. Ryan's world is changing fast and it's getting harder for him to recall what made his mother so special. He's having a hard time getting along with his new stepbrother and his father is preoccupied with his new marriage. On one particularly difficult day, Ryan is recording a new tape and hears a voice talk back to him. As Ameliah records a tape, she also hears a stranger's voice talking to her through her ancient tape player. After this fortuitous meeting, Ryan's and Ameliah's stories of love and loss intertwine in delightful (and heartrending) ways. The star-crossed teens' tale is touching, but overwrought. Younger teens will like the many twists and turns, but older readers will have a hard time suspending their disbelief long enough for this novel to hit home.—Morgan Brickey, Marion County Public Library System, FL

School Library Journal

‘Truly gripping… a cleverly structured, movingly characterised and powerful tale.’ The Sunday Times

‘Beautifully controlled – a tender love story about grief, regret, healing and hope… builds to a wonderfully rewarding ending.’ Daily Mail

‘Deftly structured… an impressive debut.’ Telegraph

‘Steven Camden is a born storyteller. Read TAPE, rewind, then read it again.' Phil Earle

‘Time-warping escapism. I loved it!’ Jordan, Rizzle Kicks

'Steven is one of my greatest influences, he is a powerhouse in his field, both looked to and admired. This book is just as original, playful as Steven is. Full of heart.' Laura Dockrill

“An affectionate tribute to the mixed tape and the human desire to find a fairy tale. It encapsulates universal themes of love, hope and fate while adding a soupcon of magic. Camden writes sensitively from the perspective of different genders, evoking the dynamics of family dramas and the awkwardness of coming of age.” The Bookbag

From the Publisher