Dustbin Baby
Encyclopedia
Dustbin Baby is a children's novel by English author Jacqueline Wilson
. The story focuses on April, a fourteen year old girl who was abandoned by her mother in a dustbin when she was only a few minutes old. After a blazing row with her foster mother, she goes in search of her past. The book was adapted into a film
in 2008 by the BBC
.
.
April then visits the graveside of her adoptive mother, Janet Johnston. Janet committed suicide a few years after adopting April, while battling depression stemming from her husband's affairs and the break-up of her marriage.
April subsequently tells readers of the time she lived a residential care home called Sunnybank Children's Home, run by a man and woman, Little Pete and Big Mo respectively. Here, April is befriended by a much older girl called Gina. But, sooner or later, Gina calls upon April to "help" her friends in a series of burglaries after dark. April was bullied mercilessly by another resident, Pearl, until April took drastic action against the bullying by pushing Pearl down the stairs, causing Pearl grievous bodily injury and, consequently, April's removal from the home.
After leaving Sunnybank April was taken to Fairgate, a school for learning-impaired children. Here April stayed for five years and formed a close bond with her history
teacher Miss Marion Bean, and a friendship with a girl called Poppy, who has Aspergers Syndrome. Marion begins to bond with April and refers her to be moved to a mainstream school. Here April make new friends, Hannah and Cathy, and Marion with the help of Social worker Elaine (which could be a reference to Tracy Beaker's social worker) decides to foster her.
The story ends with April meeting the pizza boy, Frankie, who discovered her in the dustbin the day she was born and resolving the fight she had with Marion at the start of the story.
and Kindle Entertainment
in 2008. It stars Juliet Stevenson
as Marion and Dakota Blue Richards
as April. It was aired on BBC1 on Sunday 21 December 2008 at 3:25pm until 4:55pm.
Jacqueline Wilson
Dame Jacqueline Wilson, DBE, FRSL is an award-winning English author, known for her vast and diverse work in children's literature. Her novels have been adapted numerous times for television, and commonly deal with such challenging themes as adoption, divorce and mental illness...
. The story focuses on April, a fourteen year old girl who was abandoned by her mother in a dustbin when she was only a few minutes old. After a blazing row with her foster mother, she goes in search of her past. The book was adapted into a film
Dustbin Baby (film)
Dustbin Baby is a BBC television film directed by Juliet May, based on Jacqueline Wilson's 2001 novel of the same name. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 21 December 2008. The film stars Dakota Blue Richards as April, a troubled teenager who was abandoned in a dustbin as an infant, and Juliet...
in 2008 by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
.
Plot summary
When she was a few minutes old, April was abandoned by her mother in a dustbin behind a local pizza restaurant. She was discovered by a young waiter there and named April by the hospital as she was found on April Fool's Day. She was fostered by Patricia Williams, but only lived with her a short time before being adopted. April's first stop on her fourteenth birthday is Pat's house. She finds that she remembers little of it and Pat remembers little of her. However she does befriend one of Patricia's new foster children Tanya - a character seen before along with Pat in another of Jacqueline Wilson's books, Bad GirlsBad Girls (1996 novel)
Bad Girls is a children's novel by English author Jacqueline Wilson.-Plot summary:10-year-old Mandy White is mercilessly tormented at school by three classmates: Kim, Melanie and Sarah...
.
April then visits the graveside of her adoptive mother, Janet Johnston. Janet committed suicide a few years after adopting April, while battling depression stemming from her husband's affairs and the break-up of her marriage.
April subsequently tells readers of the time she lived a residential care home called Sunnybank Children's Home, run by a man and woman, Little Pete and Big Mo respectively. Here, April is befriended by a much older girl called Gina. But, sooner or later, Gina calls upon April to "help" her friends in a series of burglaries after dark. April was bullied mercilessly by another resident, Pearl, until April took drastic action against the bullying by pushing Pearl down the stairs, causing Pearl grievous bodily injury and, consequently, April's removal from the home.
After leaving Sunnybank April was taken to Fairgate, a school for learning-impaired children. Here April stayed for five years and formed a close bond with her history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
teacher Miss Marion Bean, and a friendship with a girl called Poppy, who has Aspergers Syndrome. Marion begins to bond with April and refers her to be moved to a mainstream school. Here April make new friends, Hannah and Cathy, and Marion with the help of Social worker Elaine (which could be a reference to Tracy Beaker's social worker) decides to foster her.
The story ends with April meeting the pizza boy, Frankie, who discovered her in the dustbin the day she was born and resolving the fight she had with Marion at the start of the story.
Television adaptation
Dustbin Baby was dramatised by the BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
and Kindle Entertainment
Kindle Entertainment
Kindle Entertainment is an independent children's television production company based in London, England. Kindle was formed after ITV Kids was closed, and current personnel includes Anne Brogan, the former controller of ITV Kids...
in 2008. It stars Juliet Stevenson
Juliet Stevenson
Juliet Anne Virginia Stevenson, CBE is an English actor of stage and screen.- Early life :Stevenson was born in Kelvedon, Essex, England, the daughter of Virginia Ruth , a teacher, and Michael Guy Stevenson, an army officer. Stevenson's father was in the army and was posted to a new place every...
as Marion and Dakota Blue Richards
Dakota Blue Richards
Dakota Blue Richards is an English actress. Her debut was in the film The Golden Compass, as the lead character Lyra Belacqua....
as April. It was aired on BBC1 on Sunday 21 December 2008 at 3:25pm until 4:55pm.