Break in the Sun

Break in the Sun by Bernard Ashley is a forgotten children's classic from the 1980s. Set in London and Margate this gritty coming-of-age book was serialised for the BBC and tells the story of Patsy, a young girl who runs away from home.

"Bernard Ashley's great gift is to turn what seems to be low-key realism into something much stronger and more resonant. It has something to do with empathy, compassion, an undimmed thirst for decency and justice."- Philip Pullman, author of His Dark MaterialsBreak in the Sun tells the story of Patsy, a young girl who runs away to Margate from Deptford, fleeing her abusive stepfather. It is a remarkably sensitive portrayal of growing up in tough circumstances, with the heroine portrayed not as a victim but as a survivor. First published in 1980, this book was instantly praised for its realistic portrayal of working-class children, and the following year it was serialised for the BBC as a gritty and rather controversial children's drama. The book and its adaptation are now regarded as standout pieces of children’s drama from the 1980s (director Roger Singleton-Turner would later work on the kids' TV series Grange Hill).