Tart by Becki Jayne Crossley

Teenagers and social media are very much in the news at the moment with the Australian Government’s move to restrict access by users under 16. Crossley’s novel is a dramatic illustration of the impact social media can have on a young person’s life. Libby is absolutely devastated when a video of her ‘cheating’ on her boyfriend Dan at a drunken party is circulated across socials, leading to the most horrible abuse at school: egging of her locker, audibly whispered slurs, and then even a physical beat-up in the girls changerooms. The abuse gang is led by Katie, Dan’s childhood friend, whilst Dan himself is in a coma in hospital, a cyclist victim of a hit-and-run accident.

Crossley’s debut novel bravely tackles a number of serious issues, teenage abuse of alcohol, sexual consent, victim blaming and cyberbullying; but she manages to convey all of this within the context of daily school life, making it a highly empathic story that is lightened by the inclusion of teenage humour and depiction of genuine friendship interactions. Even the title ‘Tart’ references both the ‘slut shaming’ that Libby experiences, and the joy of baking that her friend Neha brings to their friendship.

But at the heart of the novel is the revelation of deep-set anxiety about ‘coming out’ as gay or bi-sexual in a highly conservative religious village community where everybody knows everything about everybody else. How does a child reveal their sexual identity to parents whose world picture just doesn’t countenance such a thing? There must be many teenagers who have struggled with this issue; it is only to be hoped that Crossley’s story offers both the courage and reassurance to go forward. She describes the slow one-at-a-time steps to take. In the process one discovers one’s true friends.

For those grappling with how best to convey the basic principles of sexual consent, Crossley provides perfect examples. At the party where Libby is labelled ‘slut’, nobody considers whether she’s had too much to drink and needs looking after, nobody wonders about the motives of the guy who takes advantage of the situation. But on a later occasion when Libby sees an unsteady Neha being manoeuvred into a car by a stranger, her alarm bells lead her to checking whether Neha is alright, and she ensures that Neha comes home safely. Crossley presents how to recognise when consent hasn’t been given, and how to step out of being a bystander and to actually put into practice caring for another’s wellbeing and safety.

This is an absolutely outstanding novel. It tackles so many important issues, yet maintains a very readable empathetic tone. You can’t fail to be drawn in, and I’m sure there will be a tear or two shed before the end. Crossley manages to keep the balance between drama and humour, and with the ending so positive and uplifting, the reader can only be reassured there are good people in the world and better ways to behave. I highly recommend this novel for YA readers. It goes on my ‘best books’ list for 2025.

Themes: Consent, Bullying, Social media, LGBQTI+, Bully bystander, Responsibility, Grief.

Helen Eddy