Lullabies for Little Criminals

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This dazzling debut novel by Heather O'Neill introduces readers to 13-year-old Baby, who teeters between childhood and adulthood as she tries to deal with an impossibly difficult situation. With her mother gone and her father paying more attention to his drug habit than to her, this beautiful young girl attracts the attention of a local pimp. As she is drawn deeper into his seedy world, Baby eventually comes to realize she must take her fate in her own hands. This is a gritty and riveting portrayal of life on the streets in Montreal, as seen through the eyes of an unforgettable protagonist.

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Published in 2006, Lullabies for Little Criminals took the Hugh MacLennan Prize for fiction in 2007 and was also a finalist for the Governor General's Literary Award. The bookwon Canada Reads 2007, when it was championed by John K. Samson.

From the book

Interviews

Archives16:39Heather O'Neill on creating 'Criminals'

The author of the Canada Reads 2007-winning Lullabies for Little Criminals discusses her tale of adolescent squalor.

Out In The Open4:44Author Heather O'Neill on the sting of 'white trash'

The award-winning Canadian author reflects on the label of white trash.

More about this book

Archives28:00'Little Criminals' snatches the prize in 2007

Lullabies for Little Criminals comes out on top in Canada Reads 2007.

The Next Chapter1:45Bedside Books: Tanika Charles on "Lullabies for Little Criminals"

Soul singer Tanika Charles on Heather O'Neill's novel

Other books by Heather O'Neill