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The Tulip touch

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Anne Fine - Author

The novel follows a friendship that begins with Natalie finding Tulip exciting, despite her lies and behaviour at school. Their invented games draw other people into the girls’ increasingly unsettling play.

More about this book

Nobody wants Tulip in their gang. She skives off school, cheeks the teachers, and makes herself unpopular with her classmates by telling the most awful lies. None of this matters to Natalie. Natalie finds Tulip exciting, and at first she doesn't care that other people are so upset and unnerved by Tulip's bizarre games like Stinking Mackerel and Road of Bones. It's funny to watch their reactions, and there's always the delicious fear that the two girls might be caught. But as the games become increasingly sinister and dangerous, Natalie realizes that Tulip is going too far. Much too far.

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Book Analysis

At a Glance

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Friendship· ChallengedInfluence· ChallengedBoundaries· Challenged

Consider

Fear and suspenseSocial conflictFrightening scenes

Personalised Fit

Beyond the Cover

friendshipinfluenceboundaries

FictionNovel

Themes in Context

A friendship that changes

Natalie is drawn to Tulip’s confidence and rule-breaking, but later recognises that the games have gone too far and wants to get away.

How the book presents it: The story presents the escalating games as troubling rather than harmless; Natalie’s change of heart marks a limit to their appeal.

Talk about: What helps Natalie see Tulip’s behaviour differently?

Why It May Be Worth Reading

The story offers a way to explore how excitement and loyalty can shape someone’s view of another person’s behaviour, and what it may mean to recognise that a friendship has become troubling.

What Deserves Attention

The games become menacing and dangerous, and Natalie fears Tulip’s response if she tries to leave. This growing tension may be worth bearing in mind for a reader sensitive to suspense or threatening situations.

A Conversation Worth Having

What changes in Natalie’s view of Tulip, and what does the story suggest about recognising when someone else’s behaviour has gone too far?

Reading Approach

If reading together, pause as Natalie’s response shifts and invite the reader to notice what she finds exciting at first and what later makes her reconsider. You can decide together whether to continue at that point.

Confidence & Basis

Theme indicators describe how the book presents a topic; they are not a verdict on the whole book or your family's values. Confidence reflects how much book-specific material was checked. Only part of the book information was available, so some details remain unconfirmed.

What remains unconfirmed

A friendship that changes: Natalie fears Tulip will play her most dangerous game if she tries to escape.

The Tulip Touch: A Novel - Anne Fine - Google Books

Limited information

Checked: 1 October 2026.

Relevant to: A friendship that changes

The Tulip touch by Anne Fine | Open Library