The inspiration for Always Angel grew out of my experience working in mainstream secondary schools. For many years, I worked closely with students who found school incredibly difficult to navigate. They were often young people who were labelled as disruptive, disengaged or challenging, but when you spent time with them, a very different picture began to emerge. Many of them wanted to succeed. They wanted to be understood.

Angel’s voice was shaped by those experiences. Over time, I noticed that some of the young people who struggled the most in school were also the ones carrying the heaviest responsibilities outside of it. They might be worrying about family members, managing difficult situations at home, or simply trying to get through each day feeling safe and secure. When young people are dealing with those kinds of pressures, it is understandable that homework, attendance or behaviour systems can feel overwhelming or even irrelevant.

I wanted Always Angel to reflect that reality. In schools, we often only see a small part of a young person’s life – the version of them that arrives in the classroom. But behind that moment might be a much bigger story that teachers, peers and even the young person themselves are still trying to understand. Angel represents many of the young people I have encountered over the years: bright, resilient and full of potential, but sometimes misunderstood because their circumstances make it difficult for them to show that potential in conventional ways.

As I was writing, I wanted readers to step inside Angel’s world and understand what she is carrying with her each day. Her reactions, frustrations and decisions are shaped by pressures that many people around her cannot see. When a young person feels unheard or judged too quickly, it can create a sense that nobody is really trying to understand them. That feeling of being misread or overlooked can be incredibly isolating.

Ultimately, I wanted readers to see Angel not as a problem to be solved, but as a young person doing her best in complicated circumstances. Understanding her perspective invites readers to look beyond quick assumptions and instead approach young people with curiosity, patience and compassion.

A central theme that emerged as I was writing was the impact that one empathetic adult can have on a young person’s life. During my time working in schools, I saw again and again how much difference it can make when a young person feels genuinely noticed by an adult who believes in them. When students feel misunderstood or constantly labelled as a problem, it can slowly erode their sense of self-worth. But when someone takes the time to listen and respond with kindness, it can open the door to trust and change.

The character of Mrs Iris was inspired by those moments. She represents the adults who choose curiosity over judgement, and compassion over quick conclusions. Her relationship with Angel shows how powerful it can be when a young person is seen not as a set of behaviours to manage, but as a person with a story that deserves attention and care.

Ultimately, the inspiration behind Always Angel came from a desire to shine a light on the stories that often go unheard in school environments. I wanted to explore what might be happening beneath the surface for young people who are too quickly labelled as difficult or disengaged. If the book encourages readers to pause, reflect and consider the bigger picture behind a child’s behaviour, then it has achieved something meaningful.

More than anything, I hope Always Angel reminds readers that kindness, patience and listening can make an enormous difference. Sometimes all it takes is one person choosing to see a young person clearly for them to begin seeing themselves differently too.

Many thanks to Kimberly for sharing her insight into Always Angel. You can read more about the book and Kimberly’s other award winning novel using the links below. If you are looking for a new class read for KS3 you will find Kimberly’s books along with plenty of others in our Summer Class Reads Promo.