Love Lessons

The story is narrated by 15 year old Prudence, who has been home educated with her 11 year old sister Grace by their father from a young age. Her family own a bookshop, which has few customers and is in debt. Her father is extremely strict, and controls the sisters and their timid mother. He refuses to allow the family to own a television, or allow the girls to read magazines.

When the education authorities visit the family, Prudence is forced to attend a tutor for maths lessons. However, she detests the lessons and doesn't return, spending the money instead on items her father would forbid - paints, teenage magazines, chocolate and revealing underwear. A few weeks later, Prudence's father discovers that Prudence has been missing her lessons, and becomes furious with her, demanding to know what she did with the money that should have been paid to the tutor. Prudence stands up against her father - something she has rarely done before - and throws the underwear at him before claiming that she hates him. After slapping Prudence, her father suffers a stroke and is taken into hospital. Being unable to teach the girls herself, Prudence's mother sends Prudence and Grace to a local comprehensive school while their father recovers in hospital.

Prudence suddenly realises what it's like to experience a little freedom, but also discovers that regular school life is certainly not what she had expected, and she quickly grows a distaste for it. Despite having trouble fitting in with most of her classmates, Prudence makes friends with a boy named Toby, who is described by Prue as one of the few boys in her class who is "remotely good-looking", and is popular and adored by the girls. He is attracted to Prue because he thinks she is different from the other girls in their year, but Prue has little interest in Toby, and the only reason she befriends him is because he slightly resembles Prue's 'imaginary friend, Tobias. But then Prue meets Mr. Raxberry, (nicknamed 'Rax'), her kind, young and handsome art teacher, who she finds is one of the only people she can talk to. Prue and Rax bond over art lessons, and soon he asks her to babysit for his young children while he and his wife have a night out on a Friday. This becomes a regular 'date' and Prue always looks forward for the ten minutes they have alone together as he drives her home. As her feelings for Rax develop, she begins to realise that perhaps he feels the same way about her. One night, on the way back from babysitting, the pair kiss and Prue begins to fantasise how she could spend the rest of her life with Rax even though she knows it is unrealistic, and how they could have babies together and have a happy life. When a classmate overhears Prue confessing her love to Rax and sharing a hug with him the headmistress quizzes her about their relationship. When Prue and Rax say it is just a friendship between teacher and pupil Prue is asked to leave the school and said she will be provided a place at a local private school. Rax is allowed to remain at his post as art teacher of the school if he refrains from seeing Prue. However as Prue walks home that evening with her sister, Rax picks her up in his car and the pair say their final goodbyes. Prue continues to fantisise about Rax and the book ends with her daydreaming about strolling along the seashore with him.