Kathleen Gallagher is resourceful, brave and tireless - but fated to work in the bra factory like her mother. It's 1962, and Kathleen resents her situation. She has to look after her three younger siblings whilst her mother works part-time, collect the wages from her absentee father, and sacrifice her social life for responsibilities she never asked for. When Kathleen's grandmother dies, the entire family dynamic changes - leaving the relationship with her mother to suffer.

Kitten Heels is a moving coming-of-age story, set in 1960's working-class Clydeside and told from thirteen-year-old Kathleen's perspective. It is a humorous, character filled story, dealing with issues of poverty, mental health, the role of women. Kathleen finds comfort and support in the community of women around her - learning from the way in which these women find ways to grow, nourish and heal each other, despite hardships and institutional obstacles set in their way.