YOUNG ADULT BOOKS
The Ledge
January 28, 2020 | Orca Book Publishers
Buy the Book: Amazon | Chapters/Indigo
Nick was used to being good at everything. Hockey, football, track, they all came easy to him. Surfing was his latest passion. That is, until the accident. Now partially paralyzed, Nick is angry, depressed and getting far too fond of his prescription meds. But his frequent visits to his physiotherapist, a Syrian refugee, and a budding friendship with a partial amputee who has also experienced firsthand the horrors of war help him start to piece his life back together. A story about overcoming the odds and changing your life for the better.
Will be available in Paperback soon!
The Thing You're Good At
August 28, 2018 | Orca Book Publishers
Buy the Book: Amazon | Chapters/Indigo
Jake's friend Maria is the daughter of undocumented immigrants who have been living and working in the country for a long time. But the new government has implemented a crackdown. Maria's parents are detained and quickly sent out of the country. Maria, who was born here, decides to hide out in Jake's basement rather than risk becoming a ward of the state. But when she returns to her old apartment to retrieve her hidden birth certificate, Maria is abducted by young men on the lookout for teenage girls who have lost their parents to deportation. Jake is determined to rescue Maria before she's turned over to the authorities. Or worse.
Available in Paperback and as an Ebook.
Kryptonite
January 23, 2018 | Orca Book Publishers
Buy the Book: Amazon | Chapters/Indigo
Jackson knows how to get what he wants. Whether it's sweet-talking his friends into buying lunch or convincing teachers to give him extensions, he feels entitled to take whatever he wants--even a day off school or a new pair of shoes. Now he's set his sights on Abby, a troubled girl fresh out of juvie who only has eyes for Bryce, the go-to dealer of a dangerous new drug called kryptonite.
Available in Paperback and as an Ebook.
Plank's Law
September 12, 2017 | Orca Book Publishers
Buy the Book: Amazon | Chapters/Indigo
Trevor has known since he was ten years old that he has Huntington's disease, but at sixteen he is informed that he has one year to live. One day while he's trying to figure stuff out, an old man named Plank finds him standing at a cliff by the ocean. It's the beginning of an odd but intriguing relationship. Both Trevor and Plank decide to live by Plank's Law, which is just live. This means Trevor has to act on the things on his bucket list, like hanging out with real penguins, star in a science fiction movie and actually talk to Sara--the girl at the hospital who smiles at him.
With the aid of Plank and Sara, Trevor revises his bucket list to include more important things and takes charge of his illness and his life.
Available in Paperback and as an Ebook.
Thin Places
July 29, 2017 | Dundurn Press
Buy the Book: Amazon | Chapters/Indigo
A dazzling story told in verse, of sixteen-year-old Declan Lynch and the girl whose centuries-old voice rings in his head.
One day, Declan Lynch, a regular teenager, starts hearing a girl’s voice inside his head. Eventually, he even begins to see her. Though he’s not certain the girl, Rebecca, is real, Declan finds himself falling for her. She shows him visions of places and people he has never seen — places he feels compelled to find in hopes of meeting her.
His quest takes him to County Sligo, Ireland, and its “thin places,” spots where the earth and the spirit world seem almost to touch. His slightly crazy Uncle Seamus takes him in, as Declan’s search has him wondering which world he belongs in — his, or the one belonging to a girl who might not even be real.
Available in Paperback and as an Ebook.
Identify
April 18, 2017 | Orca Book Publishers
Buy the Book: Amazon | Chapters/Indigo
Ethan is an anxiety-ridden loner who relies on medication to get through his day. During one of his fairly frequent panic attacks, a girl from school named Gabriella comes to his rescue. Gabe, as she prefers to be known, is facing her own inner turmoil. She has always been a tomboy, but the more pressure she faces to act and dress "like a girl," the more she wonders just who she really is.
When he learns that Gabe is being constantly harassed at school, Ethan discovers he is able to overcome his own fears in order to stand up for his new friend. Then Gabe finds a disturbing note in her locker, and the threats begin to escalate. Ethan confronts the person responsible, but things take an unexpected turn, and he suddenly finds himself being questioned by police, accused of assault. With a dose of courage and a surprising ally, the two friends come up with a plan to set things right and end up discovering who they really are along the way.
Available in Paperback and as an Ebook.
Also available in Slovenian and Swedish.
Closing Down Heaven
October 26, 2016 | Red Deer Press
Buy the Book: Amazon | Chapters/Indigo
In this whimsical free-verse novel for young adults, sixteen-year-old Hunter propels himself out of this world — literally — and into the next after pushing his ultralight bike beyond risk. He arrives in what he understands to be heaven, to be met by his celestial guide, name of Archie, who tries to interpret for Hunter the rules of this rather confusing realm.
It's not long before Hunter meets a girl he used to know in Grade 6, name of Trinity, and from this point on his mission is to love her and protect her. Protect her from herself — and also from the nasty character she became involved with before she died of a drug overdose. As part of this mission, Hunter is able to take advantage of a new policy in heaven that allows some recently deceased to return and pick up their lives again. In this way, Hunter tries to prevent the death of Trinity — but it doesn't work.
Complications multiply until both Hunter and Trinity find a redemptive path which gives them both back their real lives and new opportunities. Lesley Choyce has woven a sometimes comic, sometimes moving narrative, focusing on the kinds of mixed-up teens he seems to know so well. In the end love conquers almost everything, but the twists and turns are engaging and illuminating, as Hunter and Trinity find their way to happiness.
Available in Paperback.
Scam
April 26, 2016 | Orca Book Publishers
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Josh's mother always had issues--with drugs and just getting by. And Josh has always been the one who kept them together. But when his mom dies, he really is on his own and must find a way to look after himself. On his way to his mother's funeral he meets Lindsay, a cute girl who flirts with him but then steals his wallet. When he confronts her and tells her where he is going, she apologizes, returns his wallet and convinces Josh to let her accompany him to the funeral. So begins a complex relationship that changes both of their lives forever.
Available in Paperback and as an Ebook.
Off the Grid
May 1, 2015 | Orca Book Publishers
Buy the Book: Amazon | Chapters/Indigo
Sixteen-year-old Cody was born and raised "off the grid" deep in the wilderness by idealistic parents. When his father becomes seriously ill, the family is forced to move into the city so he can get treatment. Attending high school for the first time, Cody is an oddity and has a hard time adjusting. He finds unlikely allies in DeMarco, an inner-city kid, and Ernest, a philosophical homeless man, and he begins a tentative friendship with Alexis.
When he comes to DeMarco's defense in an altercation at school, Cody finds himself in trouble with the police. A second confrontation puts Cody in more trouble with the cops, and he is convinced he must escape to the family homestead or be arrested. But Cody is torn between fleeing the city or staying with his ailing father and facing whatever consequences come his way.
Available in Paperback and as an Ebook.
Into the Wasteland
October 8, 2014 | Red Deer Press
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Dixon Carter wants to share his life manifesto. Don't worry — there won't be any violence. Dixon doesn't believe in violence. But Dixon is seeing things differently. He has gone off his meds — the drugs deaden him to the world. He is writing a daily journal from the point he stopped the meds.
There are times he is angry with the world and everyone in it. But then there are the times where he can see all the beauty, just like the Romantic poets. His girlfriend Sylvia and best friend Zeke are trying to help him on his journey. But when the real world throws a tragic event in Dixon's path his struggles to save himself become darker and much more difficult and dangerous.
Available in Paperback and as an Ebook.
Jeremy Stone
November 13, 2013 | Red Deer Press
Buy the Book: Amazon | Chapters/Indigo
Finalist for the 2014 Governor General's Award for Children's Literature (Text)
Jeremy Stone is told in free verse format. After moving from a residential school to a new school in a new community, Jeremy, a First Nations teenage boy, is trying to find out where he fits in the world. He soon meets Caitlan, an intense girl who tells him about another boy — a boyfriend of hers — who has committed suicide. Jeremy isn't sure whether he has much to offer Caitlan, given his own uncertainties, but he is solid and supportive towards his new friend.
A lot of the support comes from Old Man, the spirit of Jeremy's dead grandfather, with whom he has frequent illuminating conversations. In fact, Jeremy has frequent contact with the spirit world — his grandfather, Jenson, the suicide, as well as a childhood friend of Jeremy's, Jimmy Falcon. Each of these spirits help Jeremy find his way through a quagmire of bullying and racial taunts toward a more stable future. In the end, Jeremy asserts himself by summoning his father who has gone to work in the oil patch but who his son wants to return home.
Available in Paperback and as an Ebook.
Crash
October 1, 2013 | Orca Book Publishers
Buy the Book: Amazon | Chapters/Indigo
Just when sixteen-year-old Cameron thinks he's going to straighten out his troubled life, his parents break up and he ends up living on the street with his dog, Ozzie. He meets a girl named Mackenzie, who has been sleeping in a pup tent in the park. With her help, he tries to survive on the street and continue with school, despite the new challenges in his life.
Finding a safe place for them to crash at night is difficult, and panhandling for money isn't as easy as it looks. Cameron learns that Mackenzie has her own emotional baggage to deal with, and life for a kid with a dog and no home gets even more challenging. After Mackenzie gets into some real trouble, Cameron realizes he needs to come up with a realistic solution if they are going to survive the turbulence.
Available in Paperback and as an Ebook.
Rat
October 1, 2012 | Orca Book Publishers
Buy the Book: Amazon | Chapters/Indigo
Colin is tired of school bullies and other students' refusal to speak up or "rat" on the real troublemakers. When Colin does speak out against a couple of school thugs, they post an embarrassing photo of him on a social networking website. Colin makes some new enemies in the process but also a few new allies, including the VP, Mr. Miller. One of Colin's new unwanted allies, though, is Jerome, who is selling weapons to kids at school for "self defense." Colin threatens to turn Jerome in but backs off, tired of his growing reputation as the school rat.
When Jerome is shot and killed, Colin regrets not speaking up earlier. Jerome's killer is now known but has not been located by the police. When the police show up, Colin tells them what he knows, and while he realizes that he has some enemies, he also has some real admirers as well.
Available in Paperback and as an Ebook.
Breaking Point
March 1, 2012 | Orca Book Publishers
Buy the Book: Amazon | Chapters/Indigo
Cameron has been in trouble with the law more than once for breaking and entering. After his latest conviction, he's sent to an outdoors program for young offenders rather than a standard juvenile detention facility. There he meets Brianna, a girl who has been caught selling drugs at her school. They bond quickly, and she convinces Cameron to steal two sea kayaks and head off with her into the wilderness of bays and coves of Nova Scotia's Eastern Shore. It's a fearless but ill-timed escape as a hurricane is about to pound the coast. They must use all their courage and newfound survival skills if they are going to make it back to shore alive. And Cameron suspects that Brianna may not be telling him the truth about her real plans.
Available in Paperback and as an Ebook.
Dumb Luck
September 23, 2011 | Red Deer Press
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As he approaches his 18th birthday, Brandon DeWolf knows he is not the sharpest knife in the drawer. He failed a grade in a undistinguished school career, and is contemplating spending two more years in school when most of his friends will be graduating at the end of the academic year. He tends to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, has no real ambitions, and seems to be at a dead end. Among the few happy moments of his life are the ones he spends with his good friend Kayla, a girl he's known from childhood, another misfit.
Two days before his birthday, however, everything changes for Brandon. First of all, he falls out of a tree - and survives intact. On his birthday, savouring his lucky break, he picks up a lottery ticket, and discovers he's won three million dollars. Suddenly everyone's his good friend, and his parents - a discontented frequently squabbling pair - rejoice in anticipating all that this sudden bonanza will buy them. The school's hottest girl becomes Brandon's coach in this new unaccustomed life he has to adapt to. His old friend Kayla realizes their friendship is withering, and Brandon doesn't have the capacity to do much about that. Plunged into a world that is completely new to him - and without any real moral compass to follow - Brandon flounders and eventually is brought down in disgrace, spending a night in jail after being caught drinking and driving. There is no happy ending for Brandon, just a solemn understanding that he cannot recover his old life and needs to find the integrity to map out a new one.
Available in Paperback and as an Ebook.
Gone Bad
March 11, 2011 | Lorimer
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Winner of the 1994 Ann Connor Brimer Award.
Cody and his friends call it street cleaning - four of them beating up on one guy they don't like the looks of. Cody partakes in the action, even though he'd rather be taking out his aggression on his drum kit. A drummer without a band is one lost dude, so Cody soon hooks up with Kelsey and guitar playing Alex. Cody manages to keep his destructive tendencies under wraps long enough for the band to start to have a following. But before success comes knocking, Cody's old friends show up with a score to settle. Cody needs to decide whether the time is right to come clean about his past and face the consequences.
Available in Paperback and as an Ebook.
Random
October 8, 2010 | Red Deer Press
Buy the Book: Amazon | Chapters/Indigo
Selected as the 2011 White Ravens title.
"If you think life makes sense, do not read this book."
It's this credo that sixteen-year-old Joe Campbell lives by. You see, his birth parents were killed in a car accident, and four years later he's still trying to work his way past that loss. His new parents are as supportive and loving as he could wish. But Joe is still trying to figure out whether there is any pattern or purpose to his existence, and remains doubtful that there is an answer.
Yet all around him patterns and purposes gradually take shape, and this compelling novel traces the thought processes and the people that eventually make a difference in Joe's life. The story is of Joe digging into his past, and looking around the present, as he seeks to make sense of the world. But it's not a solitary quest as his good friends Gloria and Dean - both outsiders in the high school they all attend - accompany him on this quest for meaning.
Random will resonate with many teenagers who, to a greater or lesser extent, find themselves besieged by doubt and speculation about their places in the world.
Available in Paperback and as an Ebook.
Reaction
March 1, 2010 | Orca Book Publishers
Buy the Book: Amazon | Chapters/Indigo
Zach and Ashley have been going out for a while, and things are going well - until Ashley finds out she is pregnant. She is angry and blames Zach. She wouldn't be in this state if he hadn't been so careless. Insistent at first on an abortion, she turns against Zach. Confused, Zach struggles with what he should do and what his responsibilities are. Coming to terms with the reactions of their families and friends, Zach realizes that this is a decision that he and Ashley must make together.
Available in Paperback and as an Ebook.
Also available in Spanish.
Reckless
March 1, 2010 | Orca Book Publishers
Buy the Book: Amazon | Chapters/Indigo
Josh knows he's riding recklessly when he knocks down the old man he suspects is the hermit of Loggerman Creek. But he is shocked when the hermit walks into the forest with his bike after the accident. Being without his beloved bike for a week motivates Josh to hike into the woods and confront the crazy old man. The hermit, Jonathan, has fixed Josh's bike, and Josh learns that he has more in common with the old man than he ever imagined. When Jonathan needs help, Josh has to respect the old man's choices in order to save his life.
Available in Paperback and as an Ebook.
Living Outside the Lines
October 7, 2009 | Red Deer Press
Buy the Book: Amazon | Chapters/Indigo
Nigel is a 16-year-old high school student who writes a class assignment about a world in which teenagers become the leading actors in society, politically, economically, socially and medically. Unexpectedly, a publisher expresses interest, the book is published, and very quickly Nigel becomes an unwitting celebrity, subject to praise and sometimes violent opposition.
Nigel's a loner, not a social animal, and to his surprise a mysterious new classmate fastens onto him - and strongly encourages him to complete his novel. Where she's from is unknown, but Michelle is beautiful and intelligent and as it turns out, from the future, and the book Nigel's written has become in her time a guidebook for the youth of her day.
Complicating Nigel's life is the fact that Michelle has to return to her own time - and it's left to him to decide whether he must say goodbye to her forever or else join her in the future. If he does, he can never return to his own world, in a time where teenagers remain outside the realms of power and control.
Available in Paperback.
Last Chance
September 25, 2009 | Lorimer
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The odds are stacked against Melanie and Trent, who are trying to stay in high school while holding down part-time jobs to survive. They can't live at home, and they can't rely on the social support system. They're going to have to help each other through if they're going to make it.
Available in Paperback and as an Ebook.
Running the Risk
April 1, 2009 | Orca Book Publishers
Buy the Book: Amazon | Chapters/Indigo
After being the victim of an armed robbery, Sean should be terrified but he isn't. He finds he likes the rush that comes from danger and tries to recreate the feeling. But when his risktaking leads him to some of the worst parts of town and he finds himself face-to-face with the original armed robbers, he finds he must do the right thing.
Available in Paperback and as an Ebook.
The Book of Michael
October 4, 2008 | Red Deer Press
Buy the Book: Amazon | Chapters/Indigo
Nominee for the 2010 YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers List
2010 White Pine Nominee
Michael Grove was sixteen years old when he was convicted for the murder of Lisa Conroy, the girlfriend he loved very much. The circumstances surrounding her final hours attract considerable media attention, especially because Michael and Lisa had sex just prior to her death. A public outcry against light penalties for young offenders ensures Michael is tried as an adult; he receives a harsh and severe penalty. Six months into his imprisonment, the true murderer confesses. Michael is released but quickly finds that the stigma of imprisonment and the (wrongful) rap for murder is not an easy thing to escape.
Available in Paperback and as an Ebook.
Hell's Hotel
November 26, 2008 | Lorimer
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Tara's life in Halifax is about as good as it gets--she gets top marks in her class, her parents are cool, she has a good part-time job, her boyfriend Ron edits an alternative paper.
Her life is especially good compared to her friend Janet's. Janet fights with her parents whenever she sees them, which isn't often. She spends more time begging for change on the street and crashing at the dismal squat locals call Hell's Hotel.
Soon, however, cracks start to appear in Tara's perfect life. When Ron writes an exposé on the kids who live at the Hotel, Tara is forced to question his motives. Things start falling apart, one by one: her grades slip, her friends drop her, her mom leaves town. When catastrophe hits Hell's Hotel, however, Tara and Janet find themselves relying on each other more than either expected. Together they aim to make big changes, in their city and in themselves.
Set against a gritty, inner-city background, Hell's Hotel examines the challenges teenagers face every day, in their comfortable homes and on the streets.
Available in Paperback and as an Ebook.
Skate Freak
October 1, 2008 | Orca Book Publishers
Buy the Book: Amazon | Chapters/Indigo
Dorf is all about skateboarding and so far that's worked out fine. But now that he's in a new city, the terrain has changed. He's no longer free to skateboard where he wishes, school is more difficult, and his passion for skateboarding garners him the nickname and reputation of a freak. With daring stunts he gains the grudging respect of local troublemakers, but he needs to tap into another kind of courage to effect real change.
Available in Paperback and as an Ebook.
Also available in French.
The End of the World as We Know It
May 7, 2007 | Red Deer Press
Buy the Book: Amazon | Chapters/Indigo
"I hate the world and everything in it. And that includes me."
Asked to write something for English class that expresses who he really is, 16-year-old Carson takes pleasure in blistering the page with hate for everything in his life. Stuck in a private school for kids who have repeatedly flunked out elsewhere, Carson knows he's got nowhere lower to sink to. "Flunk Out Academy" is the last resort for Carson and his classmates, in a small town where its deeply troubled students are decidedly unwelcome.
Then Carson meets someone who is even less optimistic than he. Christine struggles to get by, living in a trailer by herself, abandoned by her mother and father, so desperate that she has become almost immune to the pain and loneliness.
Confronted by her deep sadness, Carson starts to care for her and she for him. Once focused on someone other than himself, he begins to notice the world around him and realize that there is beauty as well as hopelessness, love as well as hate. Together the two teenagers struggle to work out how they are going to live in an imperfect world. There are no easy happy endings, but somehow the journey eventually makes the pain worthwhile.
Available in Paperback.
Wave Warrior
March 1, 2007 | Orca Book Publishers
Buy the Book: Amazon | Chapters/Indigo
Ben is determined to learn to surf. In the rough North Atlantic waters near his home, only the tough can make it on the water. His first attempt is a disaster. Then he meets Ray, a surfing veteran from California. Ray promises to teach him to surf—and to face his inner demons. As Ben becomes more comfortable on his board he learns to face his fears and prove that he has what it takes to become a Wave Warrior.
Available in Paperback and as an Ebook.
Deconstructing Dylan
April 1, 2006 | Dundurn Press
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The year is 2014. Dylan Gibson is 16 and knows there is something unusual about him, but he doesn't know what - aside from his fascination for things like insects, opera, old Japanese sci-fi movies, playing the didgeridoo, and the Loch Ness monster. After being dumped by his girlfriend, Caroline, who thinks he's too strange, Dylan meets Robyn, who's something of an outcast herself.
Dylan's father works for a big drug company, and his mom, a former geneticist, dropped out of research after a mysterious event. When Dylan discovers a mysterious photograph of himself at a younger age, he starts to suspect that there may be more to his identity crisis than he realized. With Robyn's help, he begins to investigate the mystery that is his own life.
Available in Paperback and as an Ebook.
Sudden Impact
September 1, 2005 | Orca Book Publishers
Buy the Book: Amazon | Chapters/Indigo
When Kurt is hurt in a soccer game and ends up in the hospital Tina tries to help him, but nobody will tell her what is wrong, and Kurt's parents don't want her around. Tina learns that Kurt needs a donor with a rare blood type, and she finds a match in Kurt's soccer rival Jason. Jason agrees to donate his blood to Kurt, but when Kurt disappears from the hospital, the situation becomes desperate. Then Kurt's rival is in a tragic accident that may change everything.
Available in Paperback and as an Ebook.
Smoke and Mirrors
November 1, 2004 | Dundurn Press
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Short-listed for the 2005 CLA Young Adult Canadian Book Award
Sixteen-year-old Simon has always been considered odd. Three years ago, a skateboarding accident caused some minor brain damage and made him a little stranger. His career-driven parents mostly leave him alone, and he spends much of his time living in his imagination. When Andrea, whom no one else can see, appears to Simon in class, he is fascinated by her and strikes up a friendship, even though he knows she may be pure hallucination - he's had imaginary friends before. Andrea says she is there to "help" him, but before the story ends, Simon discovers that it is he who needs to help Andrea, not the other way around.
Available in Paperback and as an Ebook.
Thunderbowl
April 1, 2004 | Orca Book Publishers
Buy the Book: Amazon | Chapters/Indigo
Jeremy's band is hot - really hot. Thunderbowl is on the way up and they have had their first big break - a long-term gig at a local bar. The only problem is that while Jeremy should be doing his homework and keeping up in school, he is spending most nights in a rowdy club, trying to keep the band together while his life is falling apart. Trying to balance his dreams of success with the hard realities of the music business, Jeremy is forced to make some tough choices.
Available in Paperback and as an Ebook.
Also available in Spanish.
Refuge Cove
October 1, 2002 | Orca Book Publishers
Buy the Book: Amazon | Chapters/Indigo
Greg is an avid sailor. On a solo trip off the rugged Newfoundland coast, he stumbles upon a family of desperate refugees stranded in a lifeboat. Fearing for their lives if they are deported to their homeland, the family convinces Greg to help them, and keep their existence secret. He promises not to call the authorities and takes the family home. When his plan begins to unravel, and the family flees into the teeth of an oncoming storm, Greg goes after them.
Available in Paperback and as an Ebook.
Shoulder the Sky
October 1, 2002 | Dundurn Press
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Winner of the 2003 Ann Connor Brimer Award
Short-listed for the 2004 White Pine Award
Martin Emerson's family, friends, and even his therapist have trouble figuring him out. He never showed much of a reaction to the death of his mother, and his behaviour of late has been getting more and more bizarre.
And yet, his website -- Emerso.com -- has made him something of a cult figure to followers who believe that, if not having all the right answers, "Emerso" at least has all the right questions.
Available in Paperback and as an Ebook.
Roid Rage
May 1, 1999 | Harbour Publishing
Buy the Book: Amazon | Harbour Publishing
Craig has finally made first string on the high school football team and is looking forward to the season ahead. But suddenly his best friend Ray is surpassing him and everyone else on the football field. When Craig learns his friend is on steroids, or what Ray calls his "vitamin program," he decides to start a steroid program of his own.
At first Craig is on the top of the world and on top of the team, until he begins to experience terrifying side effects, including "roid rage," when feelings of aggression and violence threaten to send him out of control. Craig must come clean with his coach and his family before he endangers his health and loses his girlfriend Cheryl forever. Most difficult of all, Craig has to convince Ray that his health is also in danger - before it's too late.
Available in Paperback.
Falling through the Cracks
January 1, 1996 | Formac Publishing
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Melanie and Trent are fighters. They fight to hold their dead-end jobs and stay in school at the same time. They fight to stay off the streets, fight against a welfare system that is worse than useless for them. They fight to stay together.
When they manage to find an apartment together things seem to be getting better. But some of the other tenants are wild and dangerous and only make matters worse. And when Trent starts disappearing mysteriously, reappearing with lots of cash, Melanie gets worried. Soon she finds herself fighting alone, fighting to stay alive.
Available in Hardcover and Paperback.
Big Burn
May 19, 1995 | Thistledown Press
Buy the Book: Amazon | Thistledown Press
Chosen for the 1995-96 "Our Choice" Canadian Children's Centre Literature Guide
Set in Canada's East Coast, this novel from award-winning author Lesley Choyce grapples with environmental issues as experienced by two teenagers.
Available in Paperback.
Wrong Time, Wrong Place
January 1, 1995 | Formac Publishing
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1994 Manitoba Young Readers' Choice Award Nominee
Corey's told over and over in a hundred different ways where he doesn't belong. What's worse, he doesn't know where he belongs himself: his mother's black and his father's white; his mother thinks he should hang out with white kids; his girlfriend dumps him for another guy because he isn't "black" enough.
So when Corey gets in trouble at his racially-divided high school, he doesn't know which way to turn. A chance meeting with an old man in a battered pick-up truck changes his life, however. With his experience and help, Corey comes to see the complexity and diversity of the community he lives in, and eventually comes to realize where it is that he really belongs.
Available in Hardcover and Paperback.
Wave Watch
January 1, 1994 | Formac Publishing
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Randy can surf the waves better than anyone else at Lawrencetown. When his beach is invaded by townies, he's willing to show them how to catch waves, and he's quickly accepted as one of the gang. With the money he's earning at his summer job, he can even afford the latest gear - and a flashy car. Every day Cathy comes to the beach with her boyfriend Brian. She seems to like Randy, and he doesn't mind the attention. That leads to complication... and some wild adventures out on the waves. In the water Randy is a hero, but on dry land - it's a whole lot trickier!
Available in Hardcover and Paperback.
Skateboard Shakedown
January 1, 1993 | Formac Publishing
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Gary Sutherland sits between two cops, busted for skateboarding on private property - as if there was anywhere else to skate. Gary and his friends pretty much live on their boards, so the harder the trick or the more outrageous the venue, the better the skating.
When they find an abandoned, empty, curved pool they're in heaven - the skating is so wild they call the pool The Grave. But before long they find The Grave's days are numbered: developers are going to tear it up to build another completely-enclosed, air-conditioned, secure, skateboard-unfriendly shopping mall. Gary and his friend Sheila decide to put a stop to the mall, and once they start digging into the developers' business they find a whole lot of trouble. It'll take more than helmets and wrist-guards to get out of The Grave safely.
Available in Hardcover and Paperback.
Clearcut Danger
1992 | Formac Publishing
Buy the Book: Amazon
At first, Ryan Cooper thinks a new pulp and paper mill in East Harbour will be a good thing, providing employment for the residents of his home town. But Ryan's girlfriend Alana is more worried about the mill's environmental impact - clearcutting and pollution. Worse, Alana discovers that the mill is going to be built on sacred Mi'kmaq land.
When they find the official environmental study, it turns out there are a lot of unanswered questions about the proposal. All of a sudden Ryan and Alana are in the middle of a fight that could tear their community apart.
Available in Hardcover and Paperback.