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Showing 1 - 20 of 21 items
By André Alexis. 2019
Botanist Alfred Homer, ever hopeful and constantly surprised, is invited on a road trip through Southwestern Ontario by his parents'…
friend, Professor Morgan Bruno, who wants company as he tries to unearth the story of the mysterious poet John Skennen. But this is no ordinary road trip. As Alfred and the Professor encounter towns with familiar names but where Black residents speak only in sign language or where there are Indigenous Parades, house burnings, werewolves, and witches. Bestseller.By Tina Athaide. 2019
In alternating voices, friends Asha and Yesofu, one Indian and one African, find their world turned upside-down when Idi Amin…
decides to expel Asian Indians from Uganda in 1972. Winner of the 2020 Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People. Grades 3-6. 2019.By Wesley King. 2020
“Readers will appreciate [Sara] as good literary company even as they develop sympathy for her struggles.” —BCCB “It’s the vivid,…
insightful depiction of Sara’s internal struggles that readers will remember.” —Booklist “A must-buy.” —School Library Journal (starred review) In this prequel to the Edgar Award–winning OCDaniel, fan-favorite Sara quests for “normal” and finds something even better along the way.Sara’s Rules to be Normal 1. Stop taking your pills 19. Make a friend 137. Don’t put mayonnaise on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Sara wants one thing: to be normal. What she has instead are multiple diagnoses from Dr. Ring. Sara’s constant battle with False Alarm—what she calls panic attacks—and other episodes cause her to isolate herself. She rarely speaks, especially not at school, and so she doesn’t have any friends. But when she starts group therapy she meets someone new. Talkative and outgoing Erin doesn’t believe in “normal,” and Sara finds herself in unfamiliar territory: at the movies, at a birthday party, and with someone to tell about her crush—in short, with a friend. But there’s more to Erin than her cheerful exterior, and Sara begins to wonder if helping Erin will mean sacrificing their friendship.By Karen Spafford-Fitz. 2020
Highlighting girls' volleyball, a sport that has overtaken girls' basketball in popularity, Volleyball Vibe shows how engagement in sports can…
boost self-esteem, confidence and foster responsibility and teamwork. The main character, Ria, is a teen girl living in Edmonton, Alberta, whose obsession with beauty and fashion leads her mother to insist that she either get a job or join a team sport. At an age when too many girls stop competing athletically, Ria discovers her own capabilities as well as the rewards of challenging herself and connecting with others on a team.By Anna Humphrey. 2020
Megabat and his best friend, Daniel, go to sleepaway camp for the first time. Another hilarious chapter book in this…
laugh-out-loud series for fans of Dory Fantasmagory and Narwhal and Jelly.Daniel is not so sure about going to camp. There will be bugs. And uncomfortable beds. And leeches!Megabat can't WAIT to go to camp! There will be so much smooshfruit, and he loves a good sing-along. Daniel starts to think camp isn't so bad. He's made friends, and his bed isn't THAT uncomfortable.Megabat has made a new friend too. But his new friend wants him to go flying to spooky caves. And her mom is very toothy. As Daniel is getting into the swing of things and starting to enjoy camp, Megabat is getting himself into one tangle after another to avoid going into the scary woods. But can Megabat overcome his fears to help save his new friend? Kass Reich's adorable illustrations paired with Anna Humphrey's hilarious text make for another unforgettable Megabat adventure, one that will appeal to Megabat fans and newcomers!By Anna Humphrey. 2020
Megabat returns, this time with a new nemesis: a very fancy cat. Can our tiny bat hero stop his Daniel's…
heart from being stolen by this nefarious, fluffy villain?Megabat was looking forward to Christmas morning: presents, playing toys, smooshfruit and watching Star Wars. But then Daniel opened his last, most special present.Daniel thinks this might be the best Christmas present yet: a beautiful cat named Priscilla! He's always wanted a pet. Megabat is not sure he likes this cat. She tastes most hairy. Daniel loves his new cat! She's fun to play with, and she's so soft and fluffy.Megabat is not soft OR fluffy. He's not purebred and he doesn't have a big, beautiful swishy tail. What if Daniel loves Priscilla more than Megabat? This is truly a disturbance in the Force. Megabat and Birdgirl must find a way to get rid of this trubble cat once and for all!Calamity ensues as Megabat and Birdgirl try to come up with ways to get rid of Priscilla. But is there more than meets the eye with this furry menace? Kass Reich's adorable illustrations paired with Anna Humphrey's hilarious text make for another unforgettable Megabat adventure.By Carrie Mac. 2020
Into the Wild meets The Serpent King in this story about Annie and Pete, two best friends on a dangerous…
and emotional trek through the woods.Annie and Pete have been best friends since they were little. They know each other better than anyone, and they've been on more adventures than they can count--they even have a notebook filled with all the times they've almost died. But they always survive, because together, they're invincible. And they've always been just friends. But lately, Annie has been thinking that maybe friendship is just the beginning, and she's been mentally replaying all the times they were almost something more.Now they're heading out on their next great quest: a ten-day backpacking trip through the mountains of Washington State, ending at Fire Camp, where they'll learn to fight the area's growing wildfire problem. The woods spark with the promise of adventure, but a freak climbing accident interrupts their progress, and as the wildfires close in and smoke envelops them, Annie and Pete wander farther from the trail. Carrie Mac's gripping story of the power of unrequited love and the danger of the elements is harrowing, beautiful, and unforgettable."Mac is as comfortable writing about the wilderness as she is exploring the internal world of a teenage girl, and the combination of the two is enthralling and devastating."--Quill and Quire, Starred review"At turns heartbreaking, joyful, and frightening. An affecting combination of wilderness adventure and poignant teen angst."--Kirkus"For a novel so introspective, the pace is remarkably quick...Recommend to fans of John Green, Adam Silvera, or Sarah Dessen. Advise readers to have tissues on hand for this riveting tale of friendship, grief, and survival."--SLJBy Charlene Bearhead, Wilson Bearhead, Chloe Bluebird Mustooch. 2020
Thundering drums, rattling hooves, clinking jingles—come along with Paul, Jeff, and Uncle Lenard to the powwow! Paul Wahasaypa—Siha Tooskin—has invited…
his friend, Jeff, to a powwow. It’s Jeff’s very first powwow, and is he ever nervous! What if he says or does the wrong thing? Grass dancers, Fancy Shawl dancers, Chicken dancers—what does it all mean? Follow along as Jeff learns all about the dances and their beautiful traditions. See you at the powwow!The Siha Tooskin Knows series uses vivid narratives and dazzling illustrations in contemporary settings to share stories about an 11-year-old Nakota boy.By Craig Battle. 2020
It’s a new summer at Camp Avalon—which Mack and his friends still affectionately call Camp Average. After last season’s big…
baseball victory, camp director Winston wants to continue the winning streak. So he’s launched a competitive program for elite athletes—including a new group of girl campers. When Winston enters his charges in a high-stakes basketball tournament, Mack opts out in favor of other, less competitive activities. But Mack starts to suspect he’s being played, as one by one, his favorite camp activities all get closed for repairs. Meanwhile, Winston pits boys against girls in a twisted attempt to win. To undermine Winston’s hypercompetitive scheme once again, Mack creates a plan of his own—but it means he needs to secretly sabotage both the boys’ and girls’ teams. Will Mack match wits with Winston and save the camp from the diabolical director’s clutches once and for all? Or will Mack’s own mischief be exposed—and lose him his summer and his friends? The second Camp Average book is a fast-paced and funny addition to this all-star series.By Eric Walters, Danson Mutinda. 2020
? “This simple story of discovery, sport, and friendship is filled with likable characters and innocently joyful moments...Delightful.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred…
review Kenyan orphans, Kitoo and Nigosi, spend their days studying, playing soccer, helping their elders with chores around the orphanage and reading from the limited selection of books in their library. When the librarian gives Kitoo a copy of Sports Around the World he becomes fascinated by an image of the Canadian national men's ice hockey team. Then one day the fates align and Kitoo finds a pair of beat up old roller blades, he teaches himself to skate and dreams of one day playing hockey like the men in his book. But you can’t play ice hockey in Kenya, can you?By Sara Leach, Rebecca Bender. 2020
The third title in the collection that began with USBBY Outstanding International Book Slug Days. Lauren, a third-grade student who…
has Autism Spectrum Disorder, takes on the challenges of sharing her best friend and persevering when a classmate mocks her bicycle’s training wheels. Irma is Lauren’s best friend. Irma knows all the strategies Lauren uses when her Autism Spectrum Disorder makes it hard to “go with the flow.” Lauren helps Irma learn English words and understand unfamiliar customs. So why does Irma suddenly want to introduce Lauren to her mountain-biking, litter-dropping neighbor Jonas? Why is Irma calling Jonas her friend? As if sharing Irma weren’t bad enough, Lauren also has an alarming new problem at school. Their teacher has announced a mountain biking day when the students will learn to ride their bikes on an obstacle course. But Lauren still uses training wheels. She just can’t face the teasing she will get when her classmates see them. She isn’t brave like Irma. She can’t go with the flow like Dad. How can she possibly face this challenge? From author Sara Leach and illustrator Rebecca Bender comes an honest and warm-hearted successor to the critically acclaimed Slug Days and Penguin Days. With straightforward text and frequent black-and-white illustrations, Duck Days is an accessible chapter book for any young reader with mountains of their own to climb.By Kevin Sylvester, Basil Sylvester. 2021
The literary scavenger hunt of a lifetime, starring an endlessly endearing non-binary tween Zed Watson loves a few things: their…
name (which they chose themself!), their big rambunctious family, and—oh yeah—monsters. When Zed discovered the mystery surrounding an unpublished novel called The Monster’s Castle, they were completely hooked. Now Zed is a member of a small but dedicated legion devoted to finding the long-buried text. When a breakthrough discovery leads Zed to the route that they are sure will take them to the treasure, they know it’s time for a road trip. And with the help of their shy, flora-loving neighbour, Gabe, and his sister, Sam, a geologist who is driving back to college in Arizona, Zed and company are soon off on a wild adventure following cryptic clues. But it’s not all fun and games. Gabe doesn’t like Zed’s snacks, Sam is a bossy driver with total command of the ancient Impreza’s stereo, and Zed is often misgendered. It’s a good thing they also encounter kind strangers, potato-themed dance-offs and lots and lots of ice cream along the way. If Zed and Gabe can combine their strengths, survive Sam’s wrath and best the greedy historian who’s also hot on the book’s trail, they just might find the greatest treasure of all. Co-authored by child-parent duo Basil Sylvester and Kevin Sylvester, this is a vibrant and enormous-hearted story about friendship, identity and belonging. It features illustrations by celebrated author and illustrator Kevin Sylvester, and an Own Voices perspective based on Basil’s experience.By Craig Battle. 2021
In the final book of the series, this summer is definitely not average It’s another summer at Camp Avalon—also known…
as Camp Average to its campers—only this year, things are anything but normal. Mack and Andre are spending the summer at rival Camp Killington, where the competitive campers seem intent on making them suffer. Meanwhile, at Camp Average, Miles is trying to keep the peace—which is not easy, due to obnoxious newcomer Garth and his pranks. On top of that, Miles has another impossible task on his plate: getting Mack and Andre back on home turf. Things come to a head when Mack and Andre are forced apart, and Cassie challenges Garth to a do-or-die ball hockey showdown. Will the Camp Average crew find their way back together and come out on top? In this third and final addition to the series, the campers rally to support each other and discover once more how teamwork and cooperation win.By Jan L. Coates. 2020
Eleven year old Danny Marsters was planning to have a fun but straightforward summer: pool parties and bike rides with…
his buddies, the odd game of washer toss with Grampy, and, of course, soccer camp. He didn't count on developers threatening to build condos on the land the whole community had worked so hard to turn into the best soccer field in the county. And he definitely didn't expect to stumble across a dishevelled man living all alone, deep in the woods behind Barnaby's Brook. But Danny's curiosity gets the better of him, and he slowly befriends the hermit. Just when he discovers a hidden connection between himself and the old man, disaster strikes, and more secrets are exposed that just might help Danny save the soccer field once and for all. Loosely based on the real-life "Hermit of Gully Lake," this story of unexpected friendship and close-knit neighbourhood bonds will appeal to anyone who has had to stand up for the things—and the people—they love. With themes of environmentalism and community activism, The Hermit is a timely novel full of heart.By Leah Ranada. 2021
Philippine-born Vancouverite Sophia is most grateful for two things: her modest hair salon and Adrian, her mild-mannered fiancé. She is…
eager to get married, move away from her highly educated but career-frustrated parents, who believe that their daughter can be so much more than a beautician.Then Sophia's estranged friend reaches out from Manila, desperate for help. After a dubious accident, her fiery Auntie Rosy is on the verge of losing the Cine Star Salon--the place where Sophia first felt the call to become a hairstylist and salon owner. Coming to her auntie's aid is not so easy though. Sophia worries helping might reopen old wounds and threaten the bright future she has planned.Leah Ranada's debut novel is a graphic and engaging depiction of the importance of women's work and the loyalties that connect friends across oceans. The Cine Star Salon marks the entry of a vital new voice in Canadian literature.By Louisa Onomé. 2021
A poignant and incandescent debut that explores the bonds of community and what it really means to changeChinelo—or Nelo, as…
her best friend, Kate, calls her—is all about her neighbourhood, Ginger East. She loves its chill vibe, its ride-or-die sense of community and the memories she has of growing up there. Ginger East isn’t what it used to be, though. After a deadly incident at the local arcade, most of Nelo’s friends, except for Kate, have moved away. But as long as the two girls have each other, Nelo’s good.Then Kate’s parents’ corner store is vandalized, leaving Nelo shaken to her core. The police and the media are quick to point fingers, and soon more of the outside world descends upon Ginger East with promises to “fix the neighbourhood.” Suddenly, Nelo finds herself in the middle of a drama that is unfolding on a national scale. Worse yet, Kate has begun acting strange. She’s pushing Nelo away at the exact time they need each other most. Nelo’s entire world is morphing into something she hates, and she must figure out how to get things back on track or risk losing everything—and everyone—she loves.By Kern Carter. 2022
When Ever’s father passes away suddenly, she is devastated. Not long after that, her mom has a stroke and Ever’s…
anguish becomes almost too much for her to handle. That’s when she gets the idea to form a group she calls Boys and Girls Screaming. Along with her brother, Jericho, and her best friend, Candace, Ever wants to bring together kids from their school who have suffered trauma so they can share their stories and begin to heal. Although the other teens find solace in the group, Ever tumbles further into depression until she reaches a breaking point. As the group learns the true source of Ever’s pain, they jump into action to help her find a way out. Boys and Girls Screaming tells the story of a generation of teens finding the support they need to process their trauma in their own ways.By Joanne Levy. 2021
By Colleen Nelson. 2021
From the award-winning author of Harvey Comes Home, a middle-school story about a girl in need of a friend, a…
boy in need of a chance, and the secret book club that brings them together.By Kim Spencer. 2022