Special Collections
High Interest Y. A. Novels
Description: High Interest, Low Vocabulary books are for teenagers looking to advance their reading capabilities. Perfect for emerging teen readers. #teens
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Hit and Run
by Dawn Hunter and Karen HunterGlen aims to be the starting pitcher and best player on the East York Eagles baseball team. He works hard achieve this--maybe too hard. None of his teammates seem to measure up to Glen's impossibly high standards. His mother reminds him "there's no 'I' in 'team'," but his bad temper and narrow focus on winning threaten the Eagles' chances and his own future with the team. To avoid disaster, Glen is forced to face the problems that drive him, both on the diamond and off. Hit and Run is the story of a driven young athlete whose ambition finally teaches him the meaning of sportsmanship.
Hitmen Triumph
by Sigmund BrouwerLeft winger Nolan Andrews thinks it's great that he can play hockey in Calgary, where his older brother, Nathan, is a star center for the Hitmen. When Nolan finds out that a lot of things about Nate's new life in Calgary don't make sense—or might not even be legal—Nolan has to make some difficult choices that will affect him and his brother for the rest of their lives.
Hit Squad
by James HeneghanThis is Mickey's first year at Grandview High. After transferring, all he wants to do is keep his head down, work hard and fit in with the upscale crowd. He is approached, because of his tough reputation, to join a group of students to take back the school from the bullies. Mickey finds himself caught up in a shadowy world of violence and retribution. When their planned payback goes horribly wrong, Mickey is forced to acknowledge the thin line between victim and victimizer.
Hit the Ground Running
by Alison HughesSixteen-year-old Dee and her seven-year-old brother, Eddie, have been on their own for six weeks.
Their father has seemingly vanished into the baking Arizona desert. Their money is drying up and the rent is coming due, but it's a visit from a social worker and the prospect of being separated from Eddie that scares Dee enough to flee.
She dupes her brother into packing up and embarking on the long road trip to Canada, their birthplace and former home.
Lacking a driver's license and facing a looming interrogation at the border, Dee rations their money and food as they burn down the interstate in their ancient, decrepit car.
Hockey Heat Wave
by C. A. ForsythMitch Stevens is keen to spend July at a hockey camp in Muskoka--half the time on the ice, and the other half drinking in the sun on the lake. But things start to go wrong right away: his best pal Zack is assigned to a different cabin, and then Zack makes friends with Mitch's worst enemy, Eddie. As they all struggle to make the camp select team, Zack faces a crisis that brings the friends back together--closer than ever. Hockey Heat Wave shows how young hockey players' ambitions can strain friendships--and make them stronger.
Hockey Night in Transcona
by John DanakasCody Powell has graduated from playing pick-up hockey on the streets of Winnipeg to skating with his community club team, the Transcona Sharks. Coach Brackett is impressed with Cody's speed and stick handling ability, and promotes him to the team's first line.Unfortunately, Cody takes Stu, Coach Brackett's son's, spot. Cody is worried that coach is too hard on Stu, and that Stu has as much right to play on the first line as he does. As the pressure to win games mounts, Cody is torn between loyalty to his coach and loyalty to his friend.Hockey Night in Transcona is a story about the conflicting pressures young hockey players face in their quest to succeed.
Home Before Dark
by Jo HammondErik and his friends spend all their time on the water, exploring the shoreline and islands off British Columbia's Sunshine Coast. While they all have experience with boats and the outdoors, the unpredictable weather and fickle seas often manage to test their courage and abilities. While exploring a burned-out homestead on a remote island, the teens find themselves involved in a decades-old crime and realize that danger still lurks in the coastal rainforest. After befriending Gary, a retired logger who lives alone, Erik and the others learn of the death of Gary's aunt and uncle in a suspicious fire years before. They are then shocked to find they have aroused the interest of a shadowy stranger who seems to have designs on Gary's home and boat, and perhaps, most terrifyingly, his life. Frantically trying to unravel the web of secrets, the teenagers are in a race to save Gary and ultimately themselves.
Home Court Advantage
by Sandra DierschWhen Debbie is on the basketball court she feels free and alive. But while she's a good player she's also an aggressive one, and rough tactics get her in trouble more than once. Off the court she's different from other girls, a foster child without "real" parents of her own. When Debbie learns she's going to be adopted, her world is turned upside down. Until, that is, she's accused of stealing from a teammate. From then on, it's an uphill battle to prove herself to her new parents and her team. "Home Court Advantage" shows how young players' behavior on the court and their lives off it are inextricably linked.
Home Ice
by Beatrice VanderveldeTori is staying with family near Toronto while her parents deal with troubles back home. To keep a sense of normalcy, she joins the Rangers--the worst hockey team in the league.
Home Invasion
by Monique PolakJosh is less than thrilled that he has a new stepfather, and finds his personal habits and his personality irritating. When his mother leaves town, Josh is left to spend a week alone with Clay. Resenting his new living arrangements and his unorthodox home life, Josh finds himself drawn to the idea of a "regular" family and, on a whim, sneaks into a neighbor's house to see how others live. When another opportunity arises to be a fly on the wall, Josh takes it and finds himself becoming bolder. Considering it a harmless pastime, Josh continues entering people's houses, until he is witness to a violent home invasion. Josh must use all his courage to save himself and bring the home invader to justice.
Home Team (Orca Young Readers)
by Jerome Williams and Eric Walters and Johnnie Williams IIINick and Kia will do just about anything to convince the Toronto Raptors to visit their school.
Hoop Crazy
by Eric WaltersWhen Nick and his pals suddenly find themselves short a man for the NBA-sponsored three-on-three tournament they plan to enter during the summer holidays, the solution seems simple enough. Nick, Kia and Mark are the key players on the team, so the fourth, though mandatory according to the rules, doesn't really have to be good at the game. A surprise visit from Nick's mother's cousin brings Ned, who is exactly Nick's age but not exactly an athlete, into the picture and onto the team. The other three teammates figure that as long as they don't actually have to use Ned in a game they will be fine. Then Mark sprains his ankle and can't play in the tournament. Suddenly Nick and Kia must find a way to make Ned an integral part of the team. This turns out to be no small task!
Horse Power
by Ann WalshOnce again Callie is forced to take part in her mom's latest crusade. They head into ranch country to camp -- bloodthirsty mosquitoes, stinky outhouses and all -- at a protest to save a rural school. Callie's grandmother shows up with her biker buddies and the singing grannies. Callie hates camping and wants nothing to do with the protest. To make matters worse, Callie's only possible ally, her cousin Del, is mad at her. The last time Callie visited, she was thrown from Del's horse, Radish. Callie claimed the horse was vicious and now Del's parents are forcing her to sell Radish. Callie wants to help her cousin, but she's terrified of the horse. Del is just as tenacious as the rest of Callie's family, and Callie is forced to admit that she's not going to be allowed to go home until both the horse and the school are saved.
House Party
by Eric WaltersAs the new girl in a strange town, Casey is trying desperately to fit in and make friends. When her parents leave town for the weekend, her friend suggests she have a house party. Casey is reluctant to go along, until she realizes maybe this is the answer to fitting in and making friends—and getting back at her parents. They invite a few people and then a few more, using msn and text messaging. Hundreds of people show up and things get out of hand. Casey is in more trouble than she thought possible and now she must decide whether—and how—to do the right thing. This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for teen readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read! The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.
Hurricane Power
by Sigmund BrouwerWhen David's family moves from northern Ontario to Miami, Florida, it takes him less than a day to discover how out of place he is in his new neighborhood. He joins his school's track team, hoping to make new friends, but soon he is pulled into a school-wide web of secrecy and danger. And the one person who can help him keeps running away.
Hypnotized
by Don TrembathRufus and his sister Alexa hate each other at the best of times. When Rufus's friend Phil manages to hypnotize Alexa, Rufus is ready to enjoy the power. They begin by ordering Alexa to be kind to her parents and Phil. The plan backfires when Alexa sweetly suggests canceling an expensive family vacation in favor of a week at home playing board games. Then Alexa turns on the charm with Phil and suddenly Rufus has to deal with a lovesick amateur hypnotist. Rufus is certain it can't get any stranger until Alexa, still in her hypnotic state, is kind to the brother she's always hated and Rufus is more confused than he's ever been. This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read! The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.
Ice Attack
by Beatrice VanderveldeAlex and Bill are unbeatable linemates on the Lakers hockey team: Alex is a tough grinder who sets up team captain Bill for goal after goal. When Bill's showing off becomes too much, however, Alex stops feeding him the puck. Soon, best friends become worst enemies, and the whole team turns against Alex. Alex is ready to quit the game, until he and Bill are forced to confront what's pushing them apart--both on and off the ice. Ice Attack is a story about the stresses of family life, and how friendship helps overcome them.
Ice Dreams
by Beverly ScudamoreTwelve-year-old Maya is an accomplished figure skater whose mother, a former world champion skater and Olympic hopeful, died four years ago. Maya's family pressures her to pursue her mother's Olympic dream, but Maya lacks the drive and the passion. In fact, she has a dream of her own: to play hockey. The transition between sports is not easy, but Maya learns that drive is born of persistence as she discovers a passion for goaltending. Ice Dreams is a touching novel about the hopes and struggles of one ambitious athlete.
Impact (Orca Soundings)
by James C. DekkerAfter the brutal murder of their son and brother, a family reads their victim impact statements in court.
Impossible
by Jocelyn ShipleySeventeen-year-old Jemma's older brother took her in when she needed to get away from her abusive ex-boyfriend, Razor. All Jemma wants now is to be a good mom to her baby daughter, Violet. But one night she needs to go out, just for a few minutes, to get diapers and ice cream. On her way back, she witnesses the drive-by shooting of a kid, Kwame, who lives in the same building. The driver is Razor. Jemma is terrified. If she tells anyone what she saw, they'll know she left her baby alone and she might lose custody. But if she doesn't, Kwame's killer will go free. Razor convinces Jemma to make a deal to save her life, but Jemma isn't sure she can live with the consequences.
Impossible Things (Orca Books)
by Robin StevensonCassidy thinks that making friends is impossible until she meets Victoria, who has some very unusual abilities.
In a Flash
by Eric WaltersThe first flash mob Ian puts together himself is a sixty-plus person, four-minute pillow fight in a department store. His friend Oswald is thrilled with the event, but Julia, the one Ian really wants to impress, is still convinced that flash mobs are stupid. While Ian tries to prove Julia wrong by initiating flash mobs with political impact, Julia is busy waging war with the strict new principal at school. When Julia goes too far and gets herself suspended, Ian sees an opportunity for a relevant and persuasive flash mob.
Inferno
by Robin StevensonDante thinks high school is an earthly version of hell. She hates her new home in the suburbs, her best friend has moved away, her homeroom teacher mocks her and her mother is making her attend a social skills group for teenage girls. When a stranger shows up at school and hands Dante a flyer that reads: Woof, woof. You are not a dog. Why are you going to obedience school?, Dante thinks she's found a soul mate. Someone who understands. Someone else who wants to make real changes in the world. But there are all kinds of ways of bringing about change...and some are more dangerous than others.