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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Rooster
by Don TrembathRooster Cobb is in trouble--with his school, with his mother, with his girlfriend. He smokes too much and he hates his stepfather. In fact, he might not graduate from high school. But he just doesn't seem to care. That is until the guidance counselor and the principal come up with a plan to get Rooster through grade twelve, out of their lives forever and possibly on the right track with his life. The last thing Rooster wants to do is coach The Strikers, a bowling team of special-needs adults, especially when he finds out he's going to be mentored by the most unpopular girl in school, the principal's daughter, Elma. When he starts to take coaching seriously, his friends make fun of him, and his girlfriend accuses him of taking the easy way out. But when one of The Strikers dies unexpectedly, Rooster discovers there are as many ways to be a hero as there are ways to mess up.
The Tuesday Cafe
by Don TrembathHarper is sentenced to 40 hours of community service and a 2000-word essay. His mother registers him in a local writing club: "The Tuesday Cafe." Thrust into this educationally challenged group, Harper gets rid of his unfriendly pretense. He learns that self-worth and friendships come from honesty and accountability.
Breathing Fire
by Sarah Yi-Mei TsiangWhen Ally’s mom dies, Ally is left with no family, no friends and no future. Put into foster care at the age of fifteen, she has less than $200 to her name and nothing left to lose. When Ally meets Tate, a busking fire breather, she starts to see a new life for herself as a street performer. Ally decides to run away from her foster home, but her problems follow her. Hiding her age, sleeping on the streets and avoiding fights with other buskers, Ally discovers that there’s more to life as a fire-breathing busker than not getting burned.
The Darwin Expedition
by Diane TullsonTej and Liam are going snowboarding. When they take a shortcut over a treacherous logging road and have an accident, their adventure becomes more about survival than fresh powder. Tracked by a hungry bear, while trying to outrun the weather without any food, Tej and Liam learn about their friendship and what it will take to survive. When Tej is hurt, Liam decides he has to go for help—alone.
Lockdown
by Diane TullsonSome days it's just easier not to go to school at all. Adam has been slacking off lately, but today he stuck around to see his girlfriend. When Josh, who has been bullied mercilessly, brings a gun to school, the building is locked down and Adam is forced to risk everything to save himself and to find Zoe before Josh does. Calling on reserves he didn't know he had, Adam could end up a hero—or a victim.
Red Sea
by Diane TullsonFourteen-year-old Libby didn't want to go on a year long sailing adventure with her mother and her stepfather, Duncan, and she isn't about to let them forget it. Traveling through the Red Sea, Libby causes them to be late and make a dangerous crossing alone. When modern-day pirates attack, Duncan is killed and Libby's mother is left seriously injured and unconscious. Libby is left alone on a crippled boat to find safety and help for her mother. Libby must call on all her strength and face some hard truths about herself if she is to survive and reach land. A thrilling tale of one girl's struggle for survival against the elements and her inner demons, Red Sea is adventure writing at its best.
Riley Park
by Diane TullsonSeventeen-year-old Corbin plays hockey and is known as a scrapper on and off the ice. Fighting makes him feel strong. Corbin's friend, Darius, is socially adept and popular, and Darius's reckless risk-taking makes Corbin feel alive. With Rubee, a girl both boys like, Darius crosses a line, and after a party at Riley Park, Darius and Corbin are attacked. Darius is killed; Corbin is seriously injured. Corbin fights his clouded memory -- he can't identify the assailants. He fights his weakened body -- he can no longer play hockey. He fights the loss of his friend. But when he gives up the fight, he finds strength in acceptance.
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (An Adapted Classic)
by Mark TwainThe classic boy-hero of American literature. Impish, daring young Tom Sawyer is the bane of the old, the hero of the young. There were some in his dusty old Mississippi town who believed he would be President, if he escaped a hanging. For wherever there is mischief or adventure, Tom is at the heart of it. During one hot summer, Tom witnesses a murder, runs away to be a pirate, attends his own funeral, rescues an innocent man from the gallows, searches for treasure in a haunted house, foils a devilish plot and discovers a box of gold. But can he escape his nemesis, the villainous Injun Joe?
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.
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.
Leftovers
by Heather WaldorfFifteen-year-old Sarah Greene's father—chef by day, camera buff by night—choked to death on a piece of steak. It was the best day of Sarah's life. But a year later, Sarah still struggles with the legacy of her father's abuse. While other girls her age are determined to find boyfriends and part-time jobs and dresses for the prom, Sarah is on a search-and-destroy mission: to find the shoe box containing her father's collection of kiddy porn. After a brief skirmish with the law, Sarah is sentenced to do community service hours at Camp Dog Gone Fun, a summer program for shelter dogs. With the love of a big goofy dog named Judy, the friendship of Sullivan, a guy with problems of his own, and the support of a few good adults, Sarah begins to understand her past and believe in a brighter future.
Tripping
by Heather WaldorfAn opportunity to escape a dull summer -- and perhaps to find a future for herself after high school - persuades Rainey Williamson to join a school-sponsored program that will take her and five other teenagers on an eight-week road trip across Canada. The challenge of this journey is heightened, in view of the fact that Rainey has had to wear an artificial leg from birth. On the eve of her getaway, a crucial complication arises: she finds out that the mother who left when she was just a few months old is alive and well and living in Squamish, B. C. , directly on the route of the student expedition. What's more, her mother now wants to see her. Rainey's ambivalent at the prospect, to say the least. The cross-country trip begins, and she soon meets the others who become friends and comrades, all with issues and challenges to deal with. Rainey discovers her own strengths as she struggles with the decision about whether or not to meet her mother and figuring out what she might do with her life. In the end she discovers that her family tree is more extensive than she'd thought - and that taking chances provides perspective, opportunity, and a springboard from which to launch her future - and even a way back home. The story is laced with Heather Waldorf's customary sharp intelligence and sense of humour - and her understanding of the themes teenagers are most engaged with.
Flower Power
by Ann WalshHas a protest to save a tree gone too far? Callie's mother has chained herself to the neighbor's tree and is living inside the treehouse. She refuses to come down until the neighbor, Mr. Wilson, agrees to leave the tree standing. Soon reporters arrive, followed by an activist group called the Singing Grannies and a gang of bikers—each group adding to the chaos. Callie doesn't want to deal with any of them but she needs to figure out how to get her mother to come down from the tree so that her life can return to normal. 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.
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.
90 Days of Different
by Eric WaltersKey Selling Points This coming-of-age novel follows a girl's quest to make her life more interesting after she is broken up with on the last day of high school for being too boring. High school is over, her 90 days before university start now. 90 Days of Differentexplores themes of boundaries, social media and finding yourself. This best-selling novel is now available in paperback for the first time. Author Eric Walters is a tireless presenter and speaks to over 100,000 students per year. Best-selling, award-winning author Eric Walters has published over 100 books and has been named a Member of the Order of Canada.
Boot Camp
by Eric Walters and Jerome Williams and Johnnie Williams IIINick and Kia learn that teamwork can be more important than talent.
Branded
by Eric WaltersIan learns that the company that makes the uniforms for his school is reputed to use child labor.
Caged Eagles
by Eric WaltersWhen Canada went to war with Japan following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Canadians of Japanese descent were declared "Enemy Aliens". Without recourse of any kind, they were forced to leave their homes along the British Columbia coast, their possessions were sold, and their rights as citizens denied. Sequel to War of the Eagles.
Grind
by Eric WaltersWhen Wally is badly injured skateboarding, Philip must decide what is more important--skating or making things right with his friends. (Orca Soundings)
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!
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.
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.
Laggan Lard Butts
by Eric WaltersSam Campbell's school team, the Laggan Lairds, always loses. When someone suggests that their name be the Laggan Lard Butts, Sam thinks the team should change its name. What is a Laird anyway? The basketball coach agrees, and soon the whole school is involved in an election for a new team name. Sam and his friends nominate the name Lard Butts. When the basketball team starts winning games after a warm-up cheer of "Go Lard Butts!" it seems the Lard Butt campaign might actually win the election. 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!