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Exit, Pursued By A Bear by E.K JohnstonEvery graduating class from Palermo Heights, Ontario, has one student who dies and one who gets pregnant -- it's practically a tradition. Cheer captain Hermione Winters never would have guessed that she'd be the pregnant one...or that it would be a result of being drugged and raped at cheer camp. In the aftermath of the assault, Hermione's confidence is shattered, as is her reputation and her relationship with her boyfriend. Yet with the support of her best friend and the reassuring routine of sports, she holds tight to her identity as not a victim, but a survivor. Inspired by Shakespeare's A Winter's Tale, this emotionally charged story will speak to readers who relish unflinching, empowering realistic fiction.
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The Hill by Karen BassJared and Kyle struggle to survive after their plane crashes and they are left in the forest where they fear that a legendary creature is hunting them.
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The Orange Grove by Larry TremblayTwin brothers Amed and Aziz live in the peaceful shade of their family's orange grove. But when a bomb kills the boys' grandparents, the war that plagues their country changes their lives forever. Blood must repay blood, and, in order to avenge their grandparents' deaths, one brother must offer the ultimate sacrifice. Years later, the surviving twin - now a student actor in a wintry Montreal - is given a role which forces him to confront the past. Tremblay, an actor and director himself, poses the difficult question: can art ever adequately address suffering? Both current and timeless, written with the sharp purity of desert poetry, The Orange Grove depicts the haunting inheritance of war and its aftermath.
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Trouble Is A Friend Of Mine by Stephanie TromlyAfter meeting misfit Philip Digby, Zoe soon finds herself in a series of hilarious and dangerous situations as they investigate a local teenage girls kidnapping that may be related to the disappearance of his kid sister eight years ago.
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Calvin by Martine LeavittSeventeen-year-old Calvin's connection to Calvin and Hobbes is obvious: he was born on the day the last comic strip was published, his best friend is named Susie, and he can sense the presence of Hobbes, his 8-foot-tall tiger companion. This last fact lands Calvin in the psych ward, but rather than receive treatment for schizophrenia, Calvin sets out across frozen Lake Erie to find Calvin and Hobbes creator Bill Watterson and convince him to draw one final, crucial comic strip. Calvin's funny, philosophical narration draws readers into his uneasy relationship with reality, resulting in a bittersweet experience that's perfect for fans of Neal Shusterman's award-winning Challenger Deep.
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Focus on: Canadian Authors
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| Through the Woods by Emily CarrollHorror Comics. A dismembered bride. A sinister smile. A monster in human skin. A wolf outside your bedroom window. These themes, all familiar to fans of fairy tales and Gothic ghost stories, are given a visually arresting new spin in this collection of horror comics. Canadian artist Emily Carroll -- you might be familiar with her webcomics -- illustrates each chilling tale with bold colors (emphasis on the blood red), careful period details, and masterful pacing, creating suspense with each turn of the page. If you love the eerie atmosphere of Edward Gorey's art but prefer stories with an unsettling edge, don't miss this shiver-inducing journey Through the Woods.
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| The Story of Owen: Dragon Slayer of Trondheim by E.K. JohnstonFantasy. Once, dragon slaying was a noble calling, with slayers guarding their neighbors from ferocious, carbon-hungry dragons. These days, however, most slayers work for big cities and corporations. That's why the citizens of Trondheim, a tiny town in rural Ontario, are so grateful for the protection of a renowned family of slayers like the Thorskards. It's also why Siobhan, a gifted musician, agrees to become bard (and algebra tutor) to trainee slayer Owen Thorskard and to join his family's campaign to return dragon slaying to its roots. Along with its sequel, Prairie Fire, this inventive spin on dragon lore will enchant readers with its strong characters, quirky humor, and intricate world-building. |
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Shattered Glass by Teresa TotenAfter a fire destroys the orphanage in which she grew up, Toni travels to Toronto to learn the truth about her mother and the burn scars she has no memory of getting.
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| The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B by Teresa TotenFiction. From the very first moment he sees her in Young Adult OCD Support Group, 14-year-old Adam knows that he has to save Robyn Plummer. True, the need to protect people -- like his struggling divorced mom and his anxious younger brother -- drives many of Adam's habits and rituals, but he's sure he can do better where Robyn is concerned. A connection as powerful as theirs has got to be stronger than either of their compulsions…doesn't it? Similar to Corey Ann Haydu's OCD Love Story, The Unlikely Hero of Room 13 B offers a complex, first-person look at falling in love while living with mental illness. |
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| Blink & Caution by Tim Wynne-JonesMystery. Forced to leave home in order to escape his abusive stepfather, homeless teen Brent -- aka "Blink" due to a facial tic -- is scavenging for room-service leftovers in a hotel hallway when he witnesses the kidnapping of an oil company's CEO. Another street kid, Kitty (nicknamed "Caution, as in Toxic"), stays with her violent, drug-dealer boyfriend because she doesn't believe she deserves any better. After Blink leaves the scene of the kidnapping and Caution flees from her boyfriend, the two of them are drawn together -- and may end up being each other's salvation. Set in Toronto and narrated alternately by various characters, Blink & Caution is a gritty, fast-paced, and beautifully written novel with more than a tinge of noir. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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