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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Innocent Heroes
by Sigmund BrouwerA unique celebration of the important role animals play in war, and an insightful look at the taking of Vimy Ridge from the perspective of 3 men in a Canadian platoon.Never before have the stories of animal war heroes been collected in such a special way. This book consists of eight connected fictional stories about a Canadian platoon in WW1. The Storming Normans have help from some very memorable animals: we meet a dog who warns soldiers in the trench of a gas attack, a donkey whose stubbornness saves the day, a cat who saves soldiers from rat bites, and many more. Each story is followed by nonfiction sections that tell the true story of these animals from around the world and of the Canadian soldiers who took Vimy Ridge. Through the friendship that grows between three of these soldiers in particular, we get a close-up look at life in the trenches, the taking of Vimy Ridge, the bonds between soldiers and their animals and what it meant to be Canadian in WW1.From the Hardcover edition.
Interference
by Lorna Schultz NicholsonJosh has finally made it to an elite hockey team and is determined to play as well as his older brother, Matt. But Josh is so tired and sluggish at practice -- and so thirsty and hungry all the time -- he worries he'll be cut from the team. Little does everyone know, Josh's undiagnosed Type 1 diabetes is working against him -- and getting more serious by the day. Interference is a compelling novel about a determined young athlete struggling with many new challenges.
In the Clear
by Anne Laurel CarterOn her seventh birthday, Pauline rode across the lawns on her street followed by her best friend Henry, he on the blue wooden horse, she on the red. On the seventh lawn at the top of the street, she collapsed, becoming a sudden victim of the polio outbreak of the summer of 1954.Five years later, when In the Clear begins, she has survived, but paid a heavy price. A brace on her left leg allows her to walk, but she confines herself to her house, humiliated at the notion of being seen. Terrified by what Pauline has already suffered, her mother watches over her, forbidding her to play hockey on the ice rink her father has created in the backyard. In the Clear alternates, chapter by chapter, between Pauline's horror-filled year in the hospital five years earlier and her struggles to adapt in the present of 1959 and 1960. At the end of the book, her triumphs in past and present come together and she is able to move forward with new friendships, a renewed bond with her mother and, most important, a new faith in herself.
Juggling Fire
by Joanne BellSixteen-year-old Rachel embarks on a solo quest to find her father, who disappeared years ago in the Yukon wilderness.
Jumper
by Michele Martin BossleyReese loves horses and longs to be a competitive show-jumper. When the leased horse she rides is sold she is left riding the orneriest horse in the stable. She decides she must find a horse of her own. Her parents can't afford a trained horse so she decides to buy a wild horse at auction. Outbid, she discovers that many of the wild horses are will be sold for slaughter. Determined to save the horses from a terrible fate she finds herself in deeper than she expected and fighting for her life.
Junkyard Dog
by Monique PolakJustin is fascinated with the aged guard dog at the corner store. He names it Smokey and sneaks the dog treats. Smokey belongs to a company that supplies working dogs to local businesses. Justin is thrilled to get a job working for Smokey's company, until he learns about the mistreatment of the animals. When Justin can't shake his suspicion that someone in the company is involved in a rash of thefts, he tries to quit. But Justin knows too much, and his boss won't let him go.
Katie's Midnight Ride
by C. A. ForsythKatie plans to win the junior girls' barrel race at her Alberta town's Heritage Days Rodeo. She has a good chance on her fast, sure-footed trail horse Fudge. As the day approaches, however, her older brother John claims he needs to ride Fudge, and their parents back him up. Katie scrambles to locate another mount. When she finally finds an all-black horse named Midnight, some are convinced he's bad luck. Katie aims to prove them wrong. Katie's Midnight Ride captures all the excitement of rodeo riding in an appealing story about a girl who learns to stand up for herself.
Kat's Fall
by Shelley HrdlitschkaDarcy's mother is getting out of jail. Ten years ago Darcy's mom was convicted of throwing Darcy's baby sister off a fifth-floor balcony. Kat survived, but Darcy has spent the last decade raising his sister, giving her the love and support she has been denied by an absent mother and an uncaring father. Now, with their mother about to be released, their father has decided he has had enough of parental responsibility and is determined to return the children to their mother's care. Darcy is horrified, and adamant that he will not subject his sister to the woman who once tried to murder her. Struggling to understand and control the anger and resentment that has consumed him, Darcy is forced to confront his feelings and engage with the outside world. With newfound friendships and the unflagging support of his teacher, Darcy is able to understand some of the pain of the past and accept that he cannot control everything. As he grudgingly re-establishes ties with the mother he thinks he hates, he is accused of a horrific act. It will take incredible strength—his own and others—to fight the charges, but he finds that truth is often an elusive concept and that trust—and love—are powerful allies.
Kicked Out
by Beth GoobieDime is fifteen and always angry. Her parents don't understand her, and her brother was paralyzed in an accident. When the fights and accusations become too much, Dime moves in with her brother. But her troubles follow her. Until she realizes that she has to start taking some responsibility, nothing will change.
Kicker
by Michele Martin BossleyIzzy and Julia have been on the same team for years. Izzy is frustrated that Julia spends too much time cherry-picking and getting all the credit when they score. But when someone starts threatening the team and their home field is sabotaged, the friends must work together to find the answers. Why would someone threaten their star player? And what is the connection to a century-old train robbery and the rumor of buried treasure? Trying to solve the mystery and keep the team in the playoff race, Izzy and Julia find themselves in deeper than they thought, and in more danger than they imagined.
A Kind of Courage
by Colleen HeffernanEverything changes when Hattie Tamblyn's much-adored older brother, Will, enlists in the Canadian army in 1916 and is sent to fight in France. Hattie lives for Will's letters from the front, but her mother retreats into depression, her younger brother, Johnny, becomes violent and her father despairs of running the family farm without Will's help. Tension mounts when Hattie's father hires a young conscientious objector to work on the farm. Although his wealthy Toronto family is mystified and disgusted by his decision not to fight, David Ross's friendship with an elderly German musician has led him to question the narrow notion of patriotism that has overtaken the country. His appearance at the Tamblyn farm enrages Hattie and Johnny, who, like most of their neighbors, believe all "conchies" are cowards. As more and more of her childhood friends are maimed and killed overseas, Hattie fears for Will's safety. But when her own safety is threatened, it is David who protects her, putting himself squarely in harm's way. In a world gripped by prejudice, fear and hatred, David and Hattie discover that there are many kinds of courage and that real power lies in forgiveness and redemption.
Klepto
by Lori WeberKat's sister Hannah is about to return from a home for troubled teens. Her parents can't wait for the big day, and everyone is determined to find out what went wrong with Hannah and make things right -- everyone except Kat, that is. Kat dreads going back to a life dominated by here sister's tantrums and wild escapades. The only place she feels in control is at the mall, where everything she wants is at her fingertips and no one is better at the art of stealing. As Hannah's return nears, Kat's shoplifting escalates into a full-blown addiction -- with dangerous consequences.
Knock It Off
by Sherryl ClarkLeo is still getting used to moving from the big city to a small country town. When his class goes to the city for a field trip, he skips out to meet with old friends. But all is not as he planned.
Kryptonite
by Lesley ChoyceJackson 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.
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.
A Leap of Faith
by Michele Martin BossleyWhen Amy trains for the Novice Canadian Figure Skating Championship she knows the stakes are high. If she does well, she's one step closer to the Olympics; if she doesn't, she's convinced her parents will stop paying for her skating lessons. One day in practice she falls, hard. Afraid she'll miss the championship, she doesn't tell her coach about the screaming pain in her right knee. As the day approaches, however, it gets worse and worse until it threatens to end her skating dreams. "Leap of Faith" shows the extremes to which competitive ambition can drive young athletes, and the consequences that follow.
Learning Seventeen
by Brooke CarterNew Hope Academy, or, as seventeen-year-old Jane Learning likes to call it, No Hope, is a Baptist reform school where Jane is currently being held captive. Of course, smart, sarcastic Jane has no interest in reforming, failing to see any benefit to pretending to play well with others. But then Hannah shows up, a gorgeous bad girl with fiery hair and an even stormier disposition. She shows Jane how to live a full and fulfilling life even when the world tells you you're wrong, and how to believe in a future outside the "prison" walls. Jane soon learns, though, that Hannah is quietly battling some demons of her own.
Learning to Fly
by Paul YeeJason is an outsider. A recent immigrant from China, he lives in a close-minded town with his mother and younger brother. Falling in with the wrong crowd, trying to fit in, Jason takes chances and ends up in trouble with the police. Holding on to his friendship with an Indigenous boy, also an outsider, Jason finds he needs to fight to belong and to find a new home.
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.
Les Miserables (An Adapted Classic)
by Victor Hugo and Mary AnsaldoFrom the adapter: In preparing this edition of Les Miserables, we have tried to include as much of Victor Hugo's great story as possible. We have modified some of Hugo's vocabulary and shortened and simplified many of his sentences and paragraphs. Certain French words, titles, and expressions have been retained to give the book a French flavor. They have been translated and explained in footnotes if an understanding of them is necessary to the story. The French names of the characters have been used, because most of them have no English equivalents.
Libby on Strike
by Robert RaynerLibby Meek is busy -- too busy. Between art class and youth group, skiing and piano lessons, Libby discovers that she no longer has time to just play. When her parents ignore Libby's demands for more free time, she decides to go on strike to prove her point. Along the way, both Libby and her parents discover the importance of balancing work and play.
Life on the Refrigerator Door
by Alice KuipersClaire and her mother are running out of time, but they don't know it. Not yet. Claire is wrapped up with the difficulties of her bourgeoning adulthood—boys, school, friends, identity; Claire's mother, a single mom, is rushed off her feet both at work and at home. They rarely find themselves in the same room at the same time, and it often seems that the only thing they can count on are notes to each other on the refrigerator door. When home is threatened by a crisis, their relationship experiences a momentous change. Forced to reevaluate the delicate balance between their personal lives and their bond as mother and daughter, Claire and her mother find new love and devotion for one another deeper than anything they had ever imagined. Heartfelt, touching, and unforgettable, Life on the Refrigerator Door is a glimpse into the lives of mothers and daughters everywhere. In this deeply touching novel told through a series of notes written from a loving mother and her devoted fifteen-year-old daughter, debut author Alice Kuipers deftly captures the impenetrable fabric that connects mothers and daughters throughout the world. Moving and rich with emotion, Life on the Refrigerator Door delivers universal lessons about love in a wonderfully simple and poignant narrative.
Lightning Rider
by Jacqueline GuestJanuary Fournier, a sixteen-year-old Metis girl, learns her brother is in intensive care after a motorcycle crash. When she arrives at the hospital, the police tell her the crashed bike was stolen, and her brother is now the prime suspect.