young adult 1
Orca Book
Publishers
Rights Catalogue—Young Adult
Core Titles
Transatlantic Agency
Transatlantic
Amy Tompkins Agency
Reaching More Readers
Reaching More Readers
2 Bloor
St. E., Suite 3500, Toronto, ON, m4w 1a8, Canada
Amy
Tompkins
(416)
488
9214Toronto,
· Fax (416)
488
4531
2Telephone:
Bloor St. E.,
Suite
3500,
ON,
m4w
1a8, Canada
[email protected]
www.transatlanticagency.com
Telephone:
(416) 488 9214 · Fax •(416)
488 4531
[email protected] • www.transatlanticagency.com
2 young adult
All Good Children
Catherine Austen
Creativity is a crime Max commits every day.
t’s the middle of the twenty-first century and the elite children of New Middletown are
IMaxwell
lined up to receive a treatment that turns them into obedient, well-mannered citizens.
Connors, a fifteen-year-old prankster, misfit and graffiti artist, observes the changes
with growing concern, especially when his younger sister, Ally, is targeted. Max and his best
friend, Dallas, escape the treatment, but must pretend to be “zombies” while they watch
their freedoms and hopes decay. When Max’s family decides to take Dallas with them into
the unknown world beyond New Middletown’s borders, Max’s creativity becomes an unexpected bonus rather than a liability.
World Rights Available
(ex – North America)
312 pages ∙ ages 12+
Rights Sold:
Complex Chinese—Ten Points
Korean—Sigongsa Co., Ltd.
Catherine Austen was raised in Kingston, Ontario, studied political science and environmental studies at university and worked in the conservation movement before having
children and becoming a freelance writer. Catherine lives in Quebec with her husband, Geoff,
and their children, Sawyer and Daimon. Her first novel with Orca was Walking Backward.
To learn more about Catherine and her books, go to www.catherineausten.com.
Sunburst Award winner
CLA Young Adult Book Award winner
White Pine Award nominee
Stellar Book Award nominee
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books starred selection
Resource Links the Year’s Best selection
Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Books of the Year
ALA Teens’ Top Ten nominee
ALA Best Books for Young Adults
“Imaginative and affecting…A smart, polished novel, peopled with realistic characters in a welldeveloped, futuristic world…The books builds on cultural familiarity, resulting in an emotionally
engaging work.” —Quill & Quire
“Austen provides many nuanced details of life in the near future, from facts on transportation and
garbage disposal to the devastating effects of global warming. Strong characterization as well as a
thrilling and horrifyingly plausible plot all combine to make All Good Children a wonderful read.”
—Montreal Review of Books
“Austen writes with cinematic definition, driving the action with taut dialogue and unremitting
menace. By alternating recognizable adolescent struggles with dystopian horrors, she makes the
threat of totalitarian mind control all the more visceral.” —Booklist
“I love this book! It’s important and riveting. And somehow, miraculously, it manages to be deeply
scary and funny at the same time.” —Tim Wynne-Jones
Transatlantic Agency
Reaching More Readers
Amy Tompkins
2 Bloor St. E., Suite 3500, Toronto, ON, m4w 1a8, Canada
Telephone: (416) 488 9214 · Fax (416) 488 4531
[email protected] • www.transatlanticagency.com
young adult 3
Juggling Fire
Joanne Bell
achel’s idyllic existence with her family in the remote mountains of northern Yukon was
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shattered by her father’s depression, the family’s relocation to “town” and her father’s
subsequent disappearance. Obsessed with understanding why her father never returned,
Rachel hikes with her dog across mountain passes and along valleys to her childhood home.
As she walks, she distracts herself from her anxiety by reinventing fairy tales remembered
from her childhood. As the days pass, the imaginary quest begins to echo her own journey
as she confronts danger, faces loneliness and unearths the truth about her father.
TriState YA Review Group Book of Note
World Rights Available
(ex – North America)
184 pages ∙ ages 12+
“Readers are on a wilderness trek which is so clearly described it seems just metres away…
A wonderful tale which will appeal to both male and female young adult readers. Highly
Recommended.” —CM Magazine
“Bell beautifully captures the natural world through descriptions of the mountainous terrain as
well as nail-biting encounters with bears and wolves. Rachel is a smart, resourceful narrator who
nevertheless struggles with the challenges nature throws her way, as well as balancing her own
needs and those of her dog.” —School Library Journal
Redwing
Holly Bennet
R
World Rights Available
(ex – North America)
208 pages · ages 12+
owan is the sole survivor when his entire family is struck down by the plague. Alone
and grief-stricken, Rowan ekes out a living by playing music on his button box in
the small towns and villages of Prosper. He lives and travels in his family’s old caravan,
half starved and in despair. One day, he finds he has competition: a young man playing
a violin. Rather than make an adversary, Rowan suggests they travel and play together,
but he regrets his offer when he finds out that Samik is from the Tarzine Lands, beyond
the volcanoes, and is being pursued by a vengeful warlord. And that’s not all. Samik also
claims to have the Sight—and what he sees (and hears) is Rowan’s dead sister, Ettie. As they
travel from town to town, they form an uneasy alliance, which gradually evolves into a
friendship that will be tested to its limits when Samik is captured.
Snow Willow nominee
Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Books of the Year
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books selection
“A fast-paced story of loss, friendship, learning to trust, and letting go, wrapped around an adventure
with just a touch of the supernatural…Samik and Rowan are well-drawn, the descriptions of Prosper
and the people they encounter are nicely detailed. Readers will enjoy watching the friendship between
the young men develop. This page-turner will appeal to reluctant or struggling readers.”
—Library Media Connection
Transatlantic Agency
Reaching More Readers
Amy Tompkins
2 Bloor St. E., Suite 3500, Toronto, ON, m4w 1a8, Canada
Telephone: (416) 488 9214 · Fax (416) 488 4531
[email protected] • www.transatlanticagency.com
4 young adult
Shapeshifter
Holly Bennett
woman trapped in the body of a deer. A dark sorcerer in relentless pursuit. A mysterious
AThis
child, found alone on the slopes of a great mountain.
is the turbulent and heartbreaking story of Sive, a girl of the Otherworld who must
flee her world of plenty to live as a hunted beast. Surviving hardship, danger and crushing
loneliness, she finally finds refuge—and unexpected joy—with a mortal champion, Finn Mac
Cumhail, the great hero of Irish legend. But Sive’s ordeal is far from over. She has a gift the
Dark Man craves, and the smallest misstep will give him his chance to snatch her away from
all she holds dear.
World Rights Available
(ex – North America)
256 pages ∙ ages 12+
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books selection
Resource Links the Year’s Best selection
Snow Willow nominee
TriState YA Review Group Book of Note
Sunburst Award nominee
“Holly Bennett has surpassed my wildest hopes…This is a writer with a genuine love and respect
for Irish traditional stories who can be trusted to use her imagination to fill the gaps in the
sources. Highly Recommended.” —Storytellers of Ireland
“Bennett deftly embellishes Sive’s story while remaining true to its mythic sources…A boldly
written, tightly plotted and hard-edged novel…The book is unflinching in its emotional effect,
which is rooted in its well-drawn characters.” —Quill & Quire
The Warrior’s Daughter
Holly Bennett
L
uaine is daughter to the greatest of Irish warriors, the legendary Cuchulainn. Although
known throughout Ireland as the most fearsome of killers, to Luaine he is a loving playful
father who amuses her with his exciting tales and marvelous feats. When the unthinkable
happens—Cuchulainn returns from war injured nearly to the death—it is the first intimation
of the hero’s downfall, and Luaine’s first painful step toward an adult life unlike anything
she has imagined. As she faces loss, betrayal, suffering and fear, Luaine must find a strength
that comes neither from the sword nor from her proud parentage, but from her own courageous spirit.
World Rights Available
(ex – North America)
240 pages ∙ ages 12+
White Pine nominee
Resource Links the Year’s Best selection
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books selection
Stellar Book Award nominee
“A well-told tale of romance, heartache, war and growing up from an author to watch…
rooted in ancient Irish stories…maintains a wonderful, gentle sense of fantasy. Recommended.”
—CM Magazine
“I was impressed by both the care with which Bennett pays tribute to the compelling mythology
of Ireland and also by the zest of the writing.” —Resource Links
Transatlantic Agency
Reaching More Readers
Amy Tompkins
2 Bloor St. E., Suite 3500, Toronto, ON, m4w 1a8, Canada
Telephone: (416) 488 9214 · Fax (416) 488 4531
[email protected] • www.transatlanticagency.com
young adult 5
The Bonemender Series
Holly Bennett
abrielle is a Bonemender of extraordinary talent. In The Bonemender, she takes her talent
G
for healing into battle where her father dies in her arms; she falls in love with Féolan who
turns out to be an Elf, with a lifespan many times that of a Human, and she learns that she is
not whom she believes herself to be.
In The Bonemender’s Oath, the war is over, but the threat from across the mountains has
only withdrawn for the time-being, and danger lurks closer to home. Both Gabrielle and her
brother Tristan must fight for their lives and for those they love, as Gabrielle struggles to save
a young man who thinks himself her enemy.
When Gabrielle’s niece and nephew are kidnapped by raiding pirates in The Bonemender’s
Choice, Gabrielle and Féolan are drawn into a sea journey into unknown lands. The adventure
takes a deadly turn when the Gray Veil, a plague that slowly chokes its victims, strikes the
harbor town where the children have been taken. Gabrielle’s healing powers are needed as
never before, and in the end, it seems, she must choose: She can only save one, her husband
or her niece.
International Reading Association Children’s Book Award notable
New York Public Library’s Books for the Teen Age selection
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Our Choice selection
White Pine Honour Book
Tayshas nominee
Resource Links the Year’s Best selection
Stellar Book Award nominee
“Bennett is definitely a fantasy writer to watch.” —School Library Journal
“A truly beautiful story that will stay in your mind well after the last page has been read.”
—Canadian Children’s Book News
“A captivating fantasy tale that delivers warm, believable characters who continue to develop
throughout the book…Readers will no doubt anxiously await the sequel…Highly Recommended.”
—CM Magazine
“[Holly Bennett’s] prose is elegant and her insight into her characters’ thoughts and hearts is moving
and delightful. Excellent.” —Resource Links
“Fast-paced and absorbing.” —Booklist
World Rights Available (ex – North America)
Transatlantic Agency
Reaching More Readers
Amy Tompkins
2 Bloor St. E., Suite 3500, Toronto, ON, m4w 1a8, Canada
Telephone: (416) 488 9214 · Fax (416) 488 4531
[email protected] • www.transatlanticagency.com
6 young adult
If Only
Becky Citra
F
ifteen-year-old Pam is assaulted when she and her twin brother, Danny, are walking
home through the woods. Danny is frozen with fear and does nothing; luckily, Pam is
rescued by a woman out walking her dog. Pam deals with the trauma by isolating herself
while Danny struggles with the shame of not protecting his sister. His shame is compounded
by their father’s contempt, and Danny decides to redeem himself by finding Pam’s attacker.
In the process, he discovers a family secret, and Pam connects with new friends who help
her regain her confidence.
Sheila A. Egoff Children’s Literature Prize nominee
World Rights Available
(ex – North America)
240 pages · ages 12+
“Short chapters alternate between Danny’s and Pam’s perspectives and illustrate with heartbreaking
clarity the growing distance between the once-close twins as they cope separately with their
feelings of guilt. The characters’ reactions to a highly traumatic experience are realistic without
being graphic, and sensitive but in no way sentimentalized. Citra’s sparse and direct writing move
the action along at a pace that will draw readers in and keep them reading.” —Booklist
“A sensitive tale, offering emotional insight into the two adolescents, their friends and family.
An engaging portrait of siblings caught in the blame game.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Citra is good at revealing the characters’ thoughts and feelings, which ring true…Attempted rape,
assault, the harm of gossip and thoughtless criticism, the meaning of friendship—all are touched
upon and effectively portrayed.” —VOYA
Me, Myself and Ike
K.L. Denman
fter watching a tv program about Ötzi, a 5,000-year-old “Ice Man,” Kit’s friend Ike
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becomes convinced that Kit’s destiny is to become the next ice man. Together they
obtain artifacts they think will accurately reflect life in the early twenty-first century and
plan their journey to a nearby mountain. As he grows more and more agitated and isolated,
his family and friends suspect that something is terribly wrong, but before they can discover
the true severity of the situation, Kit and Ike set off on what could be their last journey.
World Rights Available
(ex – North America)
208 pages ∙ ages 12+
Rights Sold:
Korean—Pulbit Publishing Co.
White Raven International Youth Library list
Resource Links the Year’s Best selection
Governor General’s Literary Award nominee
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books selection
“Completely riveting, suspenseful, and heartbreaking, Me, Myself and Ike is one of the best young
adult releases of the year.” —Quill & Quire
“A gripping novel full of surprises. K.L. Denman’s masterfully-crafted first-person narrative on
schizophrenia sweeps the reader along.” —Governor General’s Literary Awards committee
“A stark and fascinating portrait of a paranoid and delusional teenager…Denman deftly gets into
the head of a mentally unwell teenager while telling a coherent, engaging story.”
—Publishers Weekly
Transatlantic Agency
Reaching More Readers
Amy Tompkins
2 Bloor St. E., Suite 3500, Toronto, ON, m4w 1a8, Canada
Telephone: (416) 488 9214 · Fax (416) 488 4531
[email protected] • www.transatlanticagency.com
young adult 7
Before Wings
Beth Goobie
wo years after a near-fatal aneurism, fifteen-year-old Adrien is caught between the land
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of the living and the spirit world. As she struggles to understand the spirits of the young
women that only she sees, she learns of their tragic connection to her aunt. Faced with the
knowledge that another aneurysm could strike her at any time and shunned by the other
staff at the camp she works at because she is the boss’s niece, Adrien finds a soulmate in Paul,
the handyman, who is convinced that he has seen his own death.
World Rights Available
(ex – North America)
208 pages ∙ ages 12+
Rights Sold:
UK—Faber & Faber
German—Patmos Verlag
Slovenian—MISH Publishing
Simplified Chinese—Zhejiang
Governor General’s Literary Award nominee
Mr. Christie’s Book Award Silver Seal winner
ALA Best Books nominee
CLA Book of the Year for Young Adults winner
PSLA Young Adult Top Forty selection
ALA Popular Paperback selection
ALA Michael Printz Award nominee
ALA Teens’ Top Ten nominee
Sunburst Award nominee
Saskatchewan Book Award for Children’s Literature winner
The Lottery
Beth Goobie
E
very student at Saskatoon Collegiate knew that all the most important aspects of school
life were controlled by a secret club called Shadow Council. Each fall, Shadow held a
traditional lottery during which a single student’s name was drawn. The rest of the student
body called the student the lottery winner. But Shadow Council knew better; to them the
winner was the lottery victim. Whatever the label, the fated student became the Council’s
go-fer, delivering messages of doom to selected targets. In response, the student body shunned
the lottery winner for the entire year. This year’s victim was fifteen-year-old Sally Hanson.
World Rights Available
(ex – North America)
272 pages ∙ ages 12+
Rights Sold:
UK—Faber & Faber
German—Fischer Verlag
Slovenian—MISH Publishing
White Pine Honour Book
Snow Willow nominee
Manitoba Young Readers’ Choice nominee
White Ravens International Youth Library list
CLA Book of the Year nominee
ALA Quick Picks for Reluctant YA Readers nominee
ALA Best Books nominee
KLIATT Editors’ Choice Best of the Year selection
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Our Choice starred selection
Transatlantic Agency
Reaching More Readers
Amy Tompkins
2 Bloor St. E., Suite 3500, Toronto, ON, m4w 1a8, Canada
Telephone: (416) 488 9214 · Fax (416) 488 4531
[email protected] • www.transatlanticagency.com
8 young adult
Three Little Words
Sarah N. Harvey
Sid prefers his words few and well-chosen.
S
World Rights Available
(ex – North America)
224 pages · ages 12+
Rights Sold:
German—Carl Hanser Verlag
French—Magnard Jeunesse
ixteen-year-old Sid barely remembers his birth mother and has no idea who his father
was. Raised on an idyllic island by loving foster parents, Sid would be content to stay
there forever, drawing, riding his bike, hanging out with his friend Chloe and helping out
with Fariza, a newly arrived foster child. But when a stranger named Phil arrives on the
island with disturbing news about his birth family—including a troubled younger brother—
Sid leaves all that is familiar to help find the sibling he didn’t know existed.
What he discovers is a family fractured by mental illness, but also united by strong
bonds of love and compassion. As Sid searches for his brother, gets to know his grandmother, and worries about meeting his biological mother, he realizes that there will never be
a simple answer to the question, Am I my brother’s keeper?
Sarah N. Harvey is the author of nine books for children and young adults. Some of her
books have been translated into Korean, German and Slovenian, none of which she speaks
or reads (although she is trying to learn Italian). Sarah works as an editor in Victoria,
British Columbia, where her goal is to get her heels to the floor in downward-facing dog.
Visit www.sarahnharvey.com for more information.
Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Books of the Year
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books selection
TriState YA Review Group Book of Note
Bolen Books Children’s Book Prize nominee
Stellar Award nominee
“Harvey does a beautiful job balancing the story’s many plot threads, while creating realistic,
compelling characters. Identity, mental illness, social security (and insecurity), racial concerns,
and recovery from trauma are all themes that surface throughout the novel without ever
overwhelming the strong, skillfully told story.” —Booklist
“A quiet but moving story about the different forms family can take…16-year-old Sid has grown
up happily with foster parents on an island of Canada’s west coast, an evocative setting that
Harvey (Death Benefits) paints with care.” —Publishers Weekly
“Harvey’s expert pacing of Sid’s story is slowly hypnotic. Her characterization is top notch.
She patiently reveals their personalities. Chloe, in particular, is a delightful supporting character
who adds power to the novel. These characters are well constructed, uniquely defined by their
actions and speech, and eminently engaging. Harvey does not shy away from the reality of difficult
situations and faithfully depicts Devi’s mental illness, Wain’s troubled existence, and Fariza’s thaw
from the chilling events that brought her to Sid’s life.” —VOYA
“Appealing, original characters—especially Sid, eccentric but high-functioning—are a strong
suit…Harvey portrays parental mental illness and the long-term effects of childhood trauma with
compassionate insight.” —Kirkus Reviews
Transatlantic Agency
Reaching More Readers
Amy Tompkins
2 Bloor St. E., Suite 3500, Toronto, ON, m4w 1a8, Canada
Telephone: (416) 488 9214 · Fax (416) 488 4531
[email protected] • www.transatlanticagency.com
young adult 9
Death Benefits
R
World Rights Available
(ex – North America)
224 pages · ages 12+
Rights Sold:
German—Carl Hanser Verlag
Korean—The Little Seeds
Publishing Co.
Sarah N. Harvey
oyce (aka Rolly) is having a bad year. Not only has his mother dragged him across the
country in order to be close to her aged father Arthur, a celebrated cellist, but he’s also
recovering from mono. When he convinces his mother to let him finish the school year by
correspondence, he’s left feeling isolated and lonely, and spends his time watching tv and plotting ways to get back to his friends in Nova Scotia. But before his plans can be implemented,
his grandfather has a small stroke. Suddenly Arthur needs more care than Royce’s mother can
provide and, after a couple of hired care aides quit, Royce is pressed into service. Looking after
a ninety-five-year-old—especially one as cantankerous, crafty and stubborn as Arthur—is a
challenge. But as Royce gets to know the eccentric old man—who loves the Pussycat Dolls,
hates Anderson Cooper and never listens to the kind of music that made him famous—he
gradually comes to appreciate that his grandfather’s life still has meaning. Even if Arthur
himself seems to want it to end.
Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Books of the Year
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books selection
OLA Best Bets selection
Resource Links the Year’s Best selection
TriState YA Review Group Book of Note
Bolen Books Children’s Book Prize nominee
White Pine nominee
Stellar Book Award nominee
The Lit Report
Sarah N. Harvey
ulia and Ruth have been unlikely best friends since they first met in Sunday school—Ruth
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was standing on the Bible-crafts table belting out “Jesus Loves Me.” Now that they’re a
year away from graduation, they’re putting the finishing touches on their getaway plans.
But their dream of a funky big-city loft and rich, interesting older men is threatened when
preacher’s daughter Ruth goes to a wild party without studious Julia, and all hell breaks loose.
Ruth gets pregnant; Julia gets creative. Determined to support her friend and stay on
track for life after high school, Julia comes up with a plan that will require all her intelligence, compassion, ingenuity and patience. Drawing on some great (and some not-so-great)
works of literature, Julia proves that you can learn a lot just by opening up a book.
World Rights Available
(ex – North America)
208 pages ∙ ages 12+
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books starred selection
Stellar Book Award nominee
Resource Links the Year’s Best selection
BC Book Prize—Sheila A. Egoff Children’s Literature Prize nominee
Bolen Books Children’s Book Prize nominee
CLA Young Adult Book Award nominee
OLA Best Bets selection
Transatlantic Agency
Reaching More Readers
Amy Tompkins
2 Bloor St. E., Suite 3500, Toronto, ON, m4w 1a8, Canada
Telephone: (416) 488 9214 · Fax (416) 488 4531
[email protected] • www.transatlanticagency.com
10 young adult
Your Constant Star
Brenda Hasiuk
Some people are lost, maybe for good,
but others are found.
F
World Rights Available
(ex – North America)
248 pages · ages 12+
aye is the “good” adopted Chinese daughter. Bev is the wild child. Mannie is the unambitious stoner. What brings them together—and tears them apart—is a need to move
beyond the clichés and commit to something—anything—that will bring meaning and joy
to their lives.
When Faye’s long-lost childhood neighbor, Bev, turns up out of the blue, wanting something from her old friend, Faye goes along with Bev’s plan. But Mannie, the joyriding daddy
of Bev’s baby, has a half-crazed romantic agenda of his own. As one cold, miserable prairie
spring inches toward summer, a series of unexpected and sometimes explosive decisions
sends the trio hurtling toward disaster. A darkly funny portrayal of three unforgettable
teenagers feeling their way into adulthood in an imperfect world.
Brenda Hasiuk is an award-winning short-fiction writer whose work has appeared in
numerous literary journals and anthologies. Her first novel, Where the Rocks Say Your Name,
was nominated for the Carol Shields Winnipeg Book Award and the McNally Robinson
Book of the Year. She lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba, the coldest major city on earth, with
her husband, author Duncan Thornton, and loves to answer email from readers because
otherwise she’d be on Kijiji, buying used stuff she doesn’t need. For more information, visit
www.brendahasiuk.com.
McNally Robinson Books for Young People Award nominee
“Effectively describes a brief moment in the lives of teens on the brink of adulthood. The difficult
and rather dark situations they find themselves in are lightened by moments of humour sprinkled
liberally throughout, and their different, but believable attitudes toward life will resonate with a
variety of readers.” —Quill & Quire
“Authentic teen characters, closely observed settings and a moving plot…A superb novel from a
rising Canadian literary star, best for adult and mature crossover readers.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Hasiuk skillfully creates complex and believable characters, who are by turns cruel and
compassionate, alienating and sympathetic. She understands the blind groping of adolescence, along
with its mixing of affection and contempt toward loved ones and occasionally crippling, occasionally
empowering uncertainties, and examines this fumbling (and its potential for disaster) in an insightful
but unsentimental light. With its restrained but uncondescending portrayal of teen pregnancy, drug
use, and mental illness alongside small interpersonal cruelties and baffling but resonant adolescent
behavior, this will appeal to teens looking for other souls asking questions without answers.”
—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“With all their flaws, the three narrators jump off the page with terrifying realism. They are
teenagers to make any parent or guidance counselor cringe in recognition. Hasiuk doesn’t flinch
from adolescent anger and frustration…Bev, Mannie and Faye are hard to forget. Recommended.”
—CM Magazine
Transatlantic Agency
Reaching More Readers
Amy Tompkins
2 Bloor St. E., Suite 3500, Toronto, ON, m4w 1a8, Canada
Telephone: (416) 488 9214 · Fax (416) 488 4531
[email protected] • www.transatlanticagency.com
young adult 11
Tweaked
Katherine Holubitsky
ixteen-year-old Gordie Jessup is a good kid but he’s living a nightmare. His eighteen-yearS
old brother Chase’s two-year addiction to crystal meth has left their family emotionally
and financially drained. And just when Gordie thinks he can no longer stand the manipulating, the lying and the stealing, things get even worse. Chase is arrested for aggravated
assault, released on bail and sent home to his family. But his dealers are after him and Chase
appeals to Gordie for help. Gordie, disgusted with his brother and fully aware that it’s a
gamble, risks everything he has in the hope of bringing his family some peace.
World Rights Available
(ex – North America)
192 pages ∙ ages 13+
Resource Links the Year’s Best selection
White Pine nominee
Snow Willow nominee
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books selection
Manitoba Young Readers’ Choice nominee
“Portrays the overwhelming combination of anger, sadness, and bewilderment that families
experience in the face of the wily yet irrational behaviour of a crystal methamphetamine addict…
An important and difficult story…that leaves an indelible mark.” —Jeunesse
“Eye-opening…riveting.” —The Globe and Mail
“A painfully authentic exploration…poignantly demonstrates the fact that the addict’s agony is
only the beginning.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
Allegra
Shelley Hrdlitschka
llegra thinks being at a performing-arts high school will change her life and make her
A
a better dancer. But high school is still high school, complete with cliques, competition
and cruelty. Allegra’s refuge comes in the form of a class she doesn’t want to take—music
theory, taught by a very young, very attractive male teacher. Soon all Allegra can think about
is music composition—and Mr. Rochelli. But has she misunderstood his attention, or is he
really her soul mate?
ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books selection
Resource Links the Year’s Best selection
World Rights Available
(ex – North America)
280 pages · ages 12+
“As an examination of mental health troubles, the book is a sophisticated and subtle anomaly in a
genre that often places emphasis on the ‘issues’ first and characters second. Hrdlitschka’s prose is
clean and clear…Avoiding the one-dimensional depictions often foisted on older generations in YA,
Allegra’s mother and father are fully realized, flawed, and believable…You can’t hear the music, but you
can feel it in this fresh, engrossing story.” —Quill & Quire
“[An] absorbing exploration of contemporary teen life…Hrdlitschka (Sister Wife) realistically depicts
teenage emotional turmoil as Allegra’s growing obsession with Mr. Rocchelli combines with despair at
her parents’ separation and the ups and downs of her new friendships. The main characters’ devotion
to the arts enriches the drama.” —Publishers Weekly
Transatlantic Agency
Reaching More Readers
Amy Tompkins
2 Bloor St. E., Suite 3500, Toronto, ON, m4w 1a8, Canada
Telephone: (416) 488 9214 · Fax (416) 488 4531
[email protected] • www.transatlanticagency.com
12 young adult
Gotcha!
Shelley Hrdlitschka
t’s “bead season” at Slippery Rock High. This year the bead-snatching grad game called
Itradition.
“Gotcha” has been banned because the teachers have decided to put an end to a dangerous
After the game is banned it becomes even more appealing. Katie, a member of the Grad
council, finds herself losing friends and falling victim to her classmates’ obsession with the
game. She slides further and further down the chute that leads to disaster. Can she bring a
safe end to this deadly game?
World Rights Available
(ex – North America)
272 pages ∙ ages 12+
Stellar Book Award nominee
OLA Best Bets selection
Resource Links the Year’s Best selection
White Pine nominee
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books selection
Rights Sold:
Simplified Chinese—Zhejiang
German—Rowohlt Verlag
“A fast-paced and thrilling read for older teens, looking closely at the idea of mob mentality,
and how even the smartest of people can get swept away with the crowd.”
—Canadian Children’s Book News
Sister Wife
Shelley Hrdlitschka
I
n the isolated rural community of Unity, the people of The Movement live a simple life
guided by a unique set of religious principles and laws. Polygamy is the norm, strict obedience is expected and it is customary for young girls to be assigned to much older husbands.
Celeste was born and raised in Unity, yet she struggles to accept her ordained life. Perhaps
it’s because of Taviana, the girl who lives with them and entertains Celeste with forbidden
stories, or Jon, the young man she has clandestine meetings with, or maybe it’s the influence
of Craig, the outsider she meets on the beach. At fifteen she is repulsed at the thought of being
assigned to an older man and becoming a sister wife, and she knows she is not cut out to raise
children. She wants something more for herself, yet feels powerless to change her destiny
because rebelling would bring shame upon her family.
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280 pages ∙ ages 12+
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books selection
Resource Links the Year’s Best selection
ALA Best Books for Young Adults
CLA Young Adult Book Award nominee
Governor General’s Literary Award nominee
White Pine nominee
International Reading Association Young Adult Choices Selection
VOYA Top Shelf Fiction for Middle School Readers list
“This compelling story combines authentic characters to pique the interest of a wide array of
teens and get them talking about faith and free will.” —VOYA
Transatlantic Agency
Reaching More Readers
Amy Tompkins
2 Bloor St. E., Suite 3500, Toronto, ON, m4w 1a8, Canada
Telephone: (416) 488 9214 · Fax (416) 488 4531
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young adult 13
The Warlocks of Talverdin Series
K.V. Johansen
Enter a world as vivid and inviting as Middle Earth.
K
.V. Johansen has Master’s Degrees in Medieval Studies and in English. She held the 2001 Eileen
Wallace Research Fellowship in Children’s Literature from the Eileen Wallace Collection at
the University of New Brunswick. She also received the Frances E. Russell Award for research
in children’s literature from the Canadian section of IBBY, the International Board on Books for
Young People. Visit her website: www.pippin.ca.
Ann Connor Brimer Award winner
Snow Willow nominee
ALA Quick Picks
OLA Best Bets selection
PSLA Young Adult Top Forty selection
Resource Links the Year’s Best selection
VOYA Best Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror list
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books selection
“The fast-paced adventure, compelling characters and conflicts that make sense will reward readers
of this fully-realized fantasy.” —Booklist
“The adventures that ensue are complex and carefully constructed; Johansen is adept at presenting
intricate political and social intrigue, supported by strong characterization…She has created a fascinating,
original fantasy world, one which readers will want to enter in to dwell.” —Resource Links
“Fast paced and dramatic, [The Shadow Road] took swift hold of my imagination and provided a
splendid imaginary escape to another world. Highly Recommended.” —CM Magazine
“The Tolkienesque scale of the story is clear in the large glossary of characters at the end of the
book…What better balance for cheery summer weather than a landscape clouded by looming evil?”
—Georgia Straight
“Followers of The Warlocks of Talverdin will relish [The Shadow Road], while those new to the series
can jump right in with very little confusion and become fans themsevles. Readers will be hooked from
the first few pages.” —PSLA Best of the Best Reviews
“[The series] is more than a fast paced adventure of battling forces, wizardly spells and noble quests.
Underlying the intrigue, kidnapping and battles, the theme of understanding the emotional damage
of prejudice and racial intolerance is evident. Overall, [the Warden of Greyrock] was a pleasure to read.
Highly Recommended.” —CM Magazine
“It gets to the action quickly yet KV Johansen still manages to create the personalities of her main
characters and the world they are in.” —Fantasy Book Review
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Transatlantic Agency
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Amy Tompkins
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14 young adult
Punch Like a Girl
Karen Krossing
It’s not the girl in the fight;
it’s the fight in the girl.
obody understands why Tori has suddenly become so moody and violent. When she
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attacks a stranger in a store, she ends up doing community service at a shelter for victims
of domestic violence. She bonds with a little girl named Casey, but when Casey is abducted
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240 pages · ages 12+
while in Tori’s care, Tori is racked with guilt, certain that she should have been able to prevent
the abduction. During the search for Casey, Tori comes face to face with an ex-boyfriend who
sexually assaulted her at a party. Only when she speaks out about the assault is she able to
begin to heal.
Karen Krossing is addicted to stories. She began to create her own stories when she was
eight, and today she writes novels and short stories for children and teens. Karen also encourages new writers through workshops for kids, teens and adults. Karen lives with her family
in Toronto, Ontario. Punch Like a Girl is her seventh novel. For more information, visit
www.karenkrossing.com.
“While Krossing…acknowledges the importance of self-defense, the story makes clear that
sharing one's pain is equally important. Tori's anger is palpable throughout, and her emotional
evolution is empowering.” —Publishers Weekly
“The first-person present-tense narration gives a sense of immediacy and pulls readers along with
the protagonist as she seeks ways to stop feeling helpless in the aftermath of the assault…While
comparisons to Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak (Farrar, 1999) are inevitable, Tori's journey is her
own and will provide another option for encouraging necessary discussions on sexual assault.”
—School Library Journal
“Krossing provides a modern version of an age-old story, with a very real, very strong heroine.
Tori's flaws make her believable, while her growth makes her admirable.” —Resource Links
“This book is incredible because it raises awareness of a problem in the world that is truly
horrible. It teaches girls to fight back and speak out. Be strong.” —YALSA YA Galley Teen Review
young adult 15
The Yo-Yo Prophet
Karen Krossing
alvin is the smallest guy in his high school, and a perfect target for Rozelle and
C
her girl gang. His mother is dead, his father is long gone and his only remaining
relative, his grandmother, is getting too sick to run her dry cleaning business. The only
time Calvin feels in control is when he’s working his yo-yo. When he takes up street
performing, Rozelle demands a cut and insists on being his manager. To get media attention, she markets him as a yo-yo genius who can predict the future, dubbing him the
“Yo-Yo Prophet.” Calvin begins to believe his own hype, but as Gran’s condition deteriorates, he realizes that it will take more than fame and adulation to keep his family intact.
World Rights Available
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248 pages ∙ ages 12+
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books selection
CYBIL Award nominee
“Krossing’s…depictions of the many pressures Calvin is under, as well as his relationship with his
grandmother, feel especially intimate and authentic. It’s a clever and quiet coming-of-age story
about developing confidence and doing what’s right.” —Publishers Weekly
“Krossing paints vivid and believable portraits of her main characters and keeps the action
flowing, especially in her descriptions of Calvin’s performances. She manages to convey the
intricacies of the tricks and Calvin’s joy in mastering them while moving the narrative briskly
along. It all adds up to a captivating and believable portrait of a young boy coming of age.”
—Kirkus Reviews
The Prisoner of Snowflake Falls
John Lekich
ifteen-year-old Henry Holloway isn’t immoral, he’s just hungry. His mother died
when he was nine, leaving him to be raised by his Uncle Andy and his friends, all
F
amiable small-time crooks. When Uncle Andy is sent to prison, Henry takes up residence
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280 pages · ages 12+
in an abandoned tree house in order to escape the notice of Social Services. His mission?
To survive on his own while preserving his cherished independence. Fortunately, Henry
possesses all the skills it takes to be a successful house burglar.
Henry is an unusually resourceful and considerate burglar—often tidying up the
places he robs—until he’s caught. The terms of his probation? He must live with
the Wingates, a strange family in a small town called Snowflake Falls.
Henry is just getting used to his temporary family when the newly liberated Uncle Andy
and his criminal friends draw him into a plan to rob the citizens of Snowflake Falls. Will
Henry be loyal to his uncle or will he break with the past and do the right thing?
BC Book Prize—Sheila A. Egoff Children’s Literature Prize nominee
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books starred selection
TriState YA Review Group Book of Note
Manitoba Young Reader’s Choice Award
Stellar Award nominee
Transatlantic Agency
Reaching More Readers
Amy Tompkins
2 Bloor St. E., Suite 3500, Toronto, ON, m4w 1a8, Canada
Telephone: (416) 488 9214 · Fax (416) 488 4531
[email protected] • www.transatlanticagency.com
16 young adult
Lauren Yanofsky Hates
the Holocaust
Leanne Lieberman
Some kids got Disney. I got Hitler.
auren Yanofsky doesn’t want to be Jewish anymore. Her father, a noted Holocaust histoL
rian, keeps giving her Holocaust memoirs to read, and her mother doesn’t understand
why Lauren hates the idea of Jewish youth camps and family vacations to Holocaust memo-
World Rights Available
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240 pages · ages 12+
rials. But when Lauren sees some of her friends—including Jesse, a cute boy she likes—
playing Nazi war games, she is faced with a terrible choice: betray her friends or betray her
heritage.
Told with engaging humor, Lauren Yanofsky Hates the Holocaust isn’t simply about making
tough moral choices. It’s about a smart, funny, passionate girl caught up in the turmoil of
bad-hair days, family friction, changing friendships, love—and, yes, the Holocaust.
Leanne Lieberman is the author of two other books for young adults, Gravity and
The Book of Trees. She lives in Kingston, Ontario, with her husband and two sons. For more
information, visit www.leannelieberman.com.
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books selection
Sydney Taylor Notable Books for Teens selection
Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Books of the Year
“[Lieberman] smoothly weaves humor and knowledge about Judaism through Lauren’s story. Lauren’s
narration is contemplative and from the heart, and readers should relate to her attempts to identify
her beliefs and tackle life’s big questions.” —Publishers Weekly
“Heavy topics get a lighthearted treatment in this smart, observant story of a girl who has had it with
being Jewish…Lieberman draws a strong portrait of a girl who can’t find comforting answers, and that
is the strength of this book.” —Booklist
“Lieberman, known for her edgy, provocative Jewish-themed novels…creates another strong female
protagonist, whose characterization of Judaism as a religion ‘about loss, grief and persecution’ will
raise eyebrows with both Jewish and non-Jewish readers. A thought-provoking exploration of a teen’s
evolving ideals.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Lieberman touches [on] moral and ethical issues in a simple, direct novel. Teens will relate to the
realistic dialogue and teen angst…Lieberman gives the reader a lot to think about, in a very compact
style filled with humor, reality, and drama. The book will appeal to teens looking for a realistic, teen
drama about morality and ethics.” —VOYA
“The Nazi war games juxtaposed with Lauren’s Jewish background and the way she must come
to terms with the problem and her emotions are thought-provoking themes which allow Lauren
to develop throughout the book. Her maturing process literally goes through a ‘trial by fire,’
and a different Lauren emerges in the final pages of the novel. Recommended.” —CM Magazine
Transatlantic Agency
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Amy Tompkins
2 Bloor St. E., Suite 3500, Toronto, ON, m4w 1a8, Canada
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[email protected] • www.transatlanticagency.com
young adult 17
The Book of Trees
Leanne Lieberman
hen Mia, a Jewish teenager from Ontario, goes to Israel to spend the summer studying
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at a yeshiva, or seminary, she wants to connect with the land and deepen her understanding of Judaism. However, Mia’s summer plans go awry when she falls in love with a
non-Jewish tourist, Andrew. Through him, Mia learns about the Israeli occupation of
Palestinian land and starts to question her Zionist aspirations. In particular, Mia is disturbed
by the Palestinian’s loss of their olive trees, and the state of Israel’s planting of pine trees,
symbolizing the setting down of new roots. After narrowly escaping a bus bombing,
Mia decides that being a peace activist is more important than being religious.
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256 pages ∙ ages 12+
“[A] realistic, sensitively drawn story of one teen’s tumultuous, coming-of-age search for faith,
cultural identity, and grown-up love.” —Booklist
“Lieberman’s directness is refreshing.” —Quill & Quire
“Poignant, thought-provoking, and haunting at times…Lieberman’s story raises many questions,
both religious and political. The reader will take this journey of self-discovery with Mia and may
marvel or cower under its weight. Either way, this is a story that demands to be read, for so
many different reasons.” —VOYA
“More than just a book about a conflicted teenager, there are deep and important themes
about social justice and equal treatment of all peoples.”—Canadian Children’s Book News
Gravity
Leanne Lieberman
llie Gold is an orthodox Jewish teenager living in Toronto in the late eighties. Ellie has no
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doubts about her strict religious upbringing until she falls in love with another girl at her
grandmother’s cottage. Aware that homosexuality clashes with Jewish observance, Ellie feels
forced to either alter her sexuality or leave her community. Meanwhile, Ellie’s mother, Chana,
becomes convinced she has a messianic role to play, and her sister, Neshama, chafes against
the restrictions of her faith. Ellie is afraid there is no way to be both gay and Jewish, but her
mother and sister offer alternative concepts of God that help Ellie find a place for herself as a
queer Jew.
World Rights Available
(ex – North America)
256 pages ∙ ages 12+
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books starred selection
Sidney Taylor Award nominee
“The writing is smooth and rich in detail, the dialogue is zesty, the plot suspenseful and all the
characters are well-rounded.” —Kit Pearson, author of A Perfect Gentle Knight
“A compelling, well-written story that…leaves readers wanting more—and, rightly so, leaves
them to draw their own conclusions about whether orthodoxy and homosexuality can coexist.”
—The Jewish Independant
“Lieberman’s confidence is impressive. She is in complete command of her material. Her work
is like origami, in which meanings gently unfold.” —The Globe and Mail
Transatlantic Agency
Reaching More Readers
Amy Tompkins
2 Bloor St. E., Suite 3500, Toronto, ON, m4w 1a8, Canada
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18 young adult
The New Normal
Ashley Little
You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone—especially when it
comes to hair.
amar Robinson knows a lot about loss—more than any teenager should. Her younger
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sisters are dead, her parents are adrift in a sea of grief, and now Tamar is losing her hair.
Nevertheless, she navigates her rocky life as best she can, not always with grace, but with
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232 pages · ages 12+
Rights Sold:
Korean—
See and Talk Publishing Co.
her own brand of twisted humor. She joins the chess club with her friend Roy, earns a part
in the school production of The Wizard of Oz, buys an awesome wig, lands a crappy job, gets
invited to the prom (by three different guys!) and helps her parents re-enter the land of the
living. What Tamar lacks in tact (and hair), she makes up for in sheer tenacity.
Ashley Little attended high school in Calgary, Alberta. She has worked at a pie shop,
a fast-food chicken restaurant and a convenience store/gas station. She completed a BFA
in creative writing at the University of Victoria in British Columbia. Ashley teaches
yoga and writes fiction in Alberta’s badlands. The New Normal is her first novel for teens.
For more information, visit www.ashleylittle.com.
OLA Best Bets
Sheila A. Egoff Children’s Literature Prize winner
“This novel is a joy to read from start to finish. Tamar is complex, never boring and remains a
charismatic and appealing character at her best and her worst…The New Normal is a powerful
story about accepting yourself and your circumstances…[and] keeps just the right balance between
tragedy and comedy. Highly Recommended.” —CM Magazine
“In addition to creating an endearing, believably conflicted protagonist whom it is impossible not
to cheer for, Little deftly doles out levity and hardship at just the right times. The novel is mired
neither in endless tragedy nor flippant dark humour; it presents a realistic portrayal of a grieving
teenage girl…With equal parts humour and humility, Little’s novel reads like an Alberta-set love
child of Susan Juby and Sarah Dessen, and that’s not a bad thing at all.” —Quill & Quire
“[Little] prevents Tamar’s situation from feeling melodramatic, always keeping her story grounded.
Readers will sense that realism from the very first page…Tamar is so relatable and genuine that
readers will be invested in her attempts to surmount the challenges that pile up.” —Publishers Weekly
“One cannot help but root for [Tamar] to survive the challenges in her life…Readers remain
connected to this feisty, capable teen and just want for her to be happy…Through sheer tenacity
and a love of life, she saves herself and, in the process, her family. A quick read that delivers a happy
ending.” —School Library Journal
“Tamar’s wisecracking first-person voice adeptly conveys the complexity and grit of her emotional
life as she learns to stand up for herself. Readers who tough it out with her on the journey will be
rewarded by the destination.” —Kirkus Reviews
Transatlantic Agency
Reaching More Readers
Amy Tompkins
2 Bloor St. E., Suite 3500, Toronto, ON, m4w 1a8, Canada
Telephone: (416) 488 9214 · Fax (416) 488 4531
[email protected] • www.transatlanticagency.com
young adult 19
The Beckoners
Carrie Mac
The line between victim and tormentor is easily crossed.
he line between victim and tormentor is easily crossed. When her mother suddenly moves
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them to a new town, Zoe is unhappy about leaving behind what passes for a normal life.
And when the first person she meets turns out to be Beck, who rules her new school with a
World Rights Available
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224 pages ∙ ages 12+
Rights Sold:
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French—Actes Sud
Australia & New Zealand—
Text Publishing Company
mixture of intimidation and outright violence, she is dismayed. But she has no idea how bad
things will get. Unsure of herself and merely trying to fit in, Zoe is initiated, painfully, into
the Beckoners, a twisted group of girls whose main purpose is to stay on top by whatever
means necessary.
A chilling portrait of bullying and violence. The Beckoners illustrates the lure of becoming
one of the tormentors rather than the victim, and the terrible price that can be exacted for
standing up for what is right.
CLA Young Adult Honour Book
Arthur Ellis Award winner
International Reading Association Young Adult Choices Selection
White Ravens International Youth Library List
Stellar Book Award nominee
“A disturbing eye-opener.” —Vancouver Sun
“This is a beautifully written, ugly, moving, terrifying, compelling book.” —NMRLS
“Along the way it will challenge young people to reflect on what they accept and dismiss as
normal.” —Canadian Children’s Book News
“Hard-hitting…saturated with a sense of foreboding…a provocative and realistic portrayal of
what it means to be a victim and a tormentor.” —Resource Links
“Will be one of those sleeper novels passed from hand to hand by teenagers…It will probably
disappear from your library collections, the ultimate approval rating. Buy your five copies now
and keep one behind the counter. Highly Recommended.” —CM Magazine
Transatlantic Agency
Reaching More Readers
Amy Tompkins
2 Bloor St. E., Suite 3500, Toronto, ON, m4w 1a8, Canada
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20 young adult
Tru Detective
Norah McClintock
Illustrated by Steven P. Hughes
Truman is too late to save his girlfriend.
Can he save himself?
ruman’s parents are out of town, and he has made plans with his girlfriend, Natalia.
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When she doesn’t show up, he is angry. But when he finds out she has been murdered,
Truman becomes the prime suspect. With no alibi, he must try to find the truth behind his
World Rights Available
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128 pages · ages 14+
girlfriend’s violent death. But the more he digs, the more he realizes he doesn’t really know
who Natalia was, and he starts to wonder why she was interested in him at all. Hounded
by suspicious detectives, angry Russian mobsters and a sense that nothing is as it seems,
Truman is in a race to save himself.
This is the second eye-catching graphic novel from Arthur-Ellis Award-winning author
Norah McClintock.
Norah McClintock is a bestselling mystery author of teen fiction. Her first graphic novel,
I, Witness, was a Junior Library Guild Selection. Norah lives in Toronto, Ontario. For more
information, visit www.norahmcclintock.com.
Steven P. Hughes grew up in Ontario, graduated from Sheridan College in 2012 with a baa
in Illustration and currently lives in Montreal, Quebec. Besides illustration, he enjoys traveling, reading and spending time with his faithful companion, Bixby (the dog). Tru Detective
is his first graphic novel.
“McClintock follows I, Witness (2012) with another highly engaging suspense graphic novel
geared toward struggling readers…The appealing layout and compelling story, as well as the
straightforward dialogue, make this very accessible to a wide audience, both reluctant and
struggling readers as well as those looking for a pulse-pounding thriller.” —Booklist
“McClintock has crafted a solid, appealing mystery, especially for newcomers to the genre…
Readers will be caught up in Truman's struggles, the perils he finds himself in, and the awareness
he develops of both himself and others. Hughes' black-and-white art builds on and supports
the noir elements of McClintock's storytelling with a stark, cinematic quality, leavened with
occasional flashes of wit and sly humour…Though most of them will never experience the kind
of drama the story presents, adolescent readers will feel right at home.” —Quill & Quire
“With a story that unspools across the pages, laying out clues and the details as it goes, this
mystery begs to be read in one sitting. Stark black-and-white illustrations give the book a noir
feel that contrasts with the youth of the main character but doesn't conflict with it—instead it
makes Truman's journey into the darkness of Natalia's story more powerful…A mystery graphic
novel, beautifully done.” —School Library Journal
young adult 21
I, Witness
Norah McClintock
Illustrated by Mike Deas
When you witness something horrific, do you look out for yourself?
Or try and find justice?
I
World Rights Available
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144 pages · ages 12+
n a dark back alley, Boone and Andre witness a violent murder, and agree not to mention
it. But the killers have different ideas and come after Boone and his friends, killing two of
them. Boone is desperate to save himself but realizes to do so he will need to face the violent
act in his past that continues to haunt him.
Told in Norah McClintock’s trademark suspenseful style and with spare black-and -white
illustrations from Mike Deas, this compelling graphic novel looks into the darkness and forces
us to face our deepest fears.
Norah McClintock’s fascinating mysteries are hard to put down. She is a five-time winner of
the Crime Writers of Canada’s Arthur Ellis Award for Best Juvenile Crime Novel. Although
Norah is a freelance editor, she still manages to write at least one novel a year. Norah grew
up in Montreal, Quebec, and now lives with her family in Toronto, Ontario.
Mike Deas is the illustrator of the bestselling Graphic Guide Adventure series. His love for
illustrative storytelling developed at an early age while growing up on Saltspring Island,
British Columbia. Mike enjoys traveling, and he has worked in England and California as a
concept artist, texture artist and art director in the video game industry. Mike and his wife
Nancy live in sunny Victoria, British Columbia.
Junior Library Guild selection
ALA Quick Picks nominee
Stellar Award nominee
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books selection
Texas Library Association Maverick Graphic Novel List
“[McClintock] shows her customary concerns with character development, fast and abrupt action,
and the effectiveness of showing different viewpoints. Deas’ dramatic black-and-white artwork is
splashed with a bright blood red spilt across those panels where violence occurs…An effective
thriller that raises questions about the complicity of silence on violence.” —Booklist
“McClintock’s first foray into graphica is a teenage mystery with enough twists and turns to interest
readers.” —Quill & Quire
“McClintock has crafted an intriguing story, one which is not only entertaining to read, but is also
surprisingly complex and comprehensive despite occupying less than one hundred and fifty pages…
Deas’ illustrations are wonderful additions to the story, working well to support and, at key points,
enhance the text laid out by McClintock…Readers who are admirers of crime and detective
stories will surely find I, Witness to be an enjoyable and satisfying read. Highly Recommended.”
—CM Magazine
Transatlantic Agency
Reaching More Readers
Amy Tompkins
2 Bloor St. E., Suite 3500, Toronto, ON, m4w 1a8, Canada
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[email protected] • www.transatlanticagency.com
22 young adult
About That Night
Norah McClintock
the depths of winter, a woman wanders off in the snow. She is a popular former teacher
Ihisnandnew
wife of a local policeman. A full-blown search begins. Meanwhile, Derek is staying with
girlfriend and her parents while his family is out of town. He can’t believe his luck—
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248 pages · ages 12+
Jordie is the hottest girl in school, and he’s going out with her. When Ronan, school bad boy
and Jordie’s ex-boyfriend, shows up, Jordie decides that maybe Derek isn’t the one after all. But
before she can end it with him, Derek disappears. Did he run away? Or did something happen
to him? Is there a connection between the two disappearances? As Jordie slowly starts unraveling the truth, she finds that nothing about that night is as it seems. When she finds Derek’s
body, suspicion falls on her. And then on Ronan. But Jordie knows she didn’t kill Derek. And
she is sure Ronan didn’t. So who is responsible? And why was Derek marked for death?
Arthur Ellis Award nominee
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books selection
John Spray Mystery Award finalist
Silver Falchion Award nominee
Arthur Ellis Award nominee
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books selection
“McClintock avoids the usual patterns of murder mysteries, relying on detailed and believable
characterizations that round out the plentiful plot twists…Mystery fans will appreciate the
thoughtful plotting, the complex characters, and an ambiguous ending that guarantees readers will
be mulling over the story long after they finish…” —Booklist online
Guilty
Norah McClintock
F
inn watches in horror as his stepmother is gunned down in front of his house. His father
reacts and kills the gunman. When Finn learns that the killer is the same man who
admitted to killing his birth mother years before, he is shocked and wants to know if this is
more than a terrible coincidence. At the police station, he meets Lila, daughter of the killer,
and they strike up a wary friendship. Both of them are desperate to find the truth. What they
discover hints at a much larger conspiracy.
World Rights Available
(ex – North America)
224 pages · ages 12+
ALA Quick Picks
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books selection
Snow Willow nominee
Golden Oak Award nominee
Manitoba Young Reader’s Choice Award
“[A] searing detective story…The chapters alternate between Finn and Lila’s points of view, a
juxtaposition that lends even more depth and energy to an already exciting story.” —Booklist
“McClintock has crafted an engrossing thriller that will keep readers turning pages. Full of intrigue
from the first page…teens will be drawn into the mystery.” —VOYA
Transatlantic Agency
Reaching More Readers
Amy Tompkins
2 Bloor St. E., Suite 3500, Toronto, ON, m4w 1a8, Canada
Telephone: (416) 488 9214 · Fax (416) 488 4531
[email protected] • www.transatlanticagency.com
young adult 23
She Said/She Saw
Norah McClintock
egan was in the backseat when her two best friends were gunned down in front of her.
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Was it an argument over drugs? An ongoing feud? Or something more random? Tegan
says she didn’t see who did it. Or know why. Nobody will believe her. Not the police; not her
friends; not the families of the victims; and not even Kelly, her own sister. Is she afraid that
the killer will come back? Or does she know more than she is saying?
Shunned at school and feeling alone, Tegan must sort through her memories and try to
decide what is real and what is imagined. And in the end she must decide whether she has the
strength to stand up and do the right thing.
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224 pages ∙ ages 12+
Rights Sold:
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OLA Best Bets selection
TriState YA Review Group Book of Note
ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults nominee
“[A] fast-paced mystery…The infighting between the families of the two victims, both from
different economic, ethnic, and social backgrounds, is tragic and believable. Several scenes,
including one in which Tegan learns that her mother’s job is in jeopardy and a flashback involving
an enraged motorist, crackle with tension.” —School Library Journal
“A slim and shocking stand-alone [novel].”—Kirkus Reviews
“McClintock’s writing is taut and tense, and the reader will find him/herself flipping rapidly through
the pages seeking the truth.” —Resource Links
Taken
Norah McClintock
wo girls have recently disappeared near the town where Stephanie lives. She is concerned
T
but is sure that it could never happen to her. But then it does. Tied up and alone far
from home, she manages to escape her captor and run for her life. But she is in the middle
of nowhere, with no food, no shelter and no way home. And worst of all, she has run away
before, so she is sure that the police will not take her disappearance seriously. She will need to
save herself, calling on lessons learned from her grandfather and an inner strength she never
thought she had.
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176 pages ∙ ages 12+
Rights Sold:
Finnish book club*
French—Editions J’ai lu
German—Bertelsmann
Norwegian book club*
Swedish book club*
Resource Links the Year’s Best selection
ALA Quick Picks
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books selection
Manitoba Young Readers’ Choice Award winner
ALA Popular Paperbacks selection
“Taken is an engrossing study of the humbling effects of solitude, and it offers an unflinching
depiction of the unforgiving and often brutal realities of the natural world.” —Quill & Quire
“Riveting, and never becomes too harrowing.” —Booklist
*Stabenfeldt
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24 young adult
Straight Punch
Monique Polak
T
essa McPhail has a bad habit—tagging—that lands her at New Directions, an alternative school in Montreal’s toughest neighborhood. The school is far from Tessa’s home
and full of troubled kids. To make matters worse, half of every school day is devoted to
boxing. The other students think boxing is cool. Not Tessa, who cannot handle violence of
any kind. But when a neighbor starts a petition to have New Directions closed down, Tessa
discovers something worth fighting for, both in and out of the ring.
World Rights Available
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256 pages · ages 12+
Junior Library Guild selection
Quebec Writer’s Federation nominee
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books selection
ALA Quick Picks nominee
Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Books of the Year
Stellar Book Award nominee
“Polak keeps her prose simple and straightforward, providing her readers with a suspenseful,
insightful story that ticks off some hot buttons. The high-interest graffiti/boxing combo is
supported by real affection for throwaway teens, resulting in a story that should have broad
appeal.” —Kirkus Reviews
So Much It Hurts
Monique Polak
I
ris is an aspiring actress, so when Mick, a well-known visiting Aussie director, takes
an interest in her, she’s flattered. He’s fourteen years older, attractive, smart, charming
and sexy—in other words, nothing like her hapless ex-boyfriend, Tommy. But when Iris and
Mick start a secret relationship, she soon witnesses Mick’s darker side, and his temper
frightens her. Before long, she becomes the target of his rage, but she makes endless excuses
for him. Isolated and often in pain, Iris struggles to continue going to school, where she is
preparing for her role as Ophelia. When her family and friends begin to realize that something is terribly wrong, Iris defends her man, but she also takes the first tentative steps
toward self-preservation.
World Rights Available
(ex – North America)
288 pages · ages 12+
Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Books of the Year
“Provides a detailed anatomy of a young girl’s descent into the nightmare of an abusive relationship
that is both accessible and thought provoking.” —Quill & Quire
“Parallels between Iris and Hamlet’s Ophelia, a role she is playing in her high school’s production,
are telling, and Polak does a credible job portraying Iris as a smart girl who nevertheless finds
herself submitting to increasingly vile behaviour…[The novel’s] positive outcome should give heart
to those who need it.” —Booklist
young adult 25
The Middle of Everywhere
Monique Polak
oah Thorpe is spending the school term in George River, in Quebec’s Far North, where
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his dad is an English teacher in the Inuit community. Noah’s not too keen about living
in the middle of nowhere, but getting away from Montreal has one big advantage: he gets a
World Rights Available
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208 pages ∙ ages 12+
break from the bully at his old school.
But Noah learns that problems have a way of following you—no matter how far you
travel. To the Inuit kids, Noah is a qallunaaq—a southerner, someone ignorant of the customs
of the North. Noah thinks the Inuit have a strange way of looking at the world, plus they eat
raw meat and seal blubber. Most have never left George River—a town that doesn’t even have
its own doctor, let alone a McDonald’s.
But Noah’s views change when he goes winter camping and realizes he will have to learn
a few lessons from his Inuit buddies if he wants to make it home.
Resource Links the Year’s Best selection
Quebec Writers’ Federation Literature Prize nominee
“Noah’s greatest adventure is discovering that the middle of nowhere can be the beginning of
something new.” —The Alan Review
“A powerful novel that blends the emotional insecurities of young teenage boys with their need to
be strong…Polak delivers her tale with a simplicity and realism that brings the readers into the northern
world.” —Resource Links
Miracleville
Monique Polak
S
ixteen-year-old Ani lives in the tiny Quebec town of Ste-Anne-de-Beaupré, where her
family runs Saintly Souvenirs, a tourist shop catering to the many pilgrims who come
to the town seeking a miracle. The bane of Ani’s existence is her hyperactive, over-sexed
younger sister, Colette. Ani and her mother, Therése, are devout Catholics; Colette and her
father are not. When Therése is paralyzed after a freak accident, Ani’s faith is tested, but
when she is confronted with something shocking in her mother’s past, she has to rethink her
whole existence.
TriState YA Review Group Book of Note
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books selection
World Rights Available
(ex – North America)
256 pages ∙ ages 12+
“In this sensitive examination of the complexities of faith, Polak…captures the perplexing nuances
of a town whose economy depends on and caters to pilgrim tourists, which affects the beliefs of
local inhabitants, creating both skeptics and devout believers.” —Publisher’s Weekly
“Polak maintains a tone that is understanding and contemplative as she probes the questions,
doubts and fears of many of the characters, both teen and adult, in her work…[An] outstanding,
dare I say heavenly, young adult novel! Highly Recommended.” —CM Magazine
Transatlantic Agency
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26 young adult
What World is Left
Monique Polak
Right and wrong have lost their meaning for Anneke.
I scratch the skin around my shoulder. I know I mustn’t, but I can’t help it. I am itchy everywhere.
I fight the urge to jump out from the bunk. Besides, there is no place to go. We are prisoners here.
pampered child used to having her own way, Anneke Van Raalte lives outside
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Amsterdam, where her father is a cartoonist for the Amsterdam newspaper. Though
Anneke’s family is Jewish, her religion means little to her. Anneke’s life changes when the
World Rights Available
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232 pages ∙ ages 12+
Rights Sold:
Dutch—De Fontein
French North America—
Les Éditions du Septentrion
Nazis invade Holland, and she and her family are deported to Theresienstadt, a concentration
camp in Czechoslovakia. Not only are conditions in the camp appalling, but the camp is the
site of an elaborate hoax: the Nazis are determined to convince the world that Theresienstadt
is an idyllic place and that European Jews are thriving under the Nazi regime. Because he
is an artist, Anneke’s father is compelled to help in the propaganda campaign, and Anneke
finds herself torn between her loyalty to her family and her sense of what is right. What
World is Left was inspired by the experiences of the author’s mother, who was imprisoned in
Theresienstadt during World War II.
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books selection
Booklist Editor’s Choice selection
Resource Links the Year’s Best selection
ALA Best Books for Young Adults
Quebec Writers’ Federation Literature Prize winner
Manitoba Young Readers’ Choice nominee
“A very personal, thought-provoking and, ultimately, hopeful book.” —The Jewish Independent
“[Offers] a candid look at a father’s presumed collusion, a perspective rarely seen in YA
literature about the Holocaust.” —Publishers Weekly
“Heartbreaking. An important addition to the Holocaust curriculum.” —Booklist, starred review
“Polak’s story breathes life into a period fading from memory.” —Montreal Review of Books
Transatlantic Agency
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[email protected] • www.transatlanticagency.com
young adult 27
Audacious
Gabrielle Prendergast
S
ixteen-year-old Raphaelle says the wrong thing, antagonizes the wrong people and has
the wrong attitude. She can’t do anything right except draw, but she draws the wrong
pictures. When her father moves the family to a small prairie city, Raphaelle wants to make
a new start. Reborn as “Ella,” she tries to fit in at her new school. She’s drawn to Samir, a
Muslim boy in her art class, and expresses her confused feelings in explicit art. When a classmate texts a photo of Ella’s art to a younger friend, the fallout spreads throughout Ella’s life,
threatening to destroy her already-fragile family. Told entirely in verse, Audacious is a brave,
funny and hard-hitting portrait of a girl who embodies the word audacity.
World Rights Available
(ex – North America)
336 pages · ages 12+
Westchester Fiction Award Winners list
White Pine Award nominee
Canadian Library Association YA Book Award nominee
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books selection
Resource Links “The Year’s Best”
“In Ella, Prendergast has created a voice that is definitely audacious—but also utterly real and
memorable.” —Quill & Quire, starred review
“Audacious is a book just as powerful as its title. Beautifully written, thoughtfully layered, and
occasionally disturbing, Audacious asks important questions that will grip a teen reader’s
attention, with poems as varied, lovely, and shocking, as the ups and downs of the heroine’s quest
for understanding.” —Margarita Engle, Newbery Honor-winning author of The Surrender Tree
“Fans of Ellen Hopkins and Sonya Sones’s novels in verse will delight in Prendergast’s rich,
riveting story…” —Publishers Weekly
Capricious
Gabrielle Prendergast
E
lla’s grade-eleven year was a disaster (Audacious), but as summer approaches, things
are looking up. She’s back together with her brooding boyfriend, Samir, although they
both want to keep that a secret. She’s also best buddies with David and still not entirely sure
about making him boyfriend number two. Though part of her wants to conform to high
school norms, the temptation to be radical is just too great. Managing two secret boyfriends
proves harder than Ella expected, especially when Samir and David face separate family
crises, and Ella finds herself at the center of an emotional maelstrom. Someone will get hurt.
Someone risks losing true love. Someone might finally learn that self-serving actions can
have public consequences. And that someone is Ella.
Capricious is a sequel to the acclaimed verse novel Audacious.
World Rights Available
(ex – North America)
352 pages · ages 12+
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books selection
Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize finalist
“A quick read, thanks to the format and the dramatic plot. Prendergast varies the style of the
narrative, seamlessly integrating rhymed couplets, acrostics, and more…Her candid approach
to sex, lies, and friendship should attract a wide audience, especially readers who are drawn to
deep and sometimes dark issues.” —School Library Journal
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28 young adult
RETRIBUTION—a high-interest trilogy
that can be read in any order.
Unleashed
Sigmund Brouwer
J
ace has it all—money, cars and status. What he doesn’t have is a happy home life. Forced
to protect his brother from an abusive father and a neglectful mother, Jace lives a double
life on the wrong side of the tracks, learning to box and trying to survive on his own merits
while plotting to expose his father as the monster he is. Working reluctantly with two girls
who have their own thoughts of vengeance, Jace finds that he is not as alone as he thought
and that there are people he can trust.
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books selection
Burned
Natasha Deen
wo years ago, Josie Smith’s life went up in smoke. Literally. Everyone and everything
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she ever loved burned in a fire—one set by a crooked cop. To survive, Josie’s been living
under the radar as a homeless kid while trying to find a way to knock the cop down a few
notches and put her on the other side of the prison bars. But time’s running out. A pimp’s got
his eye on Josie, and if she doesn’t get off the streets soon, she’ll be the one brought down.
Her salvation and the key to the cop’s undoing seem to lie with a car thief and a rich kid.
Trust and teamwork don’t come easily to Josie—in fact, they don’t come at all—but if she
can’t find a way to make the team work and find justice for her family, she will get burned
all over again
Exposed
Judith Graves
R
aven is cunning, aggressive and whip-smart—she’s had to be to survive. She was taken
in at a young age by the boss of a car-theft ring, who rescued her from a life of hell. For
too long she’s believed she owes him everything and used her uncanny urban climbing skills
to train young recruits for what she believes are victimless crimes. Until Raven discovers that
his compassion for the kids he wrangles into the ring is just a front, and they are all merely
tools of his trade, nothing more. When he’s responsible for the death of Raven’s young
“apprentice,” she finally sees him for what he really is—and sets out to bring him down.
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books selection
World Rights Available
(ex – North America)
168-192 pages · ages 12+
“These interconnected narratives are page-turning reads, offering adventure, intrigue, and
satisfying retribution. Jace, Josie, and Raven are fiercely independent, clever, and intelligent
protagonists; each has a rich backstory and an engaging narrative voice that hooks readers from
the beginning. Each compact narrative can stand on its own but also incorporates references
to the other two, lending a multiple-perspective aspect to the story as a whole.” —VOYA
“This series does not back away from divisive social issues…Those who enjoy gritty realistic
fiction will find these books gripping. Recommended.” —School Library Connection
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young adult 29
What Is Real
Karen Rivers
But what is real? Are you? Am I? Is anyone?
ex Pratt is seventeen years old, a star basketball player and a budding filmmaker.
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And his life has been turned upside down. His parents have split up and his mother
has remarried and taken him to a new life in the city. When his father attempts suicide
World Rights Available
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304 pages ∙ ages 12+
and fails, Dex returns to their small town to care for him. He is not, however, prepared
for how much everything has changed. Gone is the suburban split-level on the outskirts
of town. Gone are the new cars, fancy bikes and other toys. Now he and his wheelchair-bound dad live in a rotting rented house at the back of a cornfield. And, worse, his
father has given up defending marijuana growers in his law practice and has become
one himself.
Unable to cope, Dex throws his camera in the trash and begins smoking himself into a
state of surrealism. He begins to lose touch with what is real and what he is imagining. And
then there are the aliens…And the crop circle…And the girl-of-his-dreams…
What Is Real presents a poignant portrait of suburban family life gone south. Dex Pratt is
smart, funny, creative and compulsive; he’s also angry and disillusioned. But most of all he’s
a character that readers won’t soon forget.
Karen Rivers is the author of fourteen novels, mostly for young adults. Her books have been
nominated for a number of awards, including the Sheila A. Egoff Children’s Literature Award
and the Silver Birch Award. Karen lives, reads and writes in a yellow house near the beach in
Victoria, British Columbia, and can almost always be found online at www.karenrivers.com.
Resource Links the Year’s Best selection
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books selection
BC Book Prize—Sheila A. Egoff Children’s Literature Prize nominee
Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Books of the Year
“Rivers writes in a first-person present-tense narrative that is true to a young stoner’s wild,
muddled viewpoint…Even if teens skim over some passages, the story’s central dramas will hold
them: a lost kid, angry and loving, who cares for a disabled parent as he tries to block out secrets
and lies.” —Booklist
“An intriguing read…The reader is left with interesting thoughts to ponder upon—what’s real and
what’s a dream? Highly Recommended.” —CM Magazine
“A tale of teenage angst exceptionally written in lyrical, hallucinogenic prose.”
—Library Media Connection
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30 young adult
Set You Free
Jeff Ross
The truth? It's a gray area.
he mayor’s six-year-old son, Ben Carter, is missing—and Lauren’s brother, Tom, is the
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main suspect. Lauren knows her brother would never harm anyone, but the police don’t
agree. Ben’s stepbrother doesn’t agree. The mayor certainly doesn’t agree. To some people in
World Rights Available
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256 pages · ages 12+
Resurrection Falls, Tom is the freak who, rumor has it, once tried to lure a kid into the woods.
But if Tom is innocent, why was he lurking around outside the mayor’s house the night
Ben disappeared? And why has he also vanished? After teaming up with Tom’s friend, Grady,
a computer enthusiast and part-time hacker, Lauren decides that rather than try to prove
Tom’s innocence, they should simply give the police some more options. Because everyone,
even the mayor’s apparently perfect family, has secrets.
Jeff Ross is an award-winning author of five novels for young adults. He currently teaches
scriptwriting and English at Algonquin College in Ottawa, Ontario, where he lives with his
wife and two sons. For more information, visit www.jeffrossbooks.com.
Arthur Ellis Awards nominee
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books selection
“This tale of suspense about the simultaneous disappearance of a young child and an enigmatic
teenager turns out to be not at all what it seems…The narrow squeaks and plot twists are
well placed, and as an unreliable narrator, Lauren holds attention from bleary beginning to
triumphant close.” —Booklist
“Well-developed characters, an original plot, and a thrilling story line make this book impossible
to put down. This page-turner is a must read for teens who enjoy mystery…An extremely
well written crime thriller that asks the question 'How well do you really know anyone?'”
—School Library Journal
“Effectively stretches out the tension inherent in a missing child case, gradually getting more
fast-paced and exciting…The writing is engaging, and the mystery is intriguing…Teens will enjoy
the good writing and the suspenseful, action elements of the plot.” —CM Magazine
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Amy Tompkins
2 Bloor St. E., Suite 3500, Toronto, ON, m4w 1a8, Canada
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[email protected] • www.transatlanticagency.com
young adult 31
Five Minutes More
Darlene Ryan
’Arcy’s dad is dead. She desperately wants it to have been an accident, but she is not sure.
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And when she learns the truth, things become even more difficult. Why would her father
choose suicide? Why didn’t she see the signs? Her father had always helped her get through
everything in her life—five minutes at a time. Can she do it alone? And then she meets Seth.
When will things get back to normal? Learning to live without her father while her mother
struggles with her own pain, D’Arcy finds an inner strength she wasn’t aware of. She also finds
that almost anything is tolerable for five minutes more.
World Rights Available
(ex – North America)
208 pages ∙ ages 12+
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books selection
ALA Quick Picks
Resource Links the Year’s Best selection
Ann Connor Brimer Award nominee
“Authentic characters, real passions surrounding both death and life and an interesting plot
which revolves around the difficult yet not uncommon issue of suicide: young adult fiction
doesn’t get much better than this. Highly Recommended.” —CM Magazine
“Ryan presents teenagers living with devastatingly emotional situations…Well written.”
—VOYA
Pieces of Me
Darlene Ryan
addie is living on the streets, trying to protect herself and make enough money to get
a place to stay and find a way to go back to school. When she meets Q, she is wary but
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welcomes his friendship. And then she meets Dylan, a six-year-old boy, living on the streets
with his family. When Dylan’s father asks Maddie to watch the boy for a while, she is happy
to help. But Dylan’s parents don’t come back; and Maddie and Q are left looking after him.
Trying to make a life together and care for her makeshift family, Maddie finds that maybe
she has to ask for help.
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books starred selection
SLJ’s Best Books for Teens Living in the ‘Margins’ list
World Rights Available
(ex – North America)
240 pages · ages 12+
“Homelessness, domestic abuse, and parental abandonment are indisputably weighty topics. Yet
in this story of a makeshift family, they seem surprisingly surmountable…Ryan has created a
thought-provoking portrait of young people living…on the fringes of society.” —Booklist
“An impressively managed text. It presents realistic and richly detailed explorations of a difficult
topic without being hopeless…Pieces of Me is a strong book with much to offer YA readers.
—Resource Links
“Ryan tackles some serious issues—including homelessness, abuse, and child abandonment…[Her]
simple prose and interesting storyline should attract readers (especially reluctant ones).”
—Quill & Quire
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32 young adult
Tag Along
Tom Ryan
I
t’s junior prom night. Andrea is grounded for getting her older brother to buy booze
for her, Paul is having panic attacks, Roemi has been stood up by his Internet date, and
Candace is busy tagging a building (before she gets collared by a particularly tenacious cop).
By happenstance, the four near-strangers end up together, getting into more trouble, arguing
and ultimately helping each other out over the course of eight madcap hours.
World Rights Available
(ex – North America)
208 pages · ages 12+
OLA Best Bets Honourable Mention
Stellar Award nominee
White Pine Award nominee
Rainbow Top Ten list
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books selection
Resource Links the Year’s Best selection
“A novel of rites of passage, experience, and teenage angst, Tag Along captures the teen audience
with well-written narrative, rich with emotion and spicy with the complications of life. The story is
a page-turner with humour, angst, anger and joy breathing life through the momentous events of the
evening. Truly entertaining and delightful. Highly recommended for leisure reading.” —Resource Links
Way to Go
Tom Ryan
anny thinks he must be the only seventeen-year-old guy in Cape Breton—in Nova
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Scotia, maybe—who doesn’t have his life figured out. His buddy Kierce has a rule for
every occasion, and his best friend Jay has bad grades, no plans and no worries. Danny’s dad
nags him about his post-high-school plans, his friends bug him about girls and a run-in with
the cops means he has to get a summer job. Worst of all, he’s keeping a secret that could ruin
everything.
White Pine Award nominee
ALA Quick Picks
Rainbow List
World Rights Available
(ex – North America)
224 pages · ages 12+
“Those who, like Danny, feel like ‘an island of gayness in an ocean of straightness,’ should identify
with his search for a path of his own.” —Publishers Weekly
“The [novel’s] realism adds to its considerable emotional impact.” —Quill & Quire
Transatlantic Agency
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2 Bloor St. E., Suite 3500, Toronto, ON, m4w 1a8, Canada
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[email protected] • www.transatlanticagency.com
young adult 33
Baygirl
Heather Smith
It’s always “beer o’clock” at Kit’s house.
G
World Rights Available
(ex – North America)
288 pages · ages 12+
rowing up in a picturesque Newfoundland fishing village should be idyllic for sixteenyear-old Kit Ryan, but living with an alcoholic father makes Kit’s day-to-day life unpredictable and almost intolerable. When the 1992 cod moratorium suspending the cod fishery
forces her father out of a job, the tension between Kit and her father grows. Forced to leave
their rural community, the family moves to the city, where they live with Uncle Iggy,
a widower with problems of his own. Immediately pegged as a “baygirl,” Kit struggles to fit
in, but longstanding trust issues threaten to hold her back when a boy named Elliot expresses
an interest in her.
Originally from Newfoundland, Heather Smith now lives in Waterloo, Ontario, with her
husband and three children. Her Newfoundland roots inspire much of her writing. For more
information, visit www.heathertsmith.com.
White Pine Award nominee
Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Books of the Year
“Refreshingly, Smith chooses not to cast Phonse as an abusive alcoholic, but accurately
portrays the mood swings, unpredictability, and misunderstandings of the disease…Kit is a
likable, sympathetic heroine who is often funny in a goofy, endearing way. The supporting
characters are equally strong…while the language convincingly evokes the novel’s East
Coast setting…With sprightly dialogue, relatable characters, and a story that delves into
serious subject matter without becoming morose, Baygirl is a balanced, well-written debut.”
—Quill & Quire, starred review
“This first-person tale gently illustrates change, both good and bad” —Kirkus Reviews
“Baygirl is, very much, a bildungsroman, a coming-of-age story that will captivate the attention of
today’s young adults…This well-crafted novel deals with the maturation and growing awareness
of self and others…Part of the charm and allure of this novel is its skilful depiction and stitching
together of social and personal challenges in believable ways. And this makes it ideal for book clubs
and literature discussion groups inside and outside of schools…A remarkable first novel that I
vigorously recommend for students in Grade nine and up.” —CM Magazine
“[A] gritty, realistic, coming-of-age story…[Kit] is such a likable character. She is strong-willed,
sharp-tongued, and possesses one heck of a sense of humour…The details of the family’s hardships
are not sugar-coated by any means; yet, all is not bleak. Hope exists for Kit, and it comes at the
hands of forgiveness.” —The Fun Librarian blog
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34 young adult
Who I’m Not
Ted Staunton
Danny has more lives than the proverbial cat.
D
World Rights Available
(ex – North America)
208 pages · ages 12+
Rights Sold:
German—Arena
anny has survived everything life has thrown at him: being abandoned at birth, multiple
abusive foster homes, life as a con man in training. But when his latest “protector” dies
suddenly, Danny has to think fast or he’ll be back in foster care again. He decides to assume
the identity of a boy who disappeared three years before. If nothing else, he figures it will
buy him a little time. Much to his astonishment, his new “family” accepts him as their
own—despite the fact that he looks nothing like their missing relative. But one old cop
has his suspicions about Danny—and he’s not about to declare the case closed. Inspired by a
true story, Who I’m Not is a powerful portrait of a boy whose identity is as fluid as a river and
as changeable as a chameleon’s skin.
John Spray Mystery Award winner
Arthur Ellis Award nominee
Stellar Award nominee
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books selection
“Takes off like a rocket and continue its upward trajectory right to the very last page…Danny
himself is fantastically constructed, his typical teen bravado complicated by trauma and deep-seated
fears…Given its cinematic quality, dead-on dialogue, and rollicking pace, Who I’m Not is a perfect
choice for reluctant readers. This book is a knockout.” —Quill & Quire, starred review
“Staunton’s latest page-turner moves fast. Readers aren’t sure whether or not they can trust the
main character, and that makes the journey all the more exhilarating…The provocative, well-drawn
characters run the gamut, from Danny’s kindly caregiver, Shan, to his violent, drug-addicted brother.
Staunton stealthily inserts clues as to the whereabouts of the real Danny, but his keen plotting skills
will keep readers guessing until the very end. Breathless, fast-paced fun.” —Kirkus Reviews
“This quick read pulls the reader in almost immediately. The main character’s backstory is minimal,
yet the reader cannot help but be intrigued by his attempt to be Danny…This should be an easy
booktalk and will appeal to reluctant readers.” —VOYA
“Although the story is written with Danny’s voice, the other characters are well-drawn, and their
motivations are obvious. This book makes the reader question everything…There are questions
that are not answered in the text but are worth puzzling about afterwards. Recommended.”
—CM Magazine
“[Staunton] brings an engaging solidity to the currently popular impostor plot, and fake Danny
is an intriguing character—a genuinely talented, compulsive grifter who’s great at understanding
everybody’s behavior but his own, and who’s more of a lost soul than he realizes. His relationship
with Gillian is realistically low key even as it’s pivotal…[and] the underlying family drama is sadly
plausible…A speedy, satisfying suspense tale.”—The Bulletin of The Center for Children’s Books
“Staunton gives us a tightly woven, suspenseful story that will grip readers and keep them turning the
pages. At the same time, the ineffable sadness of the narrator’s situation adds a poignant undertone and
depth to the story. Readers may figure out the real Danny’s fate before the narrator does, but there are
many more developments before the last page.” —National Reading Campaign blog
Transatlantic Agency
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2 Bloor St. E., Suite 3500, Toronto, ON, m4w 1a8, Canada
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Young Adult 35
The World Without Us
Robin Stevenson
Sometimes letting go seems easier than holding on.
W
World Rights Available
(ex – North America)
240 pages · ages 12+
Rights Sold:
German—Beltz & Gelberg
hat do you do when someone you care about wants you to follow him to a really dark
place? Do you pull away? Do you help plan the trip? Or do you put your own life on
the line in the hope that love will coax your friend away from the precipice? When Mel meets
Jeremy, she thinks she has finally found someone who understands her, someone who will
listen to her, someone who cares. But Jeremy has secrets that torment him, and Mel isn’t sure
she can save him from his demons. All she knows is that she has to save herself.
Set in Florida, against a backdrop of anti-death-penalty activism, The World Without Us
examines one girl’s choices in a world where the stakes are very high and one misstep can
hurt—or even kill—you.
Robin Stevenson is the author of seventeen novels for teens and children. Her young adult
novels include Hummingbird Heart, Escape Velocity, Inferno, Out of Order and Governor General’s
Award finalist A Thousand Shades of Blue. Robin was born in England, grew up mostly in
Ontario and now lives on the west coast of Canada, with her partner and son. She enjoys
visiting schools and offers creative-writing classes for people of all ages. For more information,
visit www.robinstevenson.com.
“Mel’s first-person narration plunges readers into the action before flashing back to explore the
excruciating pain that leads Jeremy to contemplate suicide…[Readers] will find the ways each teen
views and handles death to be compellingly presented.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Stevenson explores the complex psychology of suicide and survivor's guilt through the lives of
these realistic teens.There are no easy answers here,no miraculous recoveries.But there is hope…
Deals sensitively with a tough issue.” —Booklist
“Because the story does not conform to clear cut relationships or dimensions, the plot is
believable…The World Without Us is a great read and focuses on a topic that deserves attention.”
—CM Magazine
“Complete with solidly drawn characters, moving dialogue, and a realistic, not-so-tidy ending,
The World Without Us is an intense, astute exploration of love, death, self-discovery,
heartbreak, and hope that will serve as a catalyst for earnest dialogue not only about mental
health, but also the strength of the human spirit and how we define the meaning of life.”
—National Reading Campaign blog
“The World Without Us delves into issues with which young people might be dealing: grief and
guilt, suicidal thoughts, friendship and love…Stevenson reminds us in her eloquent text that the
fictional can become reality in a split second and with just a slip of time or even a misstep.”
—CanLit for Little Canadians blog
36 young adult
Escape Velocity
Robin Stevenson
ou’s dad has been addicted to painkillers since an accident left him unable to work. He’s a
L
good, loving dad, but kind of useless. Lou’s mother, Zoe, a successful novelist, abandoned
Lou at birth and showed no interest in her until three years ago, when Lou was twelve. Their
relationship since then has been strained, but when Lou’s dad has a stroke, there is nowhere else
for her to go while he recovers. Lou struggles to find her bearings and figure out why her mom
left her all those years ago. She is convinced the answers are in Zoe’s fiction, but when Lou’s
grandmother, Heather, appears at a reading, Lou realizes she may have misjudged her mother.
Resource Links the Year’s Best selection
World Rights Available
(ex – North America)
240 pages ∙ ages 12+
“Lou’s pain and alienation is palpable, and her desire to both protect and escape her father is
understandable. This is a multilayered, emotionally draining—yet hopeful—novel that will allow
many teens to recognize their own ambivalence towards their parents, as well as the need to
escape velocity—the speed an object requires to break free from a gravitational pull in their lives.”
—Booklist
“A nuanced story that is both familiar and inspiring…Escape Velocity is a subtle meditation on both
the ties that bind and that difficulties that divide.” —Quill & Quire, starred review
Hummingbird Heart
Robin Stevenson
ixteen-year-old Dylan has never met her father. She knows that her parents were just
teenagers themselves when she was born, but her mother doesn’t like to talk about the
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past, and her father, Mark, has never responded to Dylan’s attempts to contact him. As far
as Dylan is concerned, her family is made up of her mother, Amanda; her recently adopted
younger sister, Karma; and maybe even her best friend, Toni.
And then, out of the blue, a phone call: Mark will be in town for a few days and he wants
to meet her. Amanda is clearly upset, but Dylan can’t help being excited at the possibility
of finally getting to know her father. But when she finds out why he has come—and what
he wants from her—the answers fill her with still more questions. What makes someone
family? And why has her mother been lying to her all these years?
World Rights Available
(ex – North America)
280 pages · ages 12+
Junior Library Guild selection
Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Books of the Year
“Like many teens, Dylan has found emotional safety in keeping distant from others, judging before
she can be judged. As Dylan comes out of her shell, she realizes her own power and responsibility
in setting the terms of her relationships…Teens who were intrigued with the family drama in
Sara Zarr’s How to Save a Life (2011) or Jodi Picoult’s My Sister’s Keeper (2004) will find similarly
thought-provoking issues here.” —Booklist
“A well-written exploration of complex family relationships.” —CM Magazine
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Amy Tompkins
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young adult 37
Out of Order
Robin Stevenson
ifteen-year-old Sophie sees her move to Victoria as a chance to start over and leave her
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old self behind. She is soon drawn into the orbit of the charismatic but troubled Zelia.
As their friendship develops and Zelia’s behavior becomes increasingly self-destructive,
Sophie struggles to maintain both the friendship and her own sense of self. Then Sophie
meets Max. At first, Max seems to be Zelia’s opposite: direct, straightforward and sure
of herself. But this new friendship brings its own unexpected challenges and confusion,
and Sophie slowly starts to realize that friendships are a place in which one can both lose and
discover oneself.
World Rights Available
(ex – North America)
224 pages ∙ ages 12+
OLA Best Bets selection
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books starred selection
“The novel takes an honest, gentle, non-judgmental look at the making of ‘mean girls’ and the
devastating impact their bullying has on Sophie.” —Jeunesse
“This novel is impossible to put down. Highly Recommended.” —CM Magazine
“What sets this debut [novel] apart is the strong first-person narration and the full, rich
development of even minor characters.” —Booklist
Inferno
Robin Stevenson
D
ante 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
BC Book Prize–Sheila A. Egoff Children’s Literature Prize nominee
Resource Links the Year’s Best selection
World Rights Available
(ex – North America)
240 pages ∙ ages 12+
“Stevenson creates a compelling portrait of autonomy vs. conformity…Dante’s sexuality is
refreshingly not a problem, just a fact of life. Readers will recognize themselves and many of
their peers in Stevenson’s complex, likeable characters.” —Booklist
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38 young adult
A Thousand Shades of Blue
Robin Stevenson
The water's fine, but Rachel is in way over her head.
sailing trip to the Caribbean might sound great, but sixteen-year-old Rachel can’t stand
A
being trapped on a small boat with her family. She misses her best friend and feels guilty
about leaving her older sister Emma, who lives in a group home. Her father is driving her
World Rights Available
(ex – North America)
240 pages ∙ ages 12+
crazy with his schedules and rules, her brother is miserable, and there is never anyone
her own age around. Worst of all, there is nowhere to go when her parents fight. While
their boat is being repaired, the family spends a few weeks in a small Bahamian community, where Rachel and Tim discover a secret which turns their world upside down and
threatens to destroy the fragile ties that hold their family together.
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books selection
Resource Links the Year’s Best selection
BC Book Prize—Sheila A. Egoff Children’s Literature Prize nominee
Governor General’s Literary Award nominee
“Readers looking for a family drama with adroit characterization, serious issues, and a little
risky romance on the side should sign up for this voyage.”
—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“Using the small boat as a setting highlights the cramped, suffocating feeling many young people
have when spending a lot of time with parents and siblings. The book has no easy answers…
giving the novel a refreshing realism.” —School Library Journal
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young adult 39
Blank
Trina St. Jean
“It’s all fun and games until someone loses an I.”
hen Jessica wakes up from a coma, she has no memories of her life before the accident
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at her family’s bison ranch. As she struggles to reconnect with her family and friends,
she experiences all the signs of traumatic brain injury—confusion, sadness, fear and rage.
Returning to school is a nightmare—especially when she overhears someone say he thinks
she is faking her amnesia. When a new friend presents an alternative to staying in her old life,
Jessica must confront the reality of what it means to leave her past behind.
World Rights Available
(ex – North America)
312 pages · ages 12+
Trina St. Jean grew up in northern Alberta but later moved to pursue degrees in psychology
and education. She also has an mfa in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont
College. She now lives in Calgary, Alberta, where she teaches esl and evades grizzlies in the
nearby Rockies with her husband and two daughters. Blank is Trina’s first novel. For more
information, visit www.trinastjean.com.
“Boldly opens up discussions about TBI and its effects on the victim and everyone in her world.
The struggles portrayed within the story are compassionately but realistically addressed, and
while Jessica's case is rare…this character beautifully illustrates the thorough distress a person
must feel when parts of her life are missing.” —Booklist
“Debut author St. Jean delicately and thoroughly explores the internal life of a character
suffering from amnesia, detailing Jessica's feelings of separation from herself and the weight of
others' expectations through an introspective first-person narrative. The mystery surrounding
Jessica's accident and a growing fear for what she will discover will keep readers invested in her
story.” —Publishers Weekly
“[The novel's] convincing plot, engaging first-person narrative, and well-defined characters
succeed in dramatizing one young woman's struggle with unfathomable loss and change without
relying on clichés. Blank sends the reader on a powerful, age-appropriate odyssey of selfdiscovery about what it means to belong, the resiliency of the human spirit, and the unshakable
bonds of family.” —Quill & Quire
“St. Jean skillfully navigates a tricky ending that satisfies the reader without providing easy
answers or clichéd wrap-ups. In the end, Blank does a nice job of teaching some lessons that
apply to all of us, not just those who have suffered a brain injury. It reminds us about the power
each of us has to form and re-form our identity and to move forward with the support of those
who love us.” —CM Magazine
“St. Jean does a great job of putting the reader into Jessie's situation. We feel her fear, her
anger, at the loss of self. She criticizes The Girl she used to be as too naïve, too sweet, and her
new self as too thoughtless and insensitive. When we finally learn along with Jessie that she was
injured in an attempt to be more daring, we see how the two lives are interconnected, and how
her two selves may find a way to coexist. There is no fairy tale ending, but there is hope for a
new beginning.” —Resource Links
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Amy Tompkins
2 Bloor St. E., Suite 3500, Toronto, ON, m4w 1a8, Canada
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[email protected] • www.transatlanticagency.com
40 young adult
Whisper
Chris Struyk-Bonn
You will never go far in this world
if you don’t know how to rescue yourself.
S
World Rights Available
(ex – North America)
352 pages · ages 12+
ixteen-year-old Whisper, who has a cleft palate, lives in an encampment with three other
young rejects and their caregiver, Nathanael. They are outcasts from a society (in the
not-too-distant future) that kills or abandons anyone with a physical or mental disability.
Whisper’s mother visits once a year. When she dies, she leaves Whisper a violin, which
Nathanael teaches her to play. Whisper’s father comes to claim her, and she becomes his
house slave, her disfigurement hidden by a black veil. But when she proves rebellious, she is
taken to the city to live with other rejects at a house called Purgatory Palace, where she has
to make difficult decisions for herself and for her vulnerable friends.
Chris Struyk-Bonn has detassled corn, worked in a small motor-parts factory, framed
pictures, served in various and sundry restaurants and labored in an egg factory. She is
currently a high school English teacher in Portland, Oregon, and has at last found a job
she thoroughly enjoys. Whisper is her first book. For more information, visit www.
chrisstruykbonn.com.
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books starred selection
Oregon Spirit Book Award nominee
Leslie Bradshaw Award for Young Adult Literature nominee
Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Books of the Year
“The characters are well-rounded and not defined solely by their deformities or problems. This
poignant meditation on the meaning of family raises fascinating questions about community and
accountability.” —Booklist online
“A darkly hopeful take on the universal themes of family and identity…The author’s vivid
characterizations give this common trope urgency and nuance, and Whisper’s answer resonates
with hard-won conviction. A thoughtful dystopian drama.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Raises some fascinating moral and geopolitical issues for class discussion…Whisper will enthrall,
horrify, and anger young readers, but it should also give them a sense that they can create their own
destinies.” —School Library Journal
“A complex novel…Whisper’s trajectory from forest to village to city is intense and often anguishing;
readers will likely be so sympathetic to the protagonist that they will be more than willing to
endure her painful life lessons right along with her…Offer this to character-driven dystopia fans
who will likely relish this glimpse into a multi-layered society that is as well-developed and plausible
as it is troubling.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
Transatlantic Agency
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Currents 41
Leftovers
Heather Waldorf
One picture is worth a thousand tears.
ifteen-year-old Sarah Greene’s father—chef by day, camera buff by night—choked to
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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
World Rights Available
(ex – North America)
208 pages ∙ ages 12+
to find boyfriends and part-time jobs and dresses for the prom, Sarah is on a search-anddestroy mission: to find the shoebox 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.
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books selection
Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Books of the Year
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Choices list
“A frank novel that asks the reader to come to grips with the central character’s feelings of
shame and guilt—the ‘leftovers’ of abuse that give the book its title.” —Quill & Quire
“The characters are well fleshed out…The conclusion is cathartic and realistic, featuring layers
of themes and character development that will hold reader’s interests to the end.” —VOYA
“A fluid, wonderful story of how you can learn to deal with your past and the power of
unconditional love and acceptance…A great read for any teen.” —What If? Magazine
“Waldorf does an excellent job of not allowing Sarah to become a one-dimensional victim;
instead, Sarah's response to her abuse forms only one facet of her character…Deals with
a challenging topic with tasteful humour and interesting characters that will appeal to older
teenage readers. Highly recommended.” —Resource Links
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Amy Tompkins
2 Bloor St. E., Suite 3500, Toronto, ON, m4w 1a8, Canada
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42 young adult
Whatever Doesn’t Kill You
Elizabeth Wennick
Does the truth always set you free?
enna Cooper was only a few days old when her father was murdered and her family was
J
shattered. Now fifteen, she daydreams of a picture-perfect sitcom family as she struggles
with the gritty realities of her life. When Jenna finds out that Travis Bingham, the man who
shot her father, has been released from prison, she becomes obsessed with tracking him
down and confronting him. But her search reveals that there may be more to her father’s
murder than she has been led to believe—and will her relationships with her family and
friends survive her obsession?
World Rights Available
(ex – North America)
208 pages · ages 12+
Elizabeth Wennick grew up in Germany and Burlington, Ontario, and spent a number of
years on Canada’s east coast before moving back to Ontario. She has written two novels,
a weekly newspaper humor column and many short plays, and she has co-written two musicals. Elizabeth currently lives in Brantford, Ontario, with her husband, two sons, two cats,
a dog and varying degrees of chaos.
John Spray Mystery Award finalist
Manitoba Young Reader’s Choice Award nominee
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books selection
Resource Links the Year’s Best selection
“This brief, taut novel is thick with Jenna’s legitimate angst and understandable longing for
answers…A believable portrait of a family destroyed, destroyed again, and finally rebuilt.”
—Booklist
“[The author] keeps the tension tight as secrets from the past come to light and Jenna discovers
that things are not as they seem. Wennick writes with a knowing honesty about her characters
and the inner-city setting, delivering a sympathetic narrator and suitably edgy dialogue…Whatever
Doesn’t Kill You works well as a contemporary, urban YA novel.” —Quill & Quire
“Wennick keeps her prose flowing nicely, and her characters come across as real people with
strengths and flaws. Jenna’s confusion and her determination to sort out her understanding of
both herself and her history come through clearly and sympathetically. A solid, affecting comingof-age tale.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Readers will be hooked from the first sentence and kept on the line by the quick-paced plot and
easy-to-follow language…Intriguing enough to hold the interest of even the most reluctant readers…
it is an overall good selection for those looking for a quick, heartening read.” —School Library Journal
“Whatever Doesn’t Kill You is best described as haunting. The ghosts that are around, though, are
the virtual ones of guilt, fear, and the unknown…Wennick never goes for the easy route of tying
up all storylines and going for the happily-ever-after. She keeps things real.” —CanLit for Little
Canadians blog
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Amy Tompkins
2 Bloor St. E., Suite 3500, Toronto, ON, m4w 1a8, Canada
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young adult 43
The Desert Legend Trilogy
John Wilson
his trilogy follows a young man’s search for his identity through the wilds of the Arizona
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Territory and northern Mexico during the 1870s. In Written in Blood, young Jim Doolen
attempts to find some trace of the father who abandoned his family ten years earlier. As he
travels through a scorched landscape very different from the lush West Coast forests of his
home, Jim crosses paths with an assortment of intriguing characters, including an Apache
warrior, a cave-dwelling mystic, an old Mexican revolutionary and a mysterious cowboy.
In Ghost Moon, after he discovers the terrible truth about his father, young Jim is not yet
ready to return to Canada. Instead he heads up to New Mexico in hopes of finding work and
building a life. On the way he meets Bill Bonney (later to be known as Billy the Kid), who
takes him to a ranch south of the town of Lincoln, where they both find work as cowboys.
By Victorio’s War, Jim has become a scout for the Army in the middle of a brutal war to
force Victorio’s Apaches onto a reservation far from their traditional lands. Deeply troubled by
the violence he’s witnessed and been a part of, and having lost so many friends, both white and
Indian, Jim feels trapped between the two worlds he’s encountered over the past three years.
John Wilson is the author of over twenty books for juveniles, teens and adults. His selfdescribed “addiction to history” has resulted in many award-winning novels that bring the
past alive for young readers. Wilson spends significant portions of the year traveling across
the country speaking in schools, leaving his audiences excited about our past.
TriState YA Review Group Book of Note
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books selection
Stellar Book Award nominee
“Told in a terse, present-tense narrative, James’ adventures will thrill all fans of traditional pulp-style
oaters.” —Booklist
“Chapters are short and action filled, Jim is a likable character and reluctant readers will find this to
be a fast-paced, easy-to-swallow tale of the Old West.” —Kirkus Reviews
“[This] coming-of-age tale is filled with history, including an eyewitness account about what really
happened at the Alamo, which is again referenced in the climax. Wilson, an award-winning Canadian
author, captures the dichotomy building in Jim as he seeks his place in a world rife with violence and
treachery.” —VOYA
“This third volume of John Wilson’s Desert Legends trilogy is every bit as well done as the first two…
Wilson’s seeming asides and occasional real historical references merely entice the reader to look
further and more closely at what is presented before him…[A] well-paced tale.” —Resource Links
“Wilson is a self-confessed history addict, and his enthusiasm for creating believable stories about
the past, as well as his attention to detail, has been obvious throughout the series. Victorio’s War
seems more realistic and authentic than many other novels about this time period, and it keeps the
setting lively and entertaining for the (mostly) boys who will fall in love with the idea of a teenager
on a momentous adventure.” —CM Magazine
World Rights Available (ex – North America)
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44 young adult
Feral
Hello, Groin
Bev Cooke
Beth Goobie
208 pages ages 12+
A street kid and a small cat
experience fear, hunger and
pain in a dangerous subterranean world.
276 pages · ages 12+
Dylan discovers that
friendship can get in the
way of love.
Res Judica
Torn Away
The Dream Where
the Losers Go
Beth Goobie
256 pages · ages 14+
Skey dreams of a dark
tunnel, a place where she is
safe and alone.
The Hippie House
Vicki Grant
James Heneghan
Katherine Holubitsky
184 pages ∙ ages 12+
CSI meets Freaks and Geeks.
256 pages ∙ ages 12+
Exiled from Ireland as a terrorist,
Declan is sent to live with family
in Canada. All he wants, though,
is to return to the fight.
192 pages ∙ ages 12+
When a local girl is found
murdered, the freedom and
innocence of “the summer of
love” are forgotten.
Rights Sold:
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Korean—Mirae Media
Rights Sold: German—Dtv Junior
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Lithuanian—Gimtasis Zodis
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young adult 45
The Burning Time
The Whirlwind
Carol Matas
War of the Eagles
Carol Matas
112 pages ∙ ages 12+
Everyone is a suspect and
justice has gone up in flames.
Eric Walters
144 pages ∙ ages 12+
Ben flees Nazi Germany only
to find himself in a battle for
his life and his soul.
Caged Eagles
Eric Walters
256 pages ∙ ages 12+
Racism and injustice
toward Japanese Canadians
imbue this sequel to
War of the Eagles.
224 pages ∙ ages 12+
The journey into adulthood
for a young Tsimshian boy.
Death on the River
John Wilson
208 pages ∙ ages 12+
A young soldier struggles to
survive prison camp in the
last year of the Civil War.
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