Life is full of challenges for thirteen-year-old Liza.
Liza is already having trouble coping with the death of a local homeless man when she learns that her family's apple tree will need to be chopped down. If that wasn't enough, the new principal at school keeps blocking her attempts for a positive outlet by refusing permission for every project that GRRR! (Girls for Renewable Resources, Really!) and BRRR! (Boys for Renewable Resources, Really!) proposes. Liza starts to feel like she needs to create change in her world without seeking permission. When she chooses the school grounds as the site for her latest endeavor, she may have gone too far.
This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read!
Sara Cassidy has worked as a professional clown, a youth-hostel manager, a tree planter in five Canadian provinces, and as a human-rights witness in Guatemala. Her poetry, fiction and articles have been widely published. Windfall is Sara’s second entry in the Orca Currents series. Her first Current, Slick, also features Liza and the girls of GRRR!
"A fast, entertaining read suitable for young teens...This charming book about teen activism lives up to the high expectations set by Sara Cassidy's first novel, Slick. Published as part of the Orca Currents series and written with reluctant readers in mind, Windfall is a fast-paced, fun and interesting novel. Highly Recommended."
"I was inspired by the projects that GRRR! and BRRR! take on within the novel and I found this novel a refreshing way to look at society as it is today. While the main characters are middle grade students, and the novel lends itself to that age group, I believe this novel will also interest high school students as well. I highly recommend it for any green thumbs out there, and anyone looking to make a difference. Four stars."