Raffi's New Friend
Although the new girl at Raffi's school is small and fragile looking, he notices that she is quick on her feet. She ducks out of the way of classmates that try to grab her head scarf. It might look like a game, but Raffi sees the tears in her eyes. Raffi knows all about being different. He suffers from sickle cell anemia, which makes it hard for hi …
Lilly's Special Gift
Lilly would like to buy her friend Minna a very special birthday present from a jewellery store. It's price is $1000! When Lilly and her mother go to the farmers' market they see a similar bracelet at an affordable price and Lilly gives it to Minna at her birthday party. Their friend Theresa then starts a rumour that Lilly stole the expensive brac …
Corner Kick
Michael Strike is captain of both the school soccer and chess teams. He's got his eye on fellow soccer player and overachiever Miriah, the founder of the youth organization War Orphans of the World. Miriah is quick to befriend a new student, Zahir Jamiat, who has recently moved from the Middle East, but Michael sees the newcomer as a rival. When M …
Lilly in the Middle
Lilly and her friends have a substitute teacher named Mr. Wulf who takes them on an overnight field trip. Lilly jokes that he looks like a werewolf, and is surprised when her friends take her seriously.
On the bus, her best friend Minna won't sit with her. When they have to go on a moonlit walk, no one wants to go because they're afraid of their t …
Playing Favourites
Gavin and his friends Mido and Critter are starting high school this year, which means moving from a school with a championship-winning soccer team to a school that doesn't have a team at all. With a little encouragement from his friends and granddad, a former "footballer" from England, Gavin musters up his courage and makes a deal with the school …
Final Takedown
For as long as they've been friends, Elias has been relying on his buddy Jordan. It's Jordan's mom who takes him in when his own mother is on an alcoholic binge; it's Jordan who acts as the brother and role model that Elias doesn't have. But now they've gone too far, and a schoolyard fight has landed them both in jail. The judge gives them a warni …
Lilly Makes a Friend
Lilly keeps getting into trouble at school whenever Davy, a boy from the kindergarten class, asks her for help. It's a new challenge for Lilly. He is blind and a lot smaller than her and her friends. His dream is to play soccer with the bigger boys and he wants to shoot a goal with Lilly as goalie. Lilly tries to distract him by teaching him to yo …
Spiked
Eighth-grader Emma is the tallest person in her class. While she used to be into sports in a big way, now that she's hanging out with her new best friend, other things have become more important -- like clothes and makeup and fitting in. When Emma gets roped into volunteering for the girls' volleyball team, she feels the urge to play again. First, …
Last Chance
The odds are stacked against Melanie and Trent, who are trying to stay in high school while holding down part-time jobs to survive. They can't live at home, and they can't rely on the social support system. They're going to have to help each other through if they're going to make it.
Previously published as Falling Through the Cracks, a Canadian Chi …
Ceiling Stars
Christine and Danelle have been best friends forever, a relationship as seemingly infinite as the glow-in-the-dark stars they have affixed to their bedroom ceilings. Lately, though, the girls have been drifting apart, as Danelle's quirky moods turn into wild and reckless acts. At first Christine wonders if her friend is on drugs, but what kind of d …
Icebreaker
Gregg Stokes can tell you exactly when his life took a turn for the worse. It was the day his new stepsister, Amy, joined the starting line-up of his hockey team, and everyone immediately felt the deep chill between them. Can they thaw their icy relationship for the sake of the team
and their new family? [Fry Reading Level - 3.4
Ugly Kicks
Ashley Rivera's single mom can't afford to buy her new basketball shoes -- she does't even have enough for the registration fee when Ashley makes the city basketball team. So Ashley takes on extra work to make the money she needs to play basketball. Soon Ashley's overloaded schedule makes her too tired for school and her friends, and she can't take …
Super Move, Morgan!
Morgan has to spend all of one Saturday with Aldeen Hummel, the Godzilla of Grade Three, so they can make a log cabin for their project. Morgan is upset because he is sure she has taken his Commander Crunch action figure and hidden it from him. Once he sneaks into her room to get it, then he has to deal with the reality that he has taken something …
Toby's Best Friend
Toby is tired of being told everything is for his own good. When his parents get him the dog he's always wanted, they won't let the dog sleep in his room --- for the dog's own good! The next morning, Toby and his friends make a snow fort and a tunnel and a special place for the puppy. When they are back in their houses, the plows come by, eating up …
Lilly Traps the Bullies
Lilly and Theresa run into bullies at the pool, Spider and Bugsy, who tease Theresa but take an interest in Lilly. Lilly faces tough decisions about being a good friend versus trying to fit in. Brenda Bellinghams story emphasizes the importance of problem-solving and teamwork in standing up to bullying.
Hustle
Fourteen-year-old Johnny Huttle -- nicknamed "Hustle" by his best friend, Rex -- comes from an inner-city neighbourhood, where the streets are tough and the street ball games are rougher. More than anything, Johnny wants to shine as the school's star basketball player. But the one thing standing in his way is his best friend, Rex, who outshines Joh …
Think Again, Robyn
Robyn befriends her unpopular classmate Shelly, even though they have very different interests -- Shelly likes dolls! But when Shelly's dad wins tickets to the big hockey game, Shelly suddenly becomes the most popular girl in school. What will their classmates think of Shelly doesn't actually get to attend the game? Will Robyn lie to protect her fr …
Pucker Up, Morgan
Morgan is delighted to have the lead role in The Frog Prince even if he has to kiss Aldeen, the Godzilla of Grade Three, to turn into a prince. They both agree smooching is gross. Despite Aldeen's threats and Morgan's overreacting they manage to create an unexpected twist to the play. Morgan discovers that teamwork makes a better performance.
Campfire Morgan
Morgan's not a great camper. But that's not going to stop him from bragging to his friends about his family's upcoming camping trip. Unfortunately, Aldeen Hummel thinks camping sounds great, and she tricks Morgan and his family into taking her along. Morgan tries to scare Aldeen around the campfire, but Aldeen isn't the only one who is scared.
Captain Lilly and the New Girl
Lilly is excited about playing with the community league girls' soccer team. When the new girl, Sara, joins the team, there is controversy over her headscarf caused by their competing team's coach. The Wolves band together and insist that if Sara can't play with her hijab, they will not play at all. Brenda Bellingham offers a deft but convincing re …
Little's Losers
The Brunswick Valley School soccer team are not just bad -- they're terrible. They haven't won a game all season and they bicker endlessly amongst themselves. They're such a disaster that their coach resigns in disgust. When, by an administrative anomaly, they qualify for the season playoffs, the only person they can find to act as coach is their f …
Killer Drop
Marcus has it all: charm, good looks, successful parents, endless opportunities and anything money can buy. Along with his best friend, Tom, and Tom's crush, Yasmin, he escapes to his parents' resort condo during a school trip to Whistler, B.C. And he can't refuse when drinking makes Yasmin determined to hook up with him instead of Tom. The three d …
Ice Time
Paul Bidwell dreams of playing on a hockey team but knows that his mother can't afford to pay for the registration fees or the equipment. So he plays boot hockey with his friends and practises alone every night on the open-ice rink in the park. When the flu and mononucleosis hit Paul's school and his best friend, Vincent, is laid up with a concussi …
Cross-Check!
Lorna Schultz Nicholson's popular characters Josh, Peter, and Sam are thrilled to be reunited at a hockey tournament in Kelowna, but a lot has changed. Sam now lives in Ottawa, Josh is dealing with his diabetes, Peter is becoming a major star, and all three boys play on different teams. Can they remain friends as they all compete to be in the gold …
Foul Play
Remy and Alison play on rival soccer teams. Remy hasn't trusted Alison ever since her former friend attended an elite soccer camp in England last summer. When Remy finds out Alison has a special plan to beat Remy's team in the tournament, she becomes convinced that Alison will sabotage her team's players.
Foul Play is an entertaining story of misg …
Morgan Makes a Splash
When Morgan starts swimming lessons, he has lots of problems to deal with. There is the towel flicking and the slimy floor in the change room. There's the jiggles in his tummy he needs to cover up with his t-shirt and the scary possibility that his suit will drop to his knees when he jumps in. Worst of all, Aldeen Hummell, the Godzilla of Grade Th …
Toby and the Mysterious Creature
Today is the big day in Toby's class. The team that presents the best project about an original object will win tickets to the Circus of the Stars. So far, the class has come up with presentations about ukuleles, a collection of stamps, a turban and a ferret. Toby is sure that he and Marianne have a great chance of winning. Their project on eclipse …
Morgan and the Dune Racer
It's Morgan's birthday and all he wants is Charlie's Thunderbolt Dune Racer. Aldeen snags it first from a yard sale, and Morgan gets mad. Really mad. Morgan's birthday brings him a surprise gift, and a lesson in friendship.
Morgan and the Dune Racer, with its humourous tone and lively portrayals of Morgan and his buddies, will encourage young reader …
Out of Sight
Goalkeepers don't wear glasses...
Lately, the star goalkeeper on Linh-Mai's soccer team has been acting a little strange -- missing easy saves, passing to the wrong teammates, not noticing Linh-Mai's new glasses... Linh-Mai thinks the goalkeeper needs glasses of his own, but the problem may turn out to be more serious.
Shortlisted for the Hackmatack …
Bernadette to the Rescue
Bernadette Inez O’Brian Schwartz is back with her friends Annie, Keisha, and Megan, aka The Lunch Bunch. In this third adventure, Bernadette finally gets the puppy she has been dreaming of for so long. She asks her Lunch Bunch friends to help out at her street's garage sale to raise money to save the animals of the rainforest. When school ends, t …
Home Free
My name is Lee Mets (honest), and this is my book I’m part of the writing club, which is fantastic, since what I want to be most is a writer. My mother says that girls don’t grow up to be writers, they can only be nurses or teachers. But it’s the 1960s, not the 50s or 40s, and I think she may be wrong. Mrs. Gowdy, who is my writing teacher, s …
This One Summer
Winner of the Governor General's Award for Children's Illustration
Rose and Windy are summer friends whose families have visited Awago Beach for as long as they can remember. But this year is different, and they soon find themselves tangled in teen love and family crisis. From the creators of Skim comes an investigation into the mysterious world of …
The Throne
Meredith is determined to make her mark as she starts Grade 10—and claiming the "cool" seat in home room is her first step. But that decision brings her unwanted attention from the school's "kingpin of the underworld" and her new enemy is smart, determined and capable of holding a long-term grudge. Should she just back away? But how will she look …
Sewer Rats
Jim, Mickey and Lisa belong to a secret club called the Sewer Rats. Every Saturday the Sewer Rats reign supreme in paintball wars held in the city's storm drain system. The new kid, Carter, wants to join, but Lisa doesn't want him in the club. When Carter is hurt in his first paintball war, Jim and Mickey suspect that Lisa planned the accident. The …
Oddrey
From Blue Spruce Award–winning author-illustrator Dave Whamond comes the story of Oddrey, a young girl who is a little bit different from everybody else. Every aspect of Oddrey’s world is a study in playful curiosity. Her adventures and flights of fancy, however, are often a source of some teasing at the hands of her classmates. Her technicolor …
Looking for X
Winner of the Governor General's Literary Award
In this urban adventure story, Khyber, a smart, bold, eleven-year-old girl from a poor neighborhood, sets out to find her friend X, a mysterious homeless woman who has gone missing.
The desperate search takes Khyber on a long, all-night odyssey that proves to be wilder than any adventure she has ever im …
Pit Pony
If Willie could have his dream, he would go to Sable Island and ride free over the sand dunes on the back of a wild horse. Instead, 11-year-old Willie must work in the coal mines of Cape Breton, hardly ever seeing the light of day. But with the help of Gem, the gentle pit pony, he discovers that things aren't always as bad as they seem. And a surpr …
Elliot's Fire Truck
Elliot Moose is on the loose once more. As he jumps aboard his bright red fire truck and takes off to the next rescue, he feels courageous. All his friends want to ride on the truck and be firefighters too. Nobody wants to be rescued. One by one, Elliot's friends climb aboard until there is no more room on the truck. When suddenly they all need a r …
Tag Along
It'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 trou …
Cut the Lights
Briar has a vision for the one-act play she's been chosen to direct at her performing arts high school. She's going to create a masterpiece. If only everyone involved in the production shared her vision. Her leading lady is gifted but troubled, her leading man has a crush on the leading lady, her stage manager doesn't have a clue, and her best frie …
Dunces Rock
The Dunces—Josh, Magnolia, Wang and Wilmot—are back, and this time they’re going up against a formidable foe: Principal Hale, who has canceled their school’s drama and music program just when Wilmot needs it most. He has a guitar (given to him by a teen named Headcase), but no teacher and nowhere to practice (his dad hates rock ’n’ roll …
Splat!
Keegan and Alex are the only kids in Leamington who haven't volunteered to help out with the town's annual tomato festival. In an attempt to teach them a sense of responsibility, their fathers put them in charge of the tomato toss. The boys decide it's their responsibility to add a little excitement to the event. They exchange the traditional woode …
See No Evil
When Shawn and Daniel witness a gang beating behind the local mall they flee the scene, terrified that they've been seen. They recognize one of the attackers as a locally infamous gang member. When they learn that the kid who was attacked is in critical condition, Shawn wants to go to the police, but Daniel convinces him that they are in more dange …
A Bee in Your Ear
Kate is determined to win her spelling club's spelling bee, but the competition is fierce. She can almost put up with Violet's relentless claims of superior spelling ability, but when Kate and Jake begin to fight with each other, Kate is miserable. She wants to win the contest, but she doesn't want to lose her best friend.
The Barrio Kings
Rosario Gomez gave up gang life after his brother was killed in a street fight.
Now all he wants to do is finish night school, be a good father and work hard enough at his job at the supermarket to get promoted. But when an old friend shows up to ask him why he left the gang, Rosario realizes he was fooling himself if he thought his violent past wou …
Inferno
Dante 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 g …
First Time
Haley and Lynn are best friends. When Lynn meets Chad, a player several years older, Haley feels left out. She tries to be happy for her friend, but when her mother's new boyfriend starts making unwanted advances, Haley finds she has no one to tell. Not wanting to upset her mother's happiness and finding that Lynn is drifting away, Haley has to fac …
Triple Threat
It's summertime and hoops season is over, but that doesn't keep Nick and Kia off the court.
One very hot day they head to the rec center for a swim but end up on the outdoor courts that are usually dominated by older players. Their enjoyment of the court is short-lived, however, when three teens show up and kick the kids and their ball off the court …
La revanche des Loups gris
Lors d'un tournoi à la ville de Québec, Tom Morgan joue un mauvais tour à son coéquipier Johnny Maverick. Celui-ci trouve alors normal de lui rendre la pareille, et le ton monte...
Pour le récompenser des buts incroyables qu'il a marqués, Johnny reèoit en cadeau un bâton de hockey signé de tous les joueurs des Canadiens de Montréal. Comme …
Molly's Promise
When Molly learns a talent competition is coming to town, her friend Murphy (A Different Game, Murphy and Mousetrap) becomes her manager. Molly is certain she is a good singer—she has been singing in her head for as long as she can remember. She doesn't sing out loud because of a promise she made to herself. Years ago, Molly vowed that her mom wo …