Child of Dandelions by Shenaaz Nanji
Summary: When Ugandan President Idi Admin has a dream that all British Indians should be expelled from the country in 90 days, a nightmare begins for Sabine and her family. With a grandfather who came over from India with his family, Sabine was born in Uganda, and considers herself a Ugandan citizen. Struggling to come to terms with the sudden hatred from friends and the country she loves, Sabina must find within herself the strength to face reality, help her family and grasp the courage to start over again. Number of Pages: 215 Age Range: 13-15 Review: In a powerful, historical tale of the...
Read MoreHow I Lost You by Janet Gurtler
Summary: Best friends Grace and Kya have a rule to live by: Buds before studs. But a rape at the age of thirteen has changed Kya, and she hides her pain in alcohol and sexual encounters. Grace’s empathy for Kya leads her to continually make allowances for her behaviour, until Kya’s actions begin interfering with Grace’s future plans. Used to doing everything she can to take care of Kya and safeguard her well-being, Grace is eventually faced with a choice between trying to protect Kya from herself and realising that Kya must start taking responsibility for her own decisions....
Read MoreCowboys Don’t Cry by Marilyn Halvorson
Summary: A terrible car accident leaves Shane without a mother from the age of nine, and in the hands of a father who drinks to forget. As bull rider and rodeo clown, Shane’s father has them following the rodeos across the Prairies in the United States and Canada, but when Shane’s grandfather dies and leaves him a piece of land in Alberta, Shane and his father finally have a place to put down roots. Untangling the feelings and pain of the past is going to take longer than the four years that have already passed; unfortunately no healing can begin until someone starts talking....
Read MoreGoodbye Buffalo Bay by Larry Loyie with Constance Brissenden
Summary: Attending a residential school in Buffalo Bay from ages nine to thirteen, Lawrence learns to make himself small and is ‘encouraged’ to forsake his Cree heritage. Fortunately not all of the adults in his life abuse their power, and one Sister helps foster in him a love of read, writing and learning. When he gets out of school at last, Lawrence is plunged into an adult world, taking whatever job opportunities come along. As he begins to see more of Canada and proves himself as a valuable worker, his desire to travel expands and he dreams of future opportunities and...
Read MoreThe Orphan King by Sigmund Brouwer
Summary: With a unfulfilled prophecy looming over Magnus, King Arthur’s former castle, many factions with different intentions are fighting to see how it will turn out. At the centre of the prophecy is a young man named Thomas, rumoured to be the one who will take back Magnus and restore rightful ownership to his family. With the help of knight, a young petty thief and a deaf mute young woman all meant for the gallows, Thomas leaves the abbey where he lived with monks and sets out to make the prophecy come true. There are a lot of mysterious forces working both for and against him, but...
Read MoreThe Keeper of the Isis Light by Monica Hughes
Summary: On a planet named Isis, Olwen and her Guardian preserve the Isis light, a satellite connection to Earth. Over the years, they’ve recorded data from the planet and sent their records to Earth, in the hopes that eventually a ship will come with settlers to inhabit Isis. Olwen is ten in Isis years, 16 in Earth years, and happy with her life with the Guardian. Perfectly adapted to Isis’ environment, she is free to roam the planet as she pleases. But when the settlers finally arrive, Olwen’s bubble of isolation is popped, and while she falls in love with a seventeen...
Read MoreAbout Amy
Amy Mathers has been passionate about reading from a very young age, and hopes others will share her enthusiasm for funding a teen book award. Read more Follow Amy
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