The Saver by Edeet Ravel
Summary: 17 year-old Fern reacts to her mother’s sudden death by trying to take control of her life. Remembering something her fourth grade teacher said about being able to save a million dollars in about fifteen years by cutting out major expenses like rent and food, Fern attempts to do just that. She takes a job as a janitor in apartment building for free rent and utilities, and finds other jobs to help her out with food and making money. Fern pours out her heart about her experiences in letters to an imaginary, alien friend named Xanoth, wishing that her world could be more like the...
Read MoreLily and Taylor by Elise Moser
Summary: Taylor and her nephew Mason move in with Taylor’s grandmother after her sister is killed by her partner Bracken. In an abusive relationship herself, Taylor is anxious about moving away from her boyfriend Devon and how upset he will be over their now limited contact. Taylor makes friends with a girl named Lily at school, and that friendship gives her a glimpse into what it is like to be loved and appreciated. When Devon shows up unexpectedly with a friend to take Taylor out, Lily can sense the danger behind his intentions and insists on going with them. They wind up in an...
Read MoreJane, the Fox & Me by Fanny Britt & Isabelle Arsenault
Summary: Hélène is an outsider at school. Abandoned by her so-called friends and mercilessly teased by them, Hélène finds some solace in reading Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. She is dreading attending a class camping trip when she has no friends, yet she has to go. While Hélène is there she is so lonely she tries to befriend a fox, but it is a girl named Geraldine who manages to bring the outcasts of Hélène’s tent together to create new friendships. Hélène realises that plain girls like Jane Eyre deserve love too, and perhaps she doesn’t need to believe what the mean girls have...
Read MoreAnn and Seamus by Kevin Major, illustrated by David Blackwood
Summary: Based on a true story from 1828, seventeen year-old Ann Harvey lives with her parents and her numerous brothers on the Isle aux Morts, Newfoundland. Her father is a cod fisherman and their lives revolve around fishing season until one day there is a shipwreck on their shores. As everyone focuses on saving the ship’s passengers, a subtle romance develops between Ann and Seamus, one of the survivors. Number of Pages: 108 Age Range: 13-15 Review: David Blackwood’s illustrations are haunting and beautiful with a soft quality about them, perfectly complimenting Kevin...
Read MoreHold Fast by Kevin Major
Summary: When their parents die in a car crash caused by a drunk driver, brothers Michael and Brent are split up among their relatives. While Brent gets to stay in Marten with his aunt and grandfather, Michael is sent to St. Albert to live with his other aunt and uncle and his two cousins. Michael soon builds a bond with his cousin Curtis, but Michael’s uncle becomes increasingly controlling and aggressive making Michael’s home life miserable. Events at school lead to Michael getting a two-week expulsion, and his uncle’s reaction is enough to inspire Michael and Curtis to...
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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