YOUNG ADULT FICTION AT ROBERT F. HALL
*
WP
Books Provided for Review by National Book Service
Books Selected for the White Pine Book Program
Adrift* Julie Burtinshaw
Fourteen year-old David Garrett is finally relieved of the burdensome domestic
responsibilities he undertook since his mother took ill and his father left home, when he and
his sister are sent to spend the summer with their Aunt Jen on an island in B.C. When their
newfound happiness with the jovial and wise Aunt Jen is threatened by his father’s arrival
with a new girlfriend, David and sister Laura decide to take a stand against impending
changes to their lives; they steal a boat and embark on a dangerous journey into unknown
waters under the cover of the night.
C.Thompson
And in the Morning John Wilson
Jim Hay is fifteen, thinks war is a glorious adventure and cannot wait for his turn to fight.
But as his father boldly marches off to battle in August, 1914, Jim must be content to
record his thoughts and dreams in his journal. Gradually, Jim¹s simple life begins to unravel.
His father is killed in action, his mother suffers a breakdown, and when he does at last join
up, it is as much to find a refuge as it is to seek glory. What Jim discovers in the trenches
of France is enough to dispel any romantic view of the war. And while his longing for
adventure is replaced by a basic need to survive, the final tragic outcome is one he never
dreamed of. White Pine Official Web-site
Beginnings* Anne Walsh, ed.
Beginnings is an anthology of fourteen short stories related to the early history of Canada.
Among the stories is “Gift of the Old Wives,” a tale of how old Cree women saved their
tribe from certain death at the hands of the Blackfoot enemy through the ultimate
sacrifice of their lives; “The First Spike” centers on a reluctant history student whose
interest is suddenly peaked when she discovers in her grandmother’s diary a family
connection to the beginning of the national railway. “The Bear Tree” deals with a young
girl’s reluctant acceptance of her fate as the wife of an undesirable stranger; “Courage,
Marguerite” is the tale of a young woman’s journey from impoverishment in a French
orphanage to a new beginning in Nouvelle France.
C. Thompson
The Book of the Lion*
by Michael Cadnum
During medieval times, Edmund, an apprentice of a coin minter, narrowly escapes his
master’s fate of losing a hand and eventual death after it is discovered that he had cheated
the king. A sympathetic knight intervenes but directs Edmund into the army of Richard the
Lionhart. Thrust into travel and training, Edmund is flung into life as a warrior during a
dangerous and terrifying time.
C. Thompson
Fever 1791* by Laurie Halse Anderson
Set in 18th century Philadelphia, Fever 1793 tells the story of how Mattie Cook’s life
changes drastically during an outbreak of yellow fever. Initially feeling constricted by the
daily routine of working in her widowed mother’s coffee house, Mattie later longs for the
life she once dreamed of escaping. Mattie and her family remain in the city in the heat of
the summer where they witness the devastation of many lives from yellow fever. However,
when her mother takes ill, the coffee house is closed and, at her mother’s urging, Mattie
and her grandfather attempt to find refuge from the scourge of disease by traveling to the
countryside.
C. Thompson
Finding Sophie* Irene N. Watts
After being sent from Germany to England as a refugee at the age of seven, prior to
WWII, Sophie Mandel adapts to life with her mother’s friend, Aunt Em, and her new-found
friends. At age fourteen, when the war ends, Sophie learns through a letter from her
father that her mother has died and that he is recovering from illness in a German hospital
and is looking forward to being reunited with his daughter. Sophie fears being returned to
Germany and to the father she no longer knows; she longs to maintain the security of her
newfound life but grapples with the guilt attached to this feeling.
C. Thompson
The First Stone Don Aker
Squeezing the rock in his clenched fist made Reef Kennedy feel powerful. And angry. It was
easy, then, to look down from the overpass and choose an anonymous target.... Now Leeza
Hemming's world has exploded, her body twisted and broken from the car crash that nearly
killed her. Facing months of torturous rehabilitation to cure her damaged body and spirit
Leeza finds a friend in an unlikely hospital volunteer, a young man about her age who looks
like he would rather be anywhere than in a hospital. Reaching out to one another in an
unconscious need for healing, neither Leeza nor Reef can guess that their fragile bond is
based on an act of cruelty and hate. White Pine Official Web-site
FloodWP by James Heneghan
Andy Flynn’s comfortable life with his mother and step-father is shattered when they are
all swept away in a flood. Brought to Halifax by his stern Aunt Mona, Andy learns of his real
father’s existence; he runs away to find him and discovers a man subsisting on welfare who
promises to fulfill Andy’s wish of a wonderful life together.
C. Thompson
A Foreign FieldWP by Gillian Chan
Life has been tough for fourteen-year-old Ellen Logan. With her country embroiled in the
Second World War, she’s forced to shoulder many family responsibilities. Life’s even
tougher for Stephen Dearborn, a young British pilot in training at the local airfield. As Ellen
and Stephen are forced to grow up before their time, their friendship deepens — and
together they discover that sometimes falling apart is only steps away from falling in love.
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Forgotten Fire*
by Adam Bagdasarian
The life of Vahan Kenderian, once the carefree son of an affluent Armenian lawyer, is
shattered during what is now known as the Aremenian Massacre in Turkey. Firstly, his
father disappears. Soon afterwards, his two older brothers are shot before his family’s
eyes; then his older sister takes her own life rather than submitting to the violence of the
Turkish soldiers. Not able to bear further loss, Vahan’s mother urges him and his brother
to run away from their captors and certain death. Forgotten Fire is the story of how Vahan
manages to survive despite unthinkable heartbreak, enormous odds and with the gentle help
of those who, if discovered doing so, have everything to lose. Based on the life of author
Adam Bagdasarian’s uncle, Forgotten Fire exposes the reader to the horror of genocide
through the eyes of Vahan, while it tracks and celebrates indomitable strength of spirit in
this young boy whose spirit was repeatedly assaulted, but never defeated.
C. Thompson
Generals Die in Bed by Charles Yale Harrison
Generals Die in Bed is a republished account of Charles Yale Harrison’s experiences in the
trenches during World War I. Contrary to accounts which attempted to glorify the war
experience, Harrison told of lice-infected clothing, petrified young soldiers who were being
peppered by sniper fire and grenades, and soldiers who watched their friends die or lose
limbs before their eyes, etc.
C. Thompson
Ghosts of James Bay* by John Wilson
On a camping trip with his archeologist father at James Bay, Al Lister gets lost in the fog
while canoeing on the final morning of the trip. He emerges disoriented and witnesses
several men and a boy being cast adrift from a ship called Discovery. These men turn out
to be explorer Henry Hudson, some of his loyal supporters, along with Hudson’s son Jack-all of whom Al knows to have disappeared in the year 1611--and Al realizes that somehow he
has traveled back in time. He travels with this group in the wilderness for several days,
encounters the natives with them and becomes a witness to their mysterious fate.
C. Thompson
Gone From Home* by Angela Johnson
A series of short stories about unique young people, Gone From Home explores a variety of
situations which help shape the lives of the main character of each story. The unnamed
narrator in the first story is forever haunted by a “lost” friend, who once, at the age of 10,
tried to rob a convenience store one hour after saving an abandoned baby. A fourteenyear-old becomes very attached to her eccentric summer babysitter, Starr, but then
experiences the pain of loss when Starr loses a brief struggle with cancer. A hyperactive,
accident-prone young boy with a loyal and protective big brother moves from being a
“handful” to a hero in a moment’s time. Angela Johnson’s stories are creative with original
characters and unique plot-lines.
C. Thompson
In the Key of Do by Carol Frechette
New student Delores, or “Do” for short, enchants and mesmerizes Vero offering her
friendship and a unique outlook on life; she encourages Vero to search for the father she
has never known. Yet Do disappears suddenly, and Vero embarks on a frantic search to find
her friend.
C. Thompson
Last Summer in Agatha
by Katherine Holubitsky
Rachel spends the summer in Agatha, a small southern Alberta town, where she meets Anna,
Scott, and a new boyfriend, Michael. Throughout the summer, the boys have confrontations
with a couple of rivals, but one prank goes too far and Rachel becomes frightened by
Michael’s possible reaction knowing that he has been suppressing emotions surrounding the
death of his older brother two years ago.
C. Thompson
Locked Inside* by Nancy Werlin
Sixteen year-old Marnie Skyedottir’s personal net worth is in the hundreds of millions of
dollars, yet she is all alone. Orphaned and under the care of a guardian, Marnie lives at
boarding school where, instead of attending classes, getting involved in activities and
hanging out with friends, she spends hours on her computer, caught up lure of an internet
game. With her school success becoming increasingly compromised, Marnie’s life takes a
surreal turn, when she becomes a kidnap victim and is locked-up in a basement.
C. Thompson
The Loser’s ClubWP by John Lekich
Alex Sherwood would like to blend in and keep a low profile at his local high school. His plan
is thwarted when he becomes a hero to a group of so-called "losers." Alex is known as "the
savior" for his habit of fending off resident tough Jerry Whitman, who runs a successful
extortion ring at school and delights in making life difficult. The ultimate challenge for Alex
and his loser buddies is to find a way to best Jerry and his gang. In this highly amusing and
entertaining novel, Alex and his colorful cast of friends prove that sometimes good things
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can happen to losers.
The Lottery by Beth Goobie
Every student at Saskatoon Collegiate knows about the lottery. The secret club, "The
Shadow Council", hold a draw every fall to decide which "lucky" student will win. The student
chosen is then shunned and humiliated for the school year, by the entire student population.
This year's victim is fifteen-year-old Sally Hanson. White Pine Official Web-Site
Matilda Bone*
by Karen Cushman
Set in the Middle Ages, this is the story of orphaned Matilda who was brought to
apprentice with Peg, a bonesetter located on Blood and Bone Alley. She arrived with her
previous guardian, Father Leufredus, who had up to this point provided her with a safe and
gentle life of prayer, along with a roster of saints to whom to pray for each situation she
encountered. With Peg, Matilda was shocked to find that she had to work, shop, cook and
do other daily activities. As time goes by, Matilda gradually accepts that Father Leufredus
is not coming back to rescue her, that his solutions are not always practical, and she finds a
level of comfort with her new place in the world.
C. Thompson
The MazeWP by Monica Hughes
What is the amazing power of the maze inlaid in a mysterious shiny black box? Andrea
Austin doesn't know what to expect when she is given the box; all she knows is the she
doesn't want to be the victim of Crystal, leader of the frightening gang of Six, anymore. So
when Andrea is given the mysterious maze, with the instructions to find the middle so she
can find herself, she is curious. But the maze-like world into which Crystal has disappeared
is now deadly dangerous, threatening to destroy not only herself, but also Andrea, the only
White Pine Official Web-Sitewww.geocities.com/white_pine2003/white_pine.html
person who can save her.
Miracle’s Boys*
by Jacqueline Woodson
For the three orphaned sons of Milagro, life is a struggle in New York City. The oldest son,
Ty’ree, must work to make ends meet and keep the family together, instead of fulfilling his
college dream. The youngest, Lafayette, laments his lost relationship with middle brother,
Charlie, who treats him with indifference after his return from a correctional institution.
As Lafayette begins to narrate their story, he refers to the brother he no longer
understands, as Newcharlie. Reminiscent of The Outsiders, this award-winning, compelling
novel explores how the strength and support of family eases the struggle against
formidable obstacles.
C. Thompson
My Broken Family* by Paul Kropp
Maddy and her little brother Jacob are informed at the dinner table that their parents are
separating, their father is moving out, and their house is being put up for sale. Added to
this devastating news is that fact that Maddy’s father has a girlfriend. Racked with anger
and frustration that the situation is irreversible, Maddy seeks solace in ballet dancing and
in discussions with her friend Shannon, who has also experienced family break-up.
C. Thompson
The Outside Chance of Maximillian Glick*
by Morley Torgov
Much is expected of only child Maximilian Glick from his Jewish parents and grandparents.
Maximilian delivers. He becomes an accomplished piano player and an eager student
preparing for his Bar Mitzvah under Rabbi Kaminsky and then Rabbi Teitelman. But as
Maximilian formulates dreams which deviate from the expectations of his family and when
a confidence is betrayed, he experiences disillusionment and confusion. A surprising and
unusual piece of news inspires Maximilian and gives him direction. The story of Maximilian’s
journey towards adulthood is both humorous and poignant.
C. Thompson
No Escape by Nora McClintock
When Caleb Drake comes home from prison, nobody in town wants him back. Nobody except
Chloe, who has seen the smile that Terri - the young woman that Caleb supposedly hurt gives him. Chloe is sure that Caleb didn't do it. The trouble is, how is she going to prove it?
Caleb himself is no help at all - in fact, he gets into more scrapes with the law. So it looks
like it's up to Chloe to prove his innocence. White Pine Official Web-Site
Parvana’s JourneyWP by Deborah Ellis
The Taliban still controls Afghanistan, but Kabul is in ruins, Parvana's father has died, and
her mother, sister and brother could be anywhere in the country. Parvana is thirteen now,
but she sets out alone, masquerading as a boy. In her search for shelter and food as she
makes her way across the desolate Afghan countryside, she meets other children who are
strays from the war. Their journey becomes even more perilous when war breaks out,
though they don't know why the bombs are falling. It takes resilience, imagination and luck - and the family bond the children forge with each other -- to help them survive.
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Refugee Boy* by Benjamin Zephaniah
While on vacation in England, Alem Kelo awakens to learn that his father has returned home
without him. A letter left with the innkeeper explains that the action is an act of
desperation and love. Alem’s father is from Ethiopea while his mother is from neighbouring
Eritrea; the countries are at war and the family has been persecuted in each country. Mr.
Kelo hopes that Alem will find asylum in England while he and his wife await the outcome of
the war at home. Alem is left in the care of social services and his first placement is
horrendous. He is tormented and targeted by a violent group of boys and attempts to run
away. Fortunately, he is given another placement, this time with a caring foster family and
during his stay with them, Alem embraces the opportunity to go to school. However, Alem
yearns to be reunited with his parents. C. Thompson
The Road to ChlifaWP by Michele Martineau
Karim has journeyed a long way from his home in war-torn Beirut to his new high school in
Quebec. Now he must travel the difficult road to a life without war. There is contempt and
racism here, too. But there is also My-Lan, a new companion in a new and challenging country.
It is an adventure behind the headlines and a lesson in life you couldn't learn in the
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classroom.
The Search of the Moonking’s Daughter by Linda Holeman
Gentle Emmaline loves nothing more than books and flowers and her little brother Tommy.
Sadly, her idyllic country life in Victorian England comes to an abrupt end when her father
dies of cholera. The family is forced to move to a mill town, where Emmaline¹s mother is
dreadfully injured in a factory accident. To ease her pain she takes laudanum and is soon
addicted, craving the drug so badly that she sells Tommy into servitude as a chimney sweep
in London. Emmaline knows that a sweep¹s life is short and awful. Small boys as young as
five are forced to climb naked into dark chimneys, their bare feet prodded by nail-studded
sticks to keep them working. If Tommy is to survive, it is up to Emmaline to find him.
Secret Santa* by D.E. Athkins
A wealthy high-school student hand-picks 7 other classmates to fly to her family-owned
island for a three-day Christmas party. As soon as the group arrives on the island, they
learn the rules about how to play the “Secret Santa” game from Djuna, their host.
However, tensions and tempers flare as the game and the vacation quickly turns nightmarish
and as, slowly, each of the visitors begins to disappear. The “Secret Santa” game becomes
dubbed as “Secret Psycho Santa” as the teens fear for their lives and wonder if they will
ever get off the island. C. Thompson
The Spy in the Alley*
by Melanie Jackson
Dinah Galloway is a precocious 11-year-old with a penchant for speaking her mind. For
example, she makes no secret of her disesteem of her beautiful sister Madge’s boyfriend
Roderick and her approval of Jack, the handsome housesitter next door. Jack belongs to an
anti-smoking organization called GASP; Roderick works for an advertising firm handling a
tobacco company. With her irrepressible curiosity and headstrong ways, Dinah solves the
mystery of how a prowler lurking behind her home is connected to both GASP and Roderick’s
advertising firm. C. Thompson
Stained Glass by Michael Bedard
While skipping his piano lesson, Charles meets a homeless girl in the local church, who, when
struck on the head by a broken stained glass window loses her memory. He feels compelled
to assist her and embarks on a journey with her to find her way home. C. Thompson
Sticker and Me* by Morley Torgov
Throughout Stickler and Me, 13-year-old Ben Marshall wonders if his decision to spend the
summer in small-town Ontario with his grandfather is wise. An ill-tempered lawyer at age
75, Grandfather Ira Lampart meets his match in Ben. The two bicker continuously,
however, they become an unlikely team of fugitives when Ira, for the first time in his
career, decides that he cannot carry out the final wishes of client. Ira, Ben, and a
chihauhua named Jake flee town during the night, with the deceased client’s irate family
members and the authorities on their trail. During their adventure, the relationship
between grandfather and grandson gradually changes. C. Thompson
Sticks and StonesWP by Beth Goobie
Laughed at and tormented by the knowledge that her name, along with derogatory slurs, is
written on the walls of the boys' washroom, Jujube realizes she can either knuckle under or
fight back. Mustering the assistance of a small group of girls who have been similarly
treated, Jujube prepares a dramatic slide presentation for her English class using images of
graffiti, including those where her name is featured. By reclaiming the word Slut she robs
her tormentors of at least some of their power to be cruel.
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Surviving SamWP by Karen Rivers
At age 17, Pagan Riddler is still struggling to cope with daily life three years after the
accidental death of her beloved twin brother Sam The two had been on a hiking trip with
their father and uncle when they were trapped in an avalanche which killed their uncle and
swept Sam away. Feeling desperate in her final year of high school, Pagan finally agrees to
try anti-depressants. Slowly, and not without setbacks, she begins to emerge from her
depression by revisiting activities in which she once took pleasure, seeking friendships and
trying to rebuild her strained relationship with her parents. Courageously, Pagan embarks
on the road to living without her beloved brother. C. Thompson
Tanis* by Hazel Riley
The novel begins with Jessica, lamenting the day that she met Thanis and the fact that
she’ll never feel free of her. Jessica recounts her experience with Thanis whom she met
while sketching in a gallery; Jessica comes to her aid after Thanis stumbles through the
doorway. She finds a charm on the floor which she believes belongs to her. Later, Thanis
contacts her to retrieve the charm and thus begins a relationship which Jessica initially
enters into reluctantly. However, Thanis, makes suggestions regarding Jessica’s art which
appear to evoke excellent results. Jessica accepts an offer to work with Thanis
throughout the summer and moves into an old home by the sea in Cornwall. There she
experiences a mix of enjoyable, mysterious and frightening experiences, and then makes a
decision that she cannot reverse. C. Thompson
TribesWP by Arthur Slade
Reflecting the work of his anthropologist father, Percy Montmount classifies the various
cliques of his high school into “Tribes” such as The Lipstick/Hairspray Tribe, The Hockey
Tribe, The Logo Tribe, etc.; not fitting into any particular niche, he refers to himself and
his sole friend Elisa as “quasi-omniscient Observers.” In his final year of school, Percy
stands up to bullies while coming to terms with his friend’s suicide and his father’s absence.
C. Thompson
True Confessions of a Heartless GirlWP by Martha Brooks
In the midst of a heaven-rattling summer storm a young stranger blows into a small prairie
storm. On the run after taking her latest boyfriend's truck, with a pocketful of stolen
money and a heart full of pain, seventeen-year-old Noreen Stall seems to invite trouble. And
the trouble comes soon enough, as Noreen's new mistakes trigger calamaties that shake the
lives of the residents of Pembina Lake...
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Truth and LiesWP by Tamara L. Williams
Erin arrives at school one morning to learn that her friend Marcel has been the victim of a
savage attack. Lying in a coma, he can offer no clues about why he was beaten or by whom.
Was he deliberately attacked because he was gay, or was he just in the wrong place at the
wrong time? As far as Erin knows, Marcel didn't have any enemies, but there are groups at
her high school who might have targeted a gay student. When the police investigation stalls,
Erin decides to see what she can uncover on her own.
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Two Suns in the Sky* by Miriam Bat-Ami
A Jewish refugee, Adam arrives from Yugoslavia with his mother and sister to a refugee
camp in New York State during World War II. Despite her father’s directive to stay away,
American Christine visits the camp regularly. She befriends Adam and in time, the two
young people fall in love. Exposed to Adam’s experience and gaining understanding of a
world so different from her own, Christine begins to develop her own sense of values and
begins to question her authority figure. Torn between her relationship with Adam and her
loyalty to her father, Christine begins to make difficult and courageous choices. C. Thompson
A Way of His Own* by T.A. Dyer
Shutok and his brother Yaiya are traveling with their tribe in search of bison. Because of a
back injury and the natives believe that Shutok has been cursed and decide to abandon him
as he is a burden to them. Although he struggles to keep up with the aid of a makeshift
crutch, given to him by Uita, a slave girl traveling with the tribe, eventually Shutok is left
behind to fend for himself. Uita joins Shutok and the two travel together. Despite his
injury, Shutok manages to kill a jaguar that was stalking them. He also helps Uita recover
from a feverish illness. In the spring, the tribe is astonished to find Shutok alive and upon
discovering his bravery, revise their assessment of him and accept him back. C. Thompson
What Janie Found* by Caroline Cooney
In the fourth and concluding book to the series about Janie Johnson, the girl who
recognized her own face on a milk carton advertising a missing child, Janie is finally able to
come to terms with her unique situation once and for all. After finding some startling
information in her father’s business papers, Janie embarks on a journey to learn more about
her kidnapper and hopefully resolve her feelings toward the kidnapper. With the support of
her two families, Janie finds what she was looking for and is finally able to move on with her
life. What Janie Found is a satisfying conclusion to the series.
C, Thompson
Witch Child* by Celia Rees
After her grandmother is hanged for being a witch, Mary is quickly taken under the wing of
a kind woman who arranges passage for her to America. Mary senses a number of women
watching over the ship as it leaves the harbour and realizes that the woman who helped her
was the mother she never knew and that she has summoned a number of others of her kind
to send her daughter off safely to the new world. Witch Child traces Mary’s last moments
with her grandmother, her journey to America, and her early life there. It concludes with
Mary’s escape from her grandmother’s fate, for the secret of her true nature which she
has carefully guarded, has been exposed.
C, Thompson