Special Collections
High Interest Y. A. Novels
Description: High Interest, Low Vocabulary books are for teenagers looking to advance their reading capabilities. Perfect for emerging teen readers. #teens
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On the Game
by Monique PolakThere's nothing more exciting than being young and in love -- especially when the object of your affection is an older guy who showers you with gifts and attention. But when Yolande's new boyfriend, Etienne, asks her to go on a date with another guy, it becomes clear that his love comes at a terrible price. Inspired by true events, On the Game follows one ordinary girl on an extraordinary journey into the dark world of teenage prostitution.
Scarred
by Monique PolakBecky was once a promising young skating star, but these days she feels numb, disconnected, and very lonely. The only way she knows to relieve pressure is to cut herself. Will Becky have the strength to save another young athlete who's skating down the same path?
What World is Left
by Monique PolakA pampered child used to having her own way, Anneke Van Raalte lives outside Amsterdam, where her father is a cartoonist for the Amsterdam newspaper. Though Anneke's family is Jewish, her religion means little to her. Anneke's life changes in 1942 when the Nazis invade Holland, and she and her family are deported to Theresienstadt, a concentration camp in Czechoslovakia. Not only are conditions in the camp appalling, but the camp is the site of an elaborate hoax: the Nazis are determined to convince the world that Theresienstadt is an idyllic place and that European Jews are thriving under the Nazi regime. Because he is an artist, Anneke's father is compelled to help in the propaganda campaign, and Anneke finds herself torn between her loyalty to her family and her sense of what is right. What World is Left was inspired by the experiences of the author's mother, who was imprisoned in Theresienstadt during World War II.
Falling Star
by Robert RaynerThe Brunswick Valley kids are back, and this time they're taking it on the road. In order to secure the top spot in the league, the gang is playing a series of away-games at schools around the province. With their teenage coach, Ice, at the wheel of the van, victory, hilarity, and complications are sure to follow!
Libby on Strike
by Robert RaynerLibby Meek is busy -- too busy. Between art class and youth group, skiing and piano lessons, Libby discovers that she no longer has time to just play. When her parents ignore Libby's demands for more free time, she decides to go on strike to prove her point. Along the way, both Libby and her parents discover the importance of balancing work and play.
Miss Little's Losers
by Robert RaynerThe Brunswick Valley School soccer team haven't won a game all season long. When their coach resigns, the only person who will coach them is Miss Little . . . their former kindergarten teacher!
Out of Sight
by Robert RaynerLinh-Mai has always admired the acrobatic moves of her soccer teams goalie -- Flyin' Brian. But her admiration becomes concern when an eye disease causes Brian to start losing his vision. She's determined to help Brian keep playing for as long as possible. But as his eyesight continues to deteriorate, it becomes clear that, to be a true friend, Linh-Mai must help Brian accept that some things are going to change.
Suspended
by Robert RaynerShay and his pal Toby are among the players on the school soccer team who fall foul of the "fair play contract" introduced by the new school administration.
Walker's Runners
by Robert RaynerWhen Toby Morton's sister asks him to play hopscotch, he asks if there's a video game version. He hates physical activity, and he especially hates gym class at his New Brunswick school. If the kids on his team in gym tease him for being overweight, he goes out of his way to make sure they lose. So when his new homeroom teacher, Mr. Walker, asks Toby to join the running team, Toby thinks he's crazy. But when his friend Amy suffers a dangerous attack of asthma, Toby is forced to look at exercise in a different light. Walker's Runners is a lively story for young people that introduces the joys of physical fitness, while highlighting the high costs of inactivity.
Murder Among the Pines
by John Lawrence ReynoldsSmall-town police chief Maxine "Max" Benson is just settling into her new life when her ex appears on the scene. Apparently, he and his new young lover just happen to be visiting her area on holiday. Max left her marriage and the Toronto police to become chief in Port Ainslie, where she runs a three-person department with few problems and enjoys a different pace of life. That's all about to change when Max's ex-husband is accused of killing his young lover right in Max's own backyard. It seems that only Max's superior detection abilities can save him from an almost certain conviction. This is the third book in the Maxine Benson mystery series.
Off the Wall
by Camilla Reghelini RiversIndoor soccer is what Lizzie does best. At school other kids bug her and her teacher thinks she' s a troublemaker, but during a game she feels focused, free. Lately, however, her younger sister Shelby has taken up the game. Shelby' s a nice kid, but she leads a charmed life--she copies everything Lizzie does, then does it better. Soon Shelby is a soccer star and her team is challenging Lizzie' s in tournament play. When the girls are pitted against each other on the field, hurt feelings fuel a brutal competition, with dangerous results. "Off the Wall" shows the difficulty of acknowledging the best qualities in those we love, and in ourselves.
Red-line Blues
by Camilla Reghelini RiversLee comes from a family of NHL hockey players, but he's no hotshot--he plays because he loves the game. His coaches, however, spend all their time with the team's stars and leave ordinary players warming the bench. When the coaches' determination to win puts Lee in hospital, however, he's forced to take a stand against their recklessness. Red-Line Blues is the story of one player's fight for what's important in sport: fair play and love of the game.
Shut-Out!
by Camilla Reghelini RiversDavid dreams of soccer glory, and is willing to suffer hours of monotonous practice drills to achieve it. His asthma might slow him down a little, but he works every day to be a better player.
Shark
by Jeff RossSeventeen-year-old Mark "Shark" Hewitt is good at playing pool. Really good. When he, his mom and sister move to a new town, Mark immediately seeks out the local pool hall. He loves to play, but even more than that, he just loves hanging out with the regulars. It reminds him of good times with his dad, who is no longer in the picture. When one of the patrons notices Mark's natural gift for the game, he forces Mark to use his talent for profit. Now Mark has to find a way to get out from under this sleazeball's thumb and protect his family.
Up North
by Jeff RossRob Maclean and his mom have moved to a small community in northern Ontario in order to be closer to Rob's imprisoned brother, Adam. One night after a rowdy party, Rob and some friends end up in a van speeding through a First Nations reserve. The driver of the van has a deep hatred for Indigenous people, and he lobs rotten fruit at a group of young men gathered in front of a community center. The young men chase them down, and Rob's friend Alan is injured and ends up in a coma. Now the police are pressuring Rob to identify their prime suspect. This is the second story featuring Rob and Adam Maclean after Coming Clean.
Crossover
by Jeff RudFifteen-year-old Kyle Evans has been a jock for years -- a triple threat basketball player who can dribble, pass or shoot with considerable skill. But once he decides to try out for the school musical production at Sainsbury High, Kyle finds there is much more to life than hightops and hookshots. Conflicting priorities cause problems between Kyle and his coaches, teachers, teammates and friends. And when his buddy Lukas becomes the target of homophobic hatred, Kyle is left with some difficult choices to make.
Paralyzed
by Jeff RudLinebacker Reggie Scott is forced to deal with the repercussions of an incident that shakes his belief in the game he loves. When he is persecuted by angry fans for being a "dirty" player, Reggie is forced to confront his own guilt and decide whether he can continue to play his senior season and beyond.
Responsible
by Darlene RyanKevin Frasier is in a new high school—his fourth in the last year. He is trying to get along and not cause any waves. When he falls in with Nick and his friends, Frasier ends up going along as the group bullies and threatens their way through the school. When Nick starts tormenting Erin—and she stands up to him—the harassment escalates until Kevin is forced to make a difficult decision and risk everything.
Rules for Life
by Darlene RyanWhen her mother died two years earlier, Izzy thought the world would change in some identifiable way, but it didn't. It didn't even slow down. Along with constantly watching her brother, Jason, to ensure he didn't repeat his involvement with drugs, Izzy has managed to get through school and the rest of her life using her mother's endless "rules" as guidance, even making up some of her own as she goes along. When her father starts dating again and then decides to get married, Izzy is unprepared. She is convinced she will hate this intruder in her ordered life and is certain that their family is complete as it is. When her father's new girlfriend becomes pregnant, and her health is threatened, Izzy finds that there might just be room in her family for Anne. And while trying to save her brother and stay true to the "rules," Izzy realizes that family involves more than blood and that rules aren't always absolute. A touching, often funny, story of love and acceptance, Rules for Life is a reminder that while we can't choose the family we are born with, we can choose the people we take along for the ride.
Saving Grace
by Darlene RyanEvie was pregnant and forced to give up the baby. But she can't just leave the child with strangers, especially when she thinks the baby is being neglected. With her boyfriend waiting in the truck, Evie snatches the baby and convinces him to drive her to Montreal where she plans to start a new life with her child. But when the baby won't eat and she and Justin argue, she ends up alone in a small town. As the baby becomes sicker, Evie must decide whether to admit her mistake and turn herself in, or to keep running. Also available in Spanish.
Pop Quiz
by Tom RyanFifteen-year-old Aiden is a minor cast member on a long-running high school "dramedy" with a low budget and a loyal following. Aiden and his friends are excited that they're being promoted to lead roles for the upcoming tenth season of Pop Quiz. But then they learn the show is being canceled. According to the producers, no one even watches TV anymore, with kids preferring the antics of YouTube stars. With the help of some former cast members and a group of hardcore fans, Aiden and his friends attempt to create a movie special to wrap up the storylines and give the series the send-off it deserves.
The Dangerous Breakup
by Anne SchraffHigh school junior Reece tried to break up with Natalie, but Natalie didn't like that idea. One of her favorite activities with Reece was to watch gory movies, the more gruesome the better. She liked to choose what they would do. She got jealous if he spent time with anyone, including his family. After the breakup, she began doing more and more to try to get him back, like sending dead flowers to his new girlfriend's parents, scratching words on his car, and eventually even kidnapping him. Will Reece survive being locked up in a remote spot while she has him at gunpoint?
Chasing Brooklyn
by Lisa SchroederWhen Lucca died, no one took it harder than his best friend, Gabe. It's exactly one year later, and Gabe has just died of a drug overdose. Tragedy striking yet again. Brooklyn, Lucca's girlfriend, has learned to wear a mask of strength and indifference after losing the boy she loved. But inside, her emotions are in turmoil. Now her dreams are being haunted by a ghost, gray and sinister. She knows it's Gabe chasing after her, but she doesn't know why. She's desperate to find a way to stop the nightmares, but she feels like she has no one to turn to. Nico, Lucca's brother, has learned to cope by shutting everyone out. So when he learns of Gabe's death, he's not too fazed by it. But soon he begins hearing voices in his sleep, seeing notes on his window, and getting general signs requesting him to do one thing: Save Brooklyn. Convinced it's Lucca, Nico reaches out to help Brooklyn as best he can. Together they discover a mutual desire to live again, as they also discover a growing desire for each other.
Foul Play
by Beverly ScudamoreRemy and Alison were once best friends, before Alison took off to an elite soccer camp in England without a word. When Remy finds out Alison has a special plan to beat her team in the tournament, she can't help but suspect all of the terrible events befalling her teammates are a result of Alison's sabotage.