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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Heavy Freight
by Sigmund BrouwerFifteen-year-old Maxwell Stone has been surviving and thriving in the tough part of Wast Vancouver by being smart and fast. But when a drug deal goes wrong, Max suddenly finds himself on the run from both the bad guys and the cops. Desperate to escape, Max impulsively decides to hop on a moving freight train. His first attempt to climb aboard fails, but at the last second a hand reaches down and pulls him in. Joseph has been riding the rails for years, and his tales inspire Max to take a journey to the last place he ever expected to go.
Hitmen Triumph
by Sigmund BrouwerLeft winger Nolan Andrews thinks it's great that he can play hockey in Calgary, where his older brother, Nathan, is a star center for the Hitmen. When Nolan finds out that a lot of things about Nate's new life in Calgary don't make sense—or might not even be legal—Nolan has to make some difficult choices that will affect him and his brother for the rest of their lives.
Hurricane Power
by Sigmund BrouwerWhen David's family moves from northern Ontario to Miami, Florida, it takes him less than a day to discover how out of place he is in his new neighborhood. He joins his school's track team, hoping to make new friends, but soon he is pulled into a school-wide web of secrecy and danger. And the one person who can help him keeps running away.
Innocent Heroes
by Sigmund BrouwerA unique celebration of the important role animals play in war, and an insightful look at the taking of Vimy Ridge from the perspective of 3 men in a Canadian platoon.Never before have the stories of animal war heroes been collected in such a special way. This book consists of eight connected fictional stories about a Canadian platoon in WW1. The Storming Normans have help from some very memorable animals: we meet a dog who warns soldiers in the trench of a gas attack, a donkey whose stubbornness saves the day, a cat who saves soldiers from rat bites, and many more. Each story is followed by nonfiction sections that tell the true story of these animals from around the world and of the Canadian soldiers who took Vimy Ridge. Through the friendship that grows between three of these soldiers in particular, we get a close-up look at life in the trenches, the taking of Vimy Ridge, the bonds between soldiers and their animals and what it meant to be Canadian in WW1.From the Hardcover edition.
Maverick Mania
by Sigmund BrouwerThe disappearance of his soccer team's leading scorer during the championship finals leads sixteen-year-old Matt to investigate and entangles him in a possible kidnapping. If the Mavericks win just a few more games, they'll make it to the national soccer championship. There's only one catch. Their star player, Caleb Riggins, has disappeared. Matt Carr is determined to find his teammate and solve the mystery. He just didn't realize it would involve attack dogs, a mysterious golden bridge, the internet and a family who may not be who they seem. And the big game is only days away.
Oil King Courage
by Sigmund BrouwerWhen the Edmonton Oil Kings discover that Reuben Reuben has a hockey game as unforgettable as his name and his Inuit heritage, life changes in a hurry for him and his best friend Gear. A wealthy businessman sponsors a three-on-three pond-hockey tour across the western Arctic, and Reuben and Gear find out more than they ever bargained for about teamwork, about the North and about a dangerous family secret.
Rebel Glory
by Sigmund BrouwerAt 17, star defenseman Brian Thomas McPhee likes his chances of making it as a pro hockey player. Yet, a string of recent "accidents" threatens to knock his team out of the playoffs and ruin his promising career. B.T. McPhee has begun to question how many "accidents" can happen before they become more than a coincidence. But it's not a good time for questions. Not in the spotlight of high-pressure hockey. Not when the team needs him most. And not when he has some important lessons to learn about life. For B.T. McPhee, however, there is no choice. Unless the questions are answered, the team's season and his promising career will surely end.
Rock the Boat
by Sigmund BrouwerWebb believes that if you want to reach your dreams, you have to live life loud. Bring the roof down. Rock the boat. Make sure that when you look back, you have no regrets. But when a shady music producer steals one of Webb’s songs, Webb finds out how hard it is for a kid on his own in Nashville to get justice. With the help of an unlikely ally, Webb discovers that he has what it takes to succeed: talent, determination and some good friends.
Scarlet Thunder
by Sigmund BrouwerTrenton Hiser is trying to walk in the footsteps of his uncle, Mike Hiser, a successful Hollywood director. During Trenton's summer vacation, he goes with his uncle to film the inside story of Scarlet Thunder, a top-level stock-car racing team. As they film the action, too many things go wrong, deadly mistakes are made and Trenton finds out that much more than the race is at stake.
Sewer Rats
by Sigmund BrouwerJim, 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. They try to confront her, but she runs into the tunnels just as a rainstorm begins. Jim and Mickey have to get Lisa out before the tunnels fill with water.
Shortcuts #1
by Sigmund BrouwerKeegan, the best skier on the hill, ends up playing detective when he discovers that someone is trying to sabotage the ski team, and it looks like a pretty blonde snowboarder is involved.
Thunderbird Spirit
by Sigmund BrouwerHockey stars Mike "Crazy" Keats and his new friend, Dakota, are caught in a web of violence which makes winning a championship the least of their concerns. Dakota Smith is in trouble. But Mike "Crazy" Keats doesn't care. He is new to the Seattle Thunderbirds, and Dakota seems like a good guy to have for a friend. Unfortunately, not everyone accepts Dakota's Native North American heritage so easily.
Tiger Threat
by Sigmund BrouwerRay Hockaday plays center for the Medicine Hat Tigers in the Western Hockey League. He's spent his hockey career hiding something from the world. When his new Russian room-mate shows up, Ray is assigned to help Vlad get used to life in Canada. What Ray doesn't know is that Vlad is also hiding something. And that secret could get both of them killed.
Titan Clash
by Sigmund BrouwerJack Spencer has more to worry about than being kicked off his high school's basketball team. He uncovers suspicious circumstances surrounding the car crash that severely injured his mother and learns of his father's arrest for fraud. Jack's dad is tough on him, but he has learned to live with it. For the most part, he has it pretty good. Jack is a star player on his high school basketball team with everything going for him-scoring records, popularity and an easy path to a college scholarship. Almost as fast as the crash that put his mom in the hospital, everything Jack believes in starts to crumble. His only hope is to discover what's really going on, and quickly. If he doesn't, Jack may lose much more than a basketball career.
True Blue
by Sigmund Brouwer and Cindy MorganElle is on the road as an opening act for Johnny James, the biggest star in country music. Touring is everything she's ever dreamed of, but it has unexpected downsides: crazy fans, jealous backup singers, weird rules on the tour bus. But when something goes terribly wrong during a performance, Elle struggles to figure out how she can make things right with her fans, her father, her record company and with her friend Webb. True Blue continues the story that began in Billboard Express.
Unleashed
by Sigmund BrouwerJace has it all—money, cars and status. What he doesn’t have is a happy home life. Forced to protect his brother from an abusive father and a neglectful mother, Jace lives a double life on the wrong side of the tracks, learning to box and trying to survive on his own merits while plotting to expose his father as the monster he is. Working reluctantly with two girls who have their own thoughts of vengeance, Jace finds that he is not as alone as he thought and that there are people he can trust. The RETRIBUTION series: "These interconnected narratives are page-turning reads, offering adventure, intrigue, and satisfying retribution. Jace, Josie, and Raven are fiercely independent, clever, and intelligent protagonists; each has a rich backstory and an engaging narrative voice that hooks readers from the beginning. Will appeal to a wide range of readers, including reluctant readers who need a quick hook." - VOYA
Winter Hawk Star
by Sigmund BrouwerTyler is a good, solid hockey player, but not a great one. That honor belongs to the obnoxious Riley, a sixteen-year-old spoiled superstar who makes Tyler's life miserable. When Tyler and Riley are sent to volunteer at a local youth program, Tyler finds the passion and commitment he needs to step up his game on ice—and off.
Wired
by Sigmund BrouwerKeegan Bishop, championship skier, is almost injured in a dangerous trap set for one of his teammates. Snowboard tracks leading away from the trap are the only clue as to who might be responsible. Keegan teaches himself to snowboard so he can find the culprit on the snowboarding slopes. When Keegan discovers that someone has been stealing snowboards and skis at Bear Mountain resort, and the girl he's just met is somehow involved, he must face his fears and test his new snowboarding skills in a run for safety.
Misty Knows
by Liz BrownSomeone is putting poison in the feed at Mr. Long's stable. Jen and Keisha think they know who's doing it, but first they have to find some proof.
Chat Room
by Kristin ButcherLinda joins her high school's private online forum and gains a following, but someone wants to take it offline. Linda is shy and avoids getting involved at school. But when her high school sets up online chat rooms she can't resist the urge to visit them. Fuelled by interest in a student with the nickname Cyrano, Linda participates in online conversations using the nickname Roxane and gains a reputation as the queen of one-liners. Soon Linda starts receiving gifts from a secret admirer who signs his gifts, "C." She is certain that her life has taken a turn for the better until "C" reveals his true identity.
The Gramma War (Orca Books)
by Kristin ButcherAnnie learns some hard lessons about family ties when her grandmother moves in -- and takes over!
The Hemingway Tradition
by Kristin ButcherShaw is trying to outrun his father's ghost. (Orca Soundings)
The Trouble with Liberty (Orca Soundings)
by Kristin ButcherLiberty is the new girl at school, and everyone wants to be her friend. When she accuses a teacher of assault, doubts start to surface about her motives. (RL4.2)
Winter Road
by Kristin ButcherSixteen-year-old Kat and her mom haven't seen much of each other since Kat's father died last year. Her mom has taken over the family trucking business and has been away a lot. She promised that Kat could join her on her next run, a journey across the frozen Manitoba lake known as the "winter road." But at the last minute she changes her mind. Kat, who has recently been diagnosed with diabetes, stows away in the back of the semi instead. By the time her mother discovers her, it's too late to turn back.
Zee's Way
by Kristin ButcherZee is torn between making a statement with graffiti and making art. (RL3.2)