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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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.
Stuffed
by Eric WaltersWhen Ian and his classmates watch a documentary about the health concerns of eating fast food, Ian decides to start a boycott and stop everyone he can from eating at Frankie's, a huge fast-food chain with a questionable menu. The boycott takes off and Frankie's gets concerned. The company's lawyers threaten Ian and his friends and try to force them to stop the boycott. Ian must convince others that the boycott is a good idea. Can Ian stand up for what he believes in? Can you take on a corporate behemoth and win?
Every Move
by Peter McpheeEdgy and suspenseful young adult fiction that explores topics teens want to read about. It begins with a chance encounter: teenage Emily and her friends come to the aid of a stranger who is being bullied by a gang. Emily forgets about the incident, but the young man she helped becomes fixated on her. Only when her real love interest is attacked does she begin to understand that the stranger's interest in her has become a full-blown obsession. Every Move is a realistic but chilling look at this threatening and all-too-common form of harassment.
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.
Rebound
by Adrienne MercerAll C.J. has ever wanted is to play basketball--one day pro basketball. Already in grade nine she's the captain of her high school team in Naskup, British Columbia. But her success comes at a price: her teammate Debi can't accept someone so young as captain, and is making C.J.'s life as difficult as possible. To make matters much worse, one morning she wakes up and is barely able to get out of bed. When her doctor tells her she has arthritis, she worries whether she deserves to be captain. Recognizing her new limitations, however, she comes to truly understand teamwork, and becomes the leader her coaches knew she could be. Rebound is the story of how one young athlete overcomes adversity to become a better player, and a better person.
The Bonemender's Oath
by Holly BennettIn this sequel to the Bonemender, Gabrielle and her brother Tristan fight to keep safe those they care for and to find a place for love in their lives.
Home Invasion
by Monique PolakJosh is less than thrilled that he has a new stepfather, and finds his personal habits and his personality irritating. When his mother leaves town, Josh is left to spend a week alone with Clay. Resenting his new living arrangements and his unorthodox home life, Josh finds himself drawn to the idea of a "regular" family and, on a whim, sneaks into a neighbor's house to see how others live. When another opportunity arises to be a fly on the wall, Josh takes it and finds himself becoming bolder. Considering it a harmless pastime, Josh continues entering people's houses, until he is witness to a violent home invasion. Josh must use all his courage to save himself and bring the home invader to justice.
Boot Camp
by Eric Walters and Jerome Williams and Johnnie Williams IIINick and Kia learn that teamwork can be more important than talent.
Klepto
by Lori WeberKat's sister Hannah is about to return from a home for troubled teens. Her parents can't wait for the big day, and everyone is determined to find out what went wrong with Hannah and make things right -- everyone except Kat, that is. Kat dreads going back to a life dominated by here sister's tantrums and wild escapades. The only place she feels in control is at the mall, where everything she wants is at her fingertips and no one is better at the art of stealing. As Hannah's return nears, Kat's shoplifting escalates into a full-blown addiction -- with dangerous consequences.
Out
by Sandra DierschAfter several shocking events, Alex must decide where his loyalties and beliefs lie.
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.
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.
Death on the River
by John WilsonSurviving prison camp is one thing, but can Jake survive his trip home?
Something Girl
by Beth GoobieSophie is in a lot of trouble. She is on probation for stealing and is doing poorly at school. Her mom doesn't really talk to her, and the other adults in her life are pressuring Sophie to talk about her bruises. Sophie worries that if she tells, she will be sent to live in a group home. Her friend Jujube is the only person who knows the truth, and now Jujube, too, wants Sophie to speak up.
Spoiled Rotten
by Dayle Campbell GaetzJessica loves her yearly backpacking trip with her father, but this year everything has changed. This year Jessica has to share her vacation with her new stepmother and her spoiled new stepsister, Amy. Jessica tries to salvage her holiday by sneaking off for a day hike alone, but Amy follows. Jessica is certain that Amy will ruin the day. Amy rises to the challenge of the rigourous hike and Jessica learns that Amy is not as spoiled as she thought. When Amy is injured and night falls, Jessica must face the challenge of hiking through bear country in the dark.
The Shadow Road
by K. V. JohansenIn Book Four of the Warlocks of Talverdin series, half human warlock Nethin is abducted and forced to use his formidable powers to open the shadow road, an action that may have terrible consequences beyond anyone's imagining.
Hockey Heat Wave
by C. A. ForsythMitch Stevens is keen to spend July at a hockey camp in Muskoka--half the time on the ice, and the other half drinking in the sun on the lake. But things start to go wrong right away: his best pal Zack is assigned to a different cabin, and then Zack makes friends with Mitch's worst enemy, Eddie. As they all struggle to make the camp select team, Zack faces a crisis that brings the friends back together--closer than ever. Hockey Heat Wave shows how young hockey players' ambitions can strain friendships--and make them stronger.
Offside!
by Sandra DierschAlecia' s Vancouver soccer team, the Burrards, are a good, hard-fighting squad--her teammates are her friends and her coach is her loving step-dad.When Lexi, a new kid, joins the team, her bad attitude makes things fall apart fast. Alecia decides to find out what makes Lexi so difficult, and to hold the team together, on the field and off."Offside! shows how embracing unexpected change can make teams, and players, stronger.
Gool
by Maurice GeeThe gool cannot be seen, not properly, but Xantee, Lo and their friends sense its evil presence. It lurks in the jungle in rock clefts, an enemy from outside nature. And now a fragment of gool grips Hari by the throat, draining the life from him. They can hold it back with the force of their minds, but for how long? Xantee, Lo and Duro set out on a perilous mission to find the Dog King Tarl, Hari's father, and the ruined city of Belong. Can he help them find the source of the gool? Will they find it in time? And do they have the strength to destroy the mother gool to rid the world of this life-sucking force? Want more Gool? Visit www. salt-the-trilogy. comto read excerpts from each book in the Salt Trilogy and learn more about Maurice Gee.
Crossbow
by Dayle Campbell GaetzFourteen-year-old Matt has only one goal in life: to become a hermit. He has no use for school, but he loves the solitude of the forest. When he hikes up to the cabin he built for himself, he discovers a mysterious stranger named Forrest has moved in. At first Matt doesn't connect Forrest's appearance with the rash of local robberies. Forrest seems to be the perfect hermit, and he teaches Matt the skills he needs to achieve his goal, including how to hunt with a crossbow. But when Forrest tries to kill an endangered Roosevelt elk, Matt questions the ethics of his new friend. When Matt discovers a stolen rifle in his cabin, he finds himself trapped in a dangerous situation.
Rookie Season
by Jacqueline GuestLeigh Aberdeen is determined to win the hockey championship with a new, all-girls team, the Chinooks. So when the coach adds a know-it-all boy to the mix, Leigh is furious. To make matters worse, the team goalie -- Leigh's best friend -- starts mysteriously dropping out from practices just as the Chinooks show they can win. With humour, action, and suspense, Jacqueline Guest weaves these threads together to their surprising conclusion.
Bang
by Norah McclintockAfter a robbery goes terribly wrong, Quentin is framed for murder.
(Orca Soundings)