Pictures

September 29, 2010December 17, 2013 | sharon

Author: Linda Aksomitis
Publisher: Heinemann Education, Reed Publishing (NZ), 2010

Sam Christos has been helping his grandpa take pictures since he was old enough to carry the camera gear. A family holiday in Saskatchewan was going to be his big chance to show Grandpa what a great nature photographer he could be. But his grandpa has been taken ill and Sam has to take the photos on his own.

Suddenly, his lens picks up what looks like a gigantic shadowy creature. But, just as he is about to press the button to take a picture, a girl jumps into the shot and it’s ruined. Can he shake her off and track down the mysterious creature again? Will he take a picture that makes Grandpa proud?

See more at Linda’s website.

Order from Pearson Education or from Linda.

Draco’s Child

September 29, 2010June 26, 2024 | sharon

Author: Sharon Plumb
Publisher: Thistledown Press, 2010 (Out of Print)
ISBN: ISBN 978-1-897235-70-6

In this young adult fantasy novel, teenage Varia lives in a settlement of transplanted humans who have escaped a polluted Earth to live on a distant planet. With half of their group missing and their crops failing, the settlers accept the help of Specto, the star child, a powerful entity who offers them survival — at a price. Varia is horrified by the strange transformation affecting the star child’s followers, but she has no idea what to do until she discovers a dragon’s egg. With a fully-grown dragon, Varia will be able to find the lost settlers and drive away the star child—but only if she can keep the dragon under control. Her quest is complicated when she too begins to change into something new. She must make difficult choices to save the settlers, the dragon, and herself.

Draco’s Child explores what it means to grow up in a hostile world where the only constant is change, and what you become depends on what you believe. The novel explores themes of making decisions and recovering from bad choices, living in harmony with nature, growing up, and responsibility to family and community.

See Reviews at Prairie Books Now, Amazon.com, goodreads, Star Phoenix, Saskatchewan Publishers Group.

Draco’s Child is out of print, but a small number of copies are still available at:

Our Little Book Shop (Saskatoon and mail order)
Penny University Bookstore (Regina and mail order)

Don’t Think Twice

September 29, 2010January 25, 2015 | sharon

Author: Alison Lohans
New Edition: Your Nickel’s Worth Publishing, 2009

ISBN 978-1-894431-35-4

Original Publisher: Thistledown Press, 1997

1967: Shy 17-year-old Jan Carlson lives in Sierra Vista, California, a conservative farming town. The Viet Nam war rages. Friends’ brothers get drafted and the daily pledge of allegiance becomes a test of conscience.

1997: Thirty years later she’s living in Canada. Worried sick about her runaway daughter, Jan writes a long letter in a desperate attempt to reach out to her. She describes falling in love with brothers Tim and Rob, a tumultuous time when irrevocable choices are made.

Read a review in CM Magazine.

Download Alison’s Dont Think Twice Curriculum Tie-ins .

Shortlisted for the CLA Young Adult Book Award, 1998
Shortlisted for the Saskatchewan Book of the Year Award, 1997, Children’s Literature Category

Price: $14.95
Purchase from Laird Books or

Your Nickel’s Worth Publishing:

or directly from Alison

Also available as an ebook for Kindle (US) and Kindle (Canada) and as a Kobo at the Kobo store.

This Land We Call Home

September 29, 2010December 17, 2013 | sharon

Author: Alison Lohans
Publisher: Heinemann Education, Reed Publishers (NZ), 2007

ISBN 978-1-86970-591-6

Winner: Saskatchewan Book Award (Young Adult category)

The attack on Pearl Harbour sends shock waves into the quiet rural world of Paula Harmon and Ken Nishimura. Their long-time friendship and the peace and safety of Ken’s farming family are threatened in the wave of anti-Japanese feeling and extreme government initiatives that follow. This novel gives the reader an immediate sense of how the range of responses from this global catastrophe affects the everyday lives of people.

Read a 4-Star Review in CM Magazine.
One of Resouce Links’ Years’ Best 2009.

Order this book from Pearson Education or from Alison.

Can You Promise Me Spring?

September 29, 2010December 17, 2013 | sharon

Author: Alison Lohans
Publisher: Scholastic Canada, 1986/1991

16-year-old Lori’s life is turned upside down when her brother is diagnosed with Hodgkins disease, and some of her friends don’t know how to deal with the news. When Cam’s grandfather is found to have terminal cancer, a special friendship is forged.

Canadian Children’s Book Centre “Our Choice” list.

Winner of the South Sask. Reading Council/Sask. Writers Guild Young Readers’ Choice Award.

Order from Alison.

Run

September 29, 2010December 17, 2013 | sharon

Author: Linda Aksomitis
Publisher: Heinemann Education, Reed Publishers (NZ), 2007

Run is about infantile paralysis (later known as polio), which the main character, Victoria, develops in her small town home in 1911. The treatment she receives from her stepmother is based on the treatment developed by an Australian nurse, Sister Kenny, during that time period. The story The Wizard of Oz is used as a motif throughout the book, with its themes of finding courage, knowledge, love, and home.

Read a 4-Star Review in CM Magazine.
One of Resouce Links’ Years’ Best 2009

Order from Pearson Education or from Linda.

River Rat

September 29, 2010December 17, 2013 | sharon

Author: Alison Lohans
Publisher: Heinemann Education, Reed Publishers (NZ), 2007

ISBN 978-1-86970-641-8

Working at his aunt and uncle’s ranch in California is the last thing Scott wants to be doing over the summer. He can’t play his on-line game, Tallinn’s Quest, his cousin Emily looks down her nose at him and his uncle seems to hold a grudge that Scott can’t quite figure out. The only good thing about summer in California is tubing down the river with the other river rats…

Read a Review in CM Magazine.

Order this book from Pearson Education or from Alison.