I am a Canadian middle-grade, YA author, who's always on the lookout for a new story. I have walked into trees while watching an event unfold on a street, sat in coffee shops shamelessly listening to other people's conversations, and talked to strangers to hear their stories. In 2000 I was walking in downtown London and saw a teenage boy sitting on a bench with a hat in front of him collecting money. He became my Dylan. In front of a church in London was a pregnant girl, also collecting money. She became my Amber. I contacted youth services and researched everything I could to find out information on homeless youth. It was quite a journey.
By Barbara Haworth-Attard
Thrown out of his house by his mother, sixteen-year-old Dylan is living on the streets, trying to find his place in a dark, painful and complicated world of drugs, violence, and sex trafficking. An unflinching look at homeless youth and their struggles.
Theories of Relativity was a 2003 finalist for the Governor-General’s Award, Canada.
When you buy a book we may earn a small commission.
By Marlene Webber
Amazing non-fiction book featuring the real-life voices of homeless youth and the horrors they face from sexual exploitation to drug use, violence, and more.
I used this book for research for Theories. The stories from these kids broke my heart and made me determined to show the need for more resources for homeless youth. Leaves nothing to the imagination.
When you buy a book we may earn a small commission.
By Julie Johnston
A fictional story of Sara who is placed in foster home after foster home until she ends up with a farm family, The Huddlestons. I could feel Sara’s pain as she is rejected time after time, and feels she belongs nowhere and has no one to care for her. But I believe in hope and will not ever leave a book I have written without hope and this book did that for me. It is a touching novel of love and the meaning of family.
When you buy a book we may earn a small commission.
By L.M. Montgomery
This book has been acclaimed worldwide. Written in 1908, an orphan girl, Anne is mistakenly sent to live with the Cuthberts in PEI. I have loved this story since I first read it when I was ten years old. It is still applicable today. What really touched me is how Anne did not let circumstances tear her down and once again, it is filled with hope. I really like that she brought the understanding of family to Matthew and Marilla.
When you buy a book we may earn a small commission.
By Michel Noel
In 1959, orphaned, fifteen-year-old Nipishish, a Metis, is kicked out of a residential school and returned to his reserve in northern Quebec. But there is nothing there for him but trouble and hopelessness. He is sent to a nearby town, billeted with a white family to attend high school. That doesn’t work out well either. This is an inspiring story bringing to light native issues and once again, showing how resilience and courage can overcome prejudice and hopelessness.
When you buy a book we may earn a small commission.
By Delia Owens
This book is beautifully written with exquisite language bringing to life a lush marshland near Barkley Cove, NC, where Kya lives alone. Abandoned by her family, and the town, who call her Marsh Girl, she lives alone in a shack. She attended school for one day, but received such abuse from the other students and teachers, she never went back. This is a brilliant story about being alone and surviving, and seeing the value in self.
When you buy a book we may earn a small commission.
