EBOOK
About
Noah is used to being a straight-A student, swim champ and all-around easy kid.
But things haven't been the same since Noah's older brother Jamie ran away to Halifax, leaving only a note behind. His parents spend every free second on the phone or driving to Halifax to try to find Jamie, and Noah is left trying to mask his anxiety and grief by pretending to be the perfect son who does everything right. But inside he feels like crying and gets a knot in his stomach whenever he thinks of Jamie.
Some warmth returns to their home when Grandma Aisling comes to stay, bringing her fiddle and her genius for making chocolate cake with her. At school, funny and kind Alysha joins his class and Noah has a new friend to distract him from his worries. When a swim competition is announced with the grand prize being a trip to Halifax, Noah knows he has to win it so he can go to Halifax himself-and get Jamie back.
Key Selling Points
• After Noah's older brother runs away to Halifax, Noah tries to keep being the good, dependable kid he has always been so his parents don't have more to worry about-but after his anxiety escalates, he decides to take off alone and find his brother himself.
• This story takes on the immediate aftermath of a family trauma (in this case, a runaway child) and shows how difficult it is for those left behind, particularly focusing on how a sibling can get lost in the chaos-but also shows the positive resolution of the parents realizing their oversights.
• Shows how an athletic pursuit like swimming can help someone like Noah get through hard times, and how resilient kids can be.
• Noah's relationship with Grandma Aisling is well-drawn and incredibly loving, a beautiful depiction of a multigenerational relationship and how important our extended family can be during tough times.
• The subplot about Noah's crush, Alysha, being gay is dealt with sensitively and with a positive tone.
• This is Rachel Schwartz-Fagan's first book.
In this moving middle-grade novel, Noah tries to be the perfect kid to keep his parents happy and his anxiety at bay after his teenage brother runs away, but he finds himself floundering and sets off to find his brother himself.
Rachel Schwartz Fagan is a storyteller and Ontario certified teacher. She holds an MPhil in children's literature and her work has been longlisted for CANSCAIP's Writing for Children Competition. As a settler in Tkaronto, Rachel works in arts and education spaces and brings a passion for facilitating creativity and environmental stewardship. Rachel is an avid zinester, and her work was nominated for the Broken Pencil Zine Awards in 2018 and 2020. She is also an emerging textile artist. In her spare time, Rachel climbs on rocks, listens to the ocean and argues with her dog. Sometimes it's hard to keep your head above water.
But things haven't been the same since Noah's older brother Jamie ran away to Halifax, leaving only a note behind. His parents spend every free second on the phone or driving to Halifax to try to find Jamie, and Noah is left trying to mask his anxiety and grief by pretending to be the perfect son who does everything right. But inside he feels like crying and gets a knot in his stomach whenever he thinks of Jamie.
Some warmth returns to their home when Grandma Aisling comes to stay, bringing her fiddle and her genius for making chocolate cake with her. At school, funny and kind Alysha joins his class and Noah has a new friend to distract him from his worries. When a swim competition is announced with the grand prize being a trip to Halifax, Noah knows he has to win it so he can go to Halifax himself-and get Jamie back.
Key Selling Points
• After Noah's older brother runs away to Halifax, Noah tries to keep being the good, dependable kid he has always been so his parents don't have more to worry about-but after his anxiety escalates, he decides to take off alone and find his brother himself.
• This story takes on the immediate aftermath of a family trauma (in this case, a runaway child) and shows how difficult it is for those left behind, particularly focusing on how a sibling can get lost in the chaos-but also shows the positive resolution of the parents realizing their oversights.
• Shows how an athletic pursuit like swimming can help someone like Noah get through hard times, and how resilient kids can be.
• Noah's relationship with Grandma Aisling is well-drawn and incredibly loving, a beautiful depiction of a multigenerational relationship and how important our extended family can be during tough times.
• The subplot about Noah's crush, Alysha, being gay is dealt with sensitively and with a positive tone.
• This is Rachel Schwartz-Fagan's first book.
In this moving middle-grade novel, Noah tries to be the perfect kid to keep his parents happy and his anxiety at bay after his teenage brother runs away, but he finds himself floundering and sets off to find his brother himself.
Rachel Schwartz Fagan is a storyteller and Ontario certified teacher. She holds an MPhil in children's literature and her work has been longlisted for CANSCAIP's Writing for Children Competition. As a settler in Tkaronto, Rachel works in arts and education spaces and brings a passion for facilitating creativity and environmental stewardship. Rachel is an avid zinester, and her work was nominated for the Broken Pencil Zine Awards in 2018 and 2020. She is also an emerging textile artist. In her spare time, Rachel climbs on rocks, listens to the ocean and argues with her dog. Sometimes it's hard to keep your head above water.