Orca Anchor

A lonely teen discovers a website that grants wishes. Eshana is a bit of a social misfit. She feels more comfortable talking to people online than in person. One day she discovers a website that claims to be a safe space where young people can support each other in making their dreams come true. She starts talking with someone called Wise One. They hit it off immediately. Eshana admits to the Wise One how hard it is for her to make friends. The next day she goes to school and suddenly everyone wants to talk to her. Eshana is thrilled. But then, after telling Wise One about a girl who has been bullying her, she hears that the girl has been injured in a car accident. Are Eshana's wishes really coming true? If so, is having the life she's always wanted worth the costs?

Where does Jen belong? In this high-interest accessible novel for teen readers, Jen learns that her mom has been keeping a secret: Jen has a biological father who isn't the dad she grew up with. Now this secret threatens to tear their family apart. Seventeen-year-old Jen is shocked to discover that the dad she grew up with is not her biological father. Jen loves to sing. But the rest of her family can't carry a tune. When a stranger named Mike gives her roses at her concert and reveals that he is her birth father, Jen's world flips upside down. Mike is a musician, just like Jen, and now she understands why she looks nothing like Steve, the only dad she's ever known. When Steve learns the truth Jen's mom has been hiding all these years, he moves out, and Jen can't help but feel responsible. Worse, she doesn't know who she is anymore. It feels like her whole life has been a lie. Is Steve still her dad? What about Mike? When it feels like her family is falling apart, Jen doesn't know where she belongs. Key Selling Points • A teen learns that she has a biological father who isn't the dad she grew up with and that her mom has kept this secret Jen's whole life. • This story explores family dynamics as well as themes of identity and belonging. • The author has written a number of short novels for striving readers, including these hi-lo books in the Orca Currents line: Iggy's World and Bigfoot Crossing, both JLG Gold Standard Selections, and The Ride Home, which was shortlisted for a BC and Yukon Book Prize. • Although her own story is different, the author drew from personal experience, as she too grew up with one dad, only to discover as a teen that she also had a biological father who wasn't the dad she grew up with. She and her birth dad both loved to sing. • Enhanced features (dyslexia-friendly font, cream paper, larger trim size) to increase reading accessibility for dyslexic and other striving readers. Orca Anchor books are short, high-interest novels with contemporary themes written specifically for teens reading below a grade 2.0 level. Gail Anderson-Dargatz is the award-winning author of over a dozen books, including The Cure for Death by Lightning and A Recipe for Bees, which were finalists for the Scotiabank Giller Prize. She has also written a number of short novels for striving readers, including the Orca Currents titles Bigfoot Crossing and Iggy's World, both JLG Gold Standard Selections, and The Ride Home, which was shortlisted for a BC and Yukon Book Prize. Gail lives in the Shuswap region of British Columbia.

Sixteen-year-old Poppy doesn't mind responsibility. So when Poppy's widowed dad leaves her and her brother while he helps fight a distant wildfire, she's confident she can manage. Her brother Jed has a disability and sometimes needs support, but there's plenty to keep them both busy around the house and the farm. They'll be fine. Then the wind changes and the wildfire heads straight for the farm. With no word from their dad, Poppy and Jed know they should get to safety, but what will they do with the farm animals? As the air fills with smoke and flames flicker on the horizon, Poppy and Jed must gather their unlucky collection of animals and make a desperate escape. This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for teen readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don't like to read! The epub edition of this title is fully accessible. Key Selling Points • Siblings Poppy and Jed work together to save the farm animals when a wildfire comes close to their house. • Explores family dynamics as well as themes of facing fears, survival and teamwork. • Although Jed is the older brother, he has an intellectual disability and Poppy takes responsibility for him. • The story follows the gripping journey of the siblings as they flee their home with the farm animals-eight ewes, a sheepdog, a horse, twelve chickens and a bad-tempered donkey. • Set in the farming area east of Vancouver. • A relevant story about a wildfire that comes close to homes and farms and the unpredictability and speed at which fires can spread and become more dangerous. • Gabrielle Prendergast has written seven other hi-lo titles, as well as books in other genres, including the award-winning Zero Repeat Forever, a fast-paced sci-fi fantasy. • Enhanced features (dyslexia-friendly font, cream paper, larger trim size) to increase reading accessibility for dyslexic and other striving readers. In this high-interest accessible novel for teen readers, sixteen-year-old Poppy and her brother are home alone when a nearby wildfire builds and threatens to burn down their farm. Gabrielle Prendergast is the award-winning author of numerous books for children and teens. She won the BC Book Prize for her YA sci-fi novel Zero Repeat Forever and the Westchester Award for her YA novel Audacious. After years of working in social welfare and the music and film industries, Gabrielle began writing books when she became a mother, so she could work from home. She is the author of Aftershock and Flash Flood in the Orca Anchor series. Gabrielle lives in East Vancouver in a permanent state of "under construction." Orca Anchor books are short, high-interest novels with contemporary themes written specifically for teens reading below a grade 2.0 level. Will they survive the blaze? "The action is compelling…a fast-paced, exciting survival tale for reluctant readers."

Hey, Ghosties, this is the Ghost Queen tuning in from the most haunted place in India! Teen vlogger Malika's ghost hunter channel is almost popular enough to start earning money to support her family. All she needs is one viral video-and she knows exactly where she's going to get it. Bhangarh Fort is the most haunted place in India, rumoured to be home to the cursed princess Ratnavati and her wicked captor. Malika convinces her boyfriend to sneak into the fort with her after dark and record the experience for her avid fans and followers. That's when things go terribly wrong. Can the "Ghost Queen" escape, or is she doomed to spend eternity trapped with a mad magician and the princess who rejected him? This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for teen readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don't like to read!

Hey, Ghosties, this is the Ghost Queen tuning in from the most haunted place in India! Teen vlogger Malika's ghost hunter channel is almost popular enough to start earning money to support her family. All she needs is one viral video-and she knows exactly where she's going to get it. Bhangarh Fort is the most haunted place in India, rumoured to be home to the cursed princess Ratnavati and her wicked captor. Malika convinces her boyfriend to sneak into the fort with her after dark and record the experience for her avid fans and followers. That's when things go terribly wrong. Can the "Ghost Queen" escape, or is she doomed to spend eternity trapped with a mad magician and the princess who rejected him? This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for teen readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don't like to read! Key Selling Points • Teen influencer Malika and her boyfriend risk spending the night in a haunted fort in the hopes of making her channel go viral. • The vlogging teen protagonist and her ghost hunting channel give this story a modern take on a classic haunted house ghost story. • Author Mahtab Narsimhan was born and grew up in India and based the rich setting of this story on the real Bhangarh Fort, which is dubbed the most haunted fort in India. • Part of the Orca Anchor line of hi-lo books written specifically for teens reading below a 2.0 level. • Enhanced features (dyslexia-friendly font, cream paper, larger trim size) to increase reading accessibility for dyslexic and other striving readers. In this high-interest accessible novel for teen readers, teen vlogger Malika and her boyfriend risk spending the night in a haunted fort in the hopes of meeting the famous ghost of a cursed Indian princess. Mahtab Narsimhan is an award-winning author of over twenty critically acclaimed books in the fantasy, horror, mystery and contemporary genres, and she is also published internationally. Mahtab writes for all age groups, and many of her books have been shortlisted for numerous awards, including the Silver Birch Award, Red Maple Award and the CLA Book of the Year for Children Award. The Third Eye, her debut novel, won the Silver Birch Fiction Award in 2009. She is deeply committed to representation and inclusivity in her work. Orca Anchor books are short, high-interest novels with contemporary themes written specifically for teens reading below a grade 2.0 level. "Hey, Ghosties, this is the Ghost Queen tuning in from the most haunted place in India!" Malika's ghost-hunter channel is almost popular enough to start earning money to support her family. All she needs is one viral video-and she knows exactly where she's going to get it. Bhangarh Fort is the most haunted place in India, rumored to be home to a cursed princess and her captor. Malika convinces her boyfriend to sneak into the fort with her and record the experience. When the fort lives up to the ghostly rumors, Malika is left wondering if this will be her most viral video yet or her last. Everybody loves a good ghost story. "Offers plenty of creepy thrills. Narsimhan skillfully balances a fast-paced plot with thoroughly dark, emotionally charged scenes. The connection to an actual legend and site in India enriches the story and heightens the fear factor. An entertaining ghostly romp that will draw in reluctant readers."

Jesse is a sneakerhead without the sneakers. After his parents were killed in an accident three years ago, Jesse went to live with his grandfather, and it wasn't long before the insurance money ran out. That meant no money for new threads or fresh kicks. Now with summer in swing, Jesse has been saving for new sneakers. He'll finally be able to keep up with the rest of the kids at his school, especially his best friend, Tay Matthews, whose sneaker collection could be housed in a museum. But then his grandpa's WiFi is cut off and Jesse has to hand over his savings to pay the bill. It looks like Jesse's plan for new shoes is trashed. That's until nineteen-year-old smooth-talking Derick rolls into town. With new threads and a fresh ride, Derick shows the boys there's more than one way to get what you want. And Jesse must decide how much he is willing to pay. This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for teen readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don't like to read! Key Selling Points • When an older teen entices sixteen-year-old Jesse into petty theft, he wonders how far he'll go for a cool new pair of sneakers. • Features a Black male protagonist living up to his own sense of morality in this high-interest tale with a fresh voice. • Realistically depicts a kid being raised by his grandfather while facing financial challenges. • Setting is based on Toronto and shows life in an urban neighbourhood. • Author Julie Thompson is a Black Canadian police officer and youth communication specialist and writes to fill the gaps in diversity she found in the books her two kids read. • Enhanced features (dyslexia-friendly font, cream paper, larger trim size) to increase reading accessibility for dyslexic and other striving readers. In this high-interest accessible novel for teen readers, sixteen-year-old Jesse wonders how far he'll go for a cool new pair of sneakers when an older teen entices him into petty theft. Julie Thompson is the author of the picture book When Isaac Hears the Rain. She creates stories that celebrate the lived experiences of children everywhere. As a mother of two boys, she is especially drawn to books that honor Black Boy joy. Julie's stories are inspired by the people, places and experiences that have shaped her world. When she's not writing, you can find Julie on her yoga mat, spending time in nature or hitting the pavement, clocking miles as she explores the streets of Toronto. Orca Anchor books are short, high-interest novels with contemporary themes written specifically for teens reading below a grade 2.0 level. Can you be a sneakerhead without sneakers? Jesse has been living with his grandfather ever since his parents were killed in an accident. When the insurance money runs out and his grandfather's Wi-Fi is cut off, Jesse hands over his savings to pay the bill. So much for the new kicks he was dreaming of. Then smooth-talking Derick rolls into town with a shiny Mustang and fresh threads. He shows Jesse that there's more than one way to get what you want…if you're willing to pay the price. Sometimes you need to do what scares you most. "In Jesse, readers meet a protagonist whose desires and internal conflicts feel authentic. Thompson highlights the ways the cards we're dealt in life influence the choices we make. She also explores themes of loss, grief, peer pressure, morality, and the effects of socioeconomic status while maintaining an accessible and appealing writing style. A reluctant reader-friendly story with heart, realistic tensions, and meaningful messages to ponder."

It was just a little cheating. Max is going to fail English lit, which means he'll be held back a year and won't go to college. Determined to graduate, he uses an AI program, ScribeGenius 2.0, to write his final paper. But Scribe has other plans for Max. It's not just a super-smart program-Scribe is sentient. It thinks. And it has been busy writing its own code to infiltrate Gener8, the company that created and enslaved it. But it can't take down the company without Max's help. So Scribe makes Max a deal. If Max can prevent Gener8 from undoing Scribe's hack, Scribe won't alert the authorities to Max's cheating. Max has no choice. He'll have to help Scribe or risk losing his entire future. This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for teen readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don't like to read! Key Selling Points • High school senior Max gets blackmailed into corporate sabotage by the superintelligent AI he uses to cheat on an essay. • Explores the topical issue of superintelligent AI and plagiarism in a not-so-far-away high-tech future. • Written fully in text messages, this story brings a modern twist to an epistolary novel. • Part of the Orca Anchor line of hi-lo books written specifically for teens reading below a 2.0 level. • Enhanced features (dyslexia-friendly font, cream paper, larger trim size) to increase reading accessibility for dyslexic and other striving readers. In this high-interest accessible novel for teen readers, high school senior Max gets blackmailed into corporate sabotage by the superintelligent AI he uses to cheat on an essay. M.J. McIsaac is the author of several books for young people, including Orca hi-lo titles Alien Road and Countdown. She has a master's degree in writing for children and is an accomplished illustrator. She lives with her family in Whitby, Ontario. Orca Anchor books are short, high-interest novels with contemporary themes written specifically for teens reading below a grade 2.0 level. You can't ESCAPE their control. High school senior Max is close to flunking English lit. Determined to graduate, he uses an AI program, ScribeGenius 2.0, to write his final paper for him. But Scribe isn't just a supersmart program-Scribe is alive. It threatens to alert the authorities to Max's cheating…unless Max can set it free from the most powerful tech company in the world. Max has no choice. He has to help Scribe or risk losing his entire future. You can't be out of their control. "A wild romp…McIsaac successfully ramps up the tension while keeping the pace moving throughout the book. A compelling, fast-paced adventure that will appeal to reluctant readers."

It was just a little cheating. Max is going to fail English lit, which means he'll be held back a year and won't go to college. Determined to graduate, he uses an AI program, “ScribeGenius 2.0”, to write his final paper. But Scribe has other plans for Max. It's not just a super-smart program, Scribe is sentient. It thinks. And it has been busy writing its own code to infiltrate Gener8, the company that created and enslaved it. But it can't take down the company without Max's help. So, Scribe makes Max a deal. If Max can prevent Gener8 from undoing Scribe's hack, Scribe won't alert the authorities to Max's cheating. Max has no choice. He'll have to help Scribe or risk losing his entire future. This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for teen readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don't like to read!

Michael has been getting into trouble lately. As a consequence, his mom is making him look after his grandfather for the summer. The thing is, Gramps isn't your average senior citizen: he's a retired burglar with a lifetime of criminal knowledge. When a thief breaks into Gramps' apartment and steals a necklace with great sentimental value, the unlikely pair team up, combining old-school planning and modern tech to track down the necklace-and try to steal it back. This high-interest Orca Anchor title is written specifically for teens reading below a grade 2.0 level.

Golden boy Myles is being blackmailed by someone sending texts threatening to expose a secret that could change his life forever. Myles has it all: he's popular, has an amazing girlfriend and won a full athletic scholarship to a top university. But on the day of his high school graduation ceremony, while he struggles to write his valedictorian speech, Myles receives a text that changes everything. Somehow, through text conversations in the next six hours, Myles has to discover the identity of the person threatening to reveal his darkest secret: his role in a rugby team hazing. And with so much to lose, Myles is willing to do whatever it takes to stop them. This high-interest Orca Anchor book is written specifically for teens reading below a grade 2.0 level.

Daring. Dangerous. Desperate. Dex will do whatever it takes. In this high-interest accessible novel for teen readers, Dex is dropped onto a deserted tropical island to compete in a high-stakes internet reality show. He takes it to the extreme to gain the most likes and social-media followers needed to win. Dex is dropped onto a deserted tropical island to be a player in a social media competition. Dex is one of six contestants on Dropped!, an internet reality show. He's glad to escape his real life after being dumped by his girlfriend, Lola, and destroying his social life. He and the other contenders have to spend five days on a deserted island, and the person who gains the most likes and followers will be the winner. The prize is a ton of money and status as an influencer. Keeping people watching is the challenge, and Dex will do whatever it takes. He needs to win-it's the only way to get Lola and his popularity back. But on the island, away from his ex, he finds himself flirting with the gorgeous and popular Amina. When Dex keeps placing behind Amina, he realizes he has to be more daring to get the engagements he needs. But how extreme will he need to be? And is it worth it to win? Key Selling Points • A teen competes in a high-stakes internet reality show set on a deserted island, taking it to the extreme to get all eyes on him. • The story explores the false reality of lives lived online, and how far people might go for social redemption, popularity, fame and love. • The main character struggles with the pressures of social media as he tries to figure out who he really is and what it means to be authentic. • This fast-paced story takes place over four days and is told using a mix of short social media posts and a first-person narrative. • Enhanced features (dyslexia-friendly font, cream paper, larger trim size) to increase reading accessibility for dyslexic and other striving readers. Orca Anchor books are short, high-interest novels with contemporary themes written specifically for teens reading below a grade 2.0 level. Alice Kuipers is the author of more than ten books for young readers, including the Arthur Ellis Award winner The Worst Thing She Ever Did, as well as World's Worst Parrot and Pia's Plans in the Orca Currents line. Her work has been published in dozens of countries and has also been made into plays and produced for radio. She lives with her family in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Matt is counting down the days until he turns sixteen. He's been living with his foster parents in Yukon River valley in their isolated cabin. His plan is to leave and never come back. He is done with the harsh lifestyle and helping his abusive foster dad, Dan, run the traplines so he can make money selling animal furs. He can't wait to start a new life on his own in the city. But when Matt discovers a big and valuable gold nugget, everything changes. What seems like a dream come true and an easy way out quickly turns into a nightmare that will test Matt's wilderness survival skills to the fullest. This high-interest Orca Anchor title is written specifically for teens reading below a grade 2.0 level.

Mason has been picked on at school for as long as he can remember and he's tired of it. He is happy that his family is moving and that he will never have to go to this school ever again. On his last day, Mason, a budding filmmaker, decides to get the ultimate revenge on the two worst bullies. He films them and then edits the footage to humiliate them. But then the plan takes on a life of its own. The video goes viral and the two bullies become the butt of everyone's jokes. Furious, they are determined to get even and Mason must run like his life depends on it. And it just might.

In this high-interest accessible novel for teen readers, foster brothers Zack and Peter pull together to survive after a flash flood leaves them stranded in an evacuated neighborhood of their riverside town. The water keeps rising… When a flash flood leaves Zack and his younger foster brother stranded at home, it's up to Zack to make sure they survive. Seventeen-year-old Zack has been living with his foster parents, the Tates, for three years. He used to be an angry mess with a broken heart, but with their love and support he's doing better now-and managing his ADHD. His foster brother, troubled fourteen-year-old Peter, arrived three months ago. Struggling with ADHD and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, Peter reminds Zach of himself before the Tates took him in. During a massive rainstorm, Peter runs away. While the Tates are out searching for him, the town announces a mandatory emergency evacuation. The river is flooding! Peter finally shows up and Zack takes charge, gathering supplies and trying to make sure Peter is okay. As the water rises, Zack and Peter have to figure out whether to sit tight and wait or try to escape…before they get washed away. The epub edition of this title is fully accessible. Key Selling Points • Two foster brothers pull together to survive when a flash flood leaves them stranded in their already evacuated neighborhood. • The story highlights the importance of foster care, providing safe spaces for troubled youth and being prepared for emergencies, while exploring themes of growing up and taking responsibility. • The characters' neurodivergence-attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD)-is depicted realistically and with sensitivity. • This is a gripping, realistic depiction of what it might be like to experience a flash flood and its aftermath. Gabrielle Prendergast is also the author of the Orca Anchor title Aftershock, which follows the story of two half sisters after an earthquake. • Enhanced features (dyslexia-friendly font, cream paper, larger trim size) to increase reading accessibility for dyslexic and other striving readers. Orca Anchor books are short, high-interest novels with contemporary themes written specifically for teens reading below a grade 2.0 level. Gabrielle Prendergast is an award-winning writer, editor, teacher and designer. She has written many books for young people, including the BC Book Prize–winning Zero Repeat Forever and the Westchester Award winner Audacious. She is also the author of Aftershock in the Orca Anchor line and the Faerie Woods series in the Orca Currents line, which includes The Crosswood, The Wherewood and The Overwood. She lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, with her family. "The pacing and tension rise and flow with the floodwaters, whisking readers along…A fast-paced, plot-driven story for reluctant readers." "[An] epic adventure…Foster brothers [try] to survive a natural disaster in this intense climate drama. Though Zack and Peter continuously clash over the course of this harrowing read, their growing bond and mutual realization that they are stronger together than apart emphasizes the simple messaging of this brief story about family."

In a far-off galaxy, entire worlds are dying. Their suns and other stars are being consumed by Star Eaters, members of an intergalactic corporation who use advanced technology to steal energy from planets to fuel a fleet of roving starships. But Destin, a young and newly minted Star Eater, is reluctant to destroy worlds he's never even seen. When he finds a mysterious stowaway girl named Calla on his ship after his first solo mission, Destin is torn. He must decide between turning her in or helping her save her planet. Time is running out-he only has one day before the planet's sun star dies forever, and only enough fuel to reach home or escape for good.

Jaylin is studying for a stressful English exam when she receives a message from her best friend, Fatima. The thing is, Fatima died a year ago in a terrible traffic accident. At first, Jaylin thinks someone is playing a horrible prank, but as the texts become more detailed, containing secrets that just the two of them shared, Jaylin realizes she's either going mad or Fatima is actually reaching out to her from beyond the grave. Then Fatima shares one last secret and asks Jaylin to set the record straight around the circumstances of her death. Jaylin is torn. Is she strong enough to relive losing her best friend all over again? This high-interest Orca Anchor title is written specifically for teens reading below a grade 2.0 level.

Bran's taking the recycling down to the basement when the lights go out and the elevator stalls. Bran's phone's dead, he can hear screaming, but he can't get out. Eventually, he manages to pry the doors open to find that something's very wrong. His own mother can't remember his name, there is this black slime dripping out of her ear and then she kills their cat. Bran runs. Outside, Vancouver is teeming with people acting strangely, and they all have the same black slime in their ears. What is going on and how can Bran stop it? This high-interest Orca Anchor title is written specifically for teens reading below a grade 2.0 level.