Orca Soundings

Sixteen-year-old Charlie Abbott lives with her father, a once-brilliant mathematician subject to mood swings and depressive episodes. Making sure her dad gets out of bed and takes his meds is part of Charlie's daily routine, but lately she's been distracted by her crush, Lachlan. Her grades are slipping and her mom is starting to ask questions. When Lachlan finally asks her out, Charlie is over the moon-until she realizes that her father has disappeared. With only a note to go on, Charlie begins to retrace her father's steps. Along the way, she meets people who help her understand not only where he might be but also who he really is. As she discovers the truth, her search takes on greater urgency and scope. 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: • With its confronting look at mental illness in a parent, this book depicts a strong, compassionate heroine in a story that is part family drama and part wilderness adventure. • The mild romantic subplot and tension caused by family secrecy are balanced with a and hopeful yet realistic conclusion. • Matt Beam is the Toronto-based author of four YA and middle-grade novels and a teacher specializing in dyslexia. • Enhanced features (dyslexia-friendly font, cream paper, larger trim size) to increase reading accessibility for dyslexic and other striving readers. Sixteen-year-old Charlie Abbott feels responsible for her father's mental health. When he takes off to go canoeing at a remote lake after a period of depression, she fears he's planning suicide, and goes after him. Matt Beam is a writer, educator and photographer. He has written four YA and middle-grade novels, and published two photographic picture books. Matt has lived in several countries, including Guatemala, New Zealand and Australia, and in Vancouver, British Columbia. He now teaches at an elementary school dedicated to teaching students with dyslexia. He lives in Toronto with his family. Orca Soundings are short, high-interest novels written specifically for teens. These edgy stories with compelling characters and gripping storylines are ones they will want to read. Reading levels from grade 2.0 to 4.5. Interest level ages 12+. Things just aren't adding up anymore

Sixteen-year-old Maya has been best friends with Plum ever since they were kids. Plum's dad, Ross Kenner, is a rock star, and his band has risen to fame in the six years since he left his wife and daughter behind. But now he's back to record an album and is hoping to see Plum again. Maya goes with Plum to meet Ross for dinner two nights running, loving the fancy food, celebrity gossip and especially the limo ride home. But then Ross kisses Maya, and the limo driver catches a moment on his phone that is not quite "appropriate". The photo circulates, causing trouble for everyone. Maya herself doesn't quite know how to feel. It was the best kiss she ever had, so is she a victim or not? 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 • With its setting of the popular music milieu, this is a realistic look at grooming and inappropriate relationships and the temptations of glamor, wealth and fame. • The book includes a strong, principled protagonist, a strong female friendship and positive adult female characters in a very realistic portrayal of teens with all their confused feelings and insecurities. • Despite the inappropriate kiss, the main character refuses to see herself as a victim, instead acknowledging that the blame should be put entirely on Plum's adult father. • Marthe Jocelyn is the award-winning author and illustrator of over fifty books for babies, kids and teens. Her illustrated books have been shortlisted for both the Governor General's Literary Award and the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award. In 2009 she was the recipient of the prestigious Vicky Metcalf Award for her body of work. • 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 Maya's life is thrown off-balance when the rock-star father of her best friend kisses her in the back of a limo. Marthe Jocelyn is the award-winning author and illustrator of nearly fifty books for babies, kids and teens. Her illustrated books have been shortlisted for both the Governor General's Literary Award and the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award. In 2009 she was the recipient of the prestigious Vicky Metcalf Award for her distinguished body of work. Orca Soundings are short, high-interest novels written specifically for teens. These edgy stories with compelling characters and gripping storylines are ones they will want to read. Reading levels from grade 2.0 to 4.5. Interest level ages 12+. What. Just. Happened?

Fifteen-year-old Allie Lau is not excited to attend Heartwood Academy, a posh boarding school deep in a remote forest. Subject to the whims of senior students, Allie faces an initiation ritual called the test, which requires her and other new students to spend the entire night in the forest. The senior students warn that a ghost lurks in the woods, preying on those who trespass. Allie braves the test, but when she accidentally kicks over a gravestone in an overgrown burial site, she finds herself pursued by some kind of zombie. 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 • Fifteen-year-old Allie finds herself at a boarding school where hazing turns into haunting during an overnight initiation called the test. • The book blends horror and dark academia to create a genuinely scary and suspenseful story with a dark ending in line with current horror trends. • Allie is a well-rounded, feisty rebel character who stands up for herself and will have readers rooting for her. • Author Marty Chan is an award-winning author who tours schools and libraries across Canada, using storytelling, magic, and improvisation to inspire young people's passion for reading. He is the author of Haunted Hospital, which was a CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens selection. • Enhanced features (highly-readable 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, fifteen-year-old Allie must spend the night in a haunted forest when the senior students at her new school force her into an initiation ritual. Marty Chan is a prolific writer and award-winning author of over twenty books, including Cosplay Crime, Kung Fu Master and Haunted Hospital in the Orca Currents line, Dragon on the Loose, Izzy Wong's Nose for News and the award-winning Marty Chan Mystery series. As a virtual presenter, Marty has traveled the world without ever leaving his basement studio. He's presented to students in Japan, London, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Mexico. Marty also tours schools and libraries across Canada, using storytelling, stage magic and improv to ignite a passion for reading and writing in kids. He lives in Edmonton with his partner and two cats. Orca Soundings are short, high-interest novels written specifically for teens. These edgy stories with compelling characters and gripping storylines are ones they will want to read. Reading levels from grade 2.0 to 4.5. Interest level ages 12+. Three Hearts Forever "Chan's paranormal mystery, which is designed to be accessible to dyslexic and striving readers, is compulsively readable, begging to be finished in a single sitting, with its breakneck pacing ratcheted by the escalating tension and healthy dose of red herrings. Fans of dark academia may think they have the ending figured out, but it should sufficiently shock even the most seasoned veteran of the genre-along with the healthy splashes of gore. Fresh, pulse-pounding, and page-turning."

Q: If you were stranded on a deserted island, how would you survive? A: I wouldn't. Zoe Harmon doesn't remember what life was like before she had type one diabetes. Her insulin pump feels like a body part now-just one she has to think about a little more than she thinks about her kidneys or her liver. Yeah, it's annoying sometimes, but it sure beats being dead. When she begrudgingly accepts a ride to a school camp from her former best friend, Vic Niels, a crash sends them flying off a remote mountain road. Stranded without her phone or insulin, Zoe is forced to team up with Vic in order to save her own life. And his. Twenty-four hours stuck with Vic? Fine. But twenty-four hours without insulin? This could get deadly. 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: • Diabetic teen Zoe Harmon races against time and low insulin when she and a former friend have a car accident on a remote mountain road. • A realistic portrayal of a determined teen with type 1 diabetes by an author with T1D. • The mountain setting and dangerous circumstances make this quick read a high-stakes survival story. Includes lots of facts about T1D and survival. • A subtle friends to enemies to friends to lovers subplot will appeal to readers. • Melinda Di Lorenzo is the author of over 30 books, including three other books in the Orca Soundings series. • Enhanced features (highly-readable 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, diabetic teen Zoe Harmon races against time and low insulin when she and a classmate have a car accident on a remote mountain road. Melinda Di Lorenzo has been writing professionally for more than a decade and is the author of Counting Scars, Racing Hearts and Normal Kids in the Orca Soundings line. She is the bestselling author of more than 30 books. Melinda lives in the lower mainland in BC, where she finds plenty of inspiration. Orca Soundings are short, high-interest novels written specifically for teens. These edgy stories with compelling characters and gripping storylines are ones they will want to read. Reading levels from grade 2.0 to 4.5. Interest level ages 12+. Surviving the crash was the easy part. "A broad spectrum of plots to be sure! There is a story for almost any taste in this varied selection." "With compact, plot-driven chapters and realistic tee dialogue geared toward reluctant readers, this thrilling survival story has Zoe facing one calamity after another. As someone living with Type 1 diabetes, Di Lorenzo lends an authentic voice, providing ample information about navigating an invisible disability while also tackling topics such as mixed feelings over the loss of friendship and the rekindling of romantic feelings. A highly engaging, nail-biting adventure with much-needed representation and a touch of romance."

Kira is best friends with Brigid, a girl who has the strange ability to take someone's hand and visit the past lives of their ancestors. When an accident kills Laney while Brigid was giving her a "reading," Brigid becomes trapped in the past. Doctors think Brigid is in a coma but Kira knows she must find a way to save her. She discovers that the only way to pull Brigid out of the trance is to connect her to one of Laney's blood relatives. The only problem? Laney was adopted. With the help of Laney's family friend, Kira must track down the truth about Laney's birth family before it's too late. 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: • This story explores speculative fiction grounded in a real-world setting, which works well in a short format and will appeal to reluctant readers. • A strong female friendship between two independent and entrepreneurial girls forms the basis of this story. • The high-concept idea is in line with popular media such as Stranger Things and Peripheral. • The book has many different discussion points and includes themes of responsibility, grief, psychic powers, religion, conflict, family history and romance. • Enhanced features (highly-readable font, cream paper, larger trim size) to increase reading accessibility for dyslexic and other striving readers. • K.L. Denman is the author of the Orca Currents titles Destination Human and Agent Angus. In this high-interest accessible novel for teen readers, Kira races against the clock to find a way to save her friend Brigid, who is trapped in a telepathic trance. K.L. Denman is an author of middle grade, YA and adult fiction. Many of her titles have been nominated for literary awards, including Me, Myself and Ike, which was a finalist for the Governor General's Literary Award. She began her writing career as a contributor to her school newspaper but didn't take it up seriously until many years later when she found her true passion in writing fiction. She is the author of Orca Currents titles Mirror Image and Agent Angus. She lives in Delta, British Columbia. Orca Soundings are short, high-interest novels written specifically for teens. These edgy stories with compelling characters and gripping storylines are ones they will want to read. Reading levels from grade 2.0 to 4.5. Interest level ages 12+. Secrets can be deadly "A broad spectrum of plots to be sure! There is a story for almost any taste in this varied selection." "This story for reluctant readers features an intriguing premise." "The accessible prose services the book's breakneck speed. The language is straightforward, thought-provoking, and often beautiful…Action and intrigue dominate the novel, which features constant excitement and shifting momentum from beginning to end. A captivating novel about the myriad lasting impacts of generational trauma."

Kira is best friends with Brigid, a girl who has the strange ability to take someone's hand and visit the past lives of their ancestors. When an accident kills Laney while Brigid was giving her a "reading," Brigid becomes trapped in the past. Doctors think Brigid is in a coma but Kira knows she must find a way to save her. She discovers that the only way to pull Brigid out of the trance is to connect her to one of Laney's blood relatives. The only problem? Laney was adopted. With the help of Laney's family friend, Kira must track down the truth about Laney's birth family before it's too late. 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: • This story explores speculative fiction grounded in a real-world setting, which works well in a short format and will appeal to reluctant readers. • A strong female friendship between two independent and entrepreneurial girls forms the basis of this story. • The high-concept idea is in line with popular media such as Stranger Things and Peripheral. • The book has many different discussion points and includes themes of responsibility, grief, psychic powers, religion, conflict, family history and romance. • Enhanced features (highly-readable font, cream paper, larger trim size) to increase reading accessibility for dyslexic and other striving readers. • K.L. Denman is the author of the Orca Currents titles Destination Human and Agent Angus. In this high-interest accessible novel for teen readers, Kira races against the clock to find a way to save her friend Brigid, who is trapped in a telepathic trance. K.L. Denman is an author of middle grade, YA and adult fiction. Many of her titles have been nominated for literary awards, including Me, Myself and Ike, which was a finalist for the Governor General's Literary Award. She began her writing career as a contributor to her school newspaper but didn't take it up seriously until many years later when she found her true passion in writing fiction. She is the author of Orca Currents titles Destination Human and Agent Angus. She lives in Delta, British Columbia. Orca Soundings are short, high-interest novels written specifically for teens. These edgy stories with compelling characters and gripping storylines are ones they will want to read. Reading levels from grade 2.0 to 4.5. Interest level ages 12+. Secrets can be deadly "A broad spectrum of plots to be sure! There is a story for almost any taste in this varied selection." "This story for reluctant readers features an intriguing premise." "The accessible prose services the book's breakneck speed. The language is straightforward, thought-provoking, and often beautiful…Action and intrigue dominate the novel, which features constant excitement and shifting momentum from beginning to end. A captivating novel about the myriad lasting impacts of generational trauma."

In this high-interest accessible novel for teen readers, eighteen-year-old Jake is targeted by a crime boss after he unwittingly helps a teen girl break into a houseboat. Be careful who you trust It's the first week of summer and former army brat Jake Ballard is spending it alone at his uncle's cottage while his mom gets treatment for PTSD. Jake's boring day gets flipped upside down when a beautiful stranger asks him to help play a prank on her friends. But when an angry crime boss turns up at the cottage the next morning, Jake is sure of two things: the night before was a big mistake, and that girl was no prankster. And she is nowhere to be found. Jake has twenty-four hours to return the stolen goods...or else. He has no other choice but to find the girl-and hopefully not find himself in any more trouble than he's already in. Key selling points: • A cunning, ethical and savvy teen boy finds himself tricked into a houseboat burglary and in hot water with a crime boss in this action-packed "reluctant detective" story for teens that is set in cottage country and reminiscent of the Alex Rider and Jack Reacher storylines. • This book offers a glimpse into the life of a military kid, as Jake's mother had served with the armed forces and is getting treatment for her PTSD. • The manuscript was reviewed by retired master corporal Natalie Forcier, who was a medical technician in the Canadian Armed Forces. • Sigmund Brouwer is the award-winning author of over 100 books for young readers, and he has written many hi-lo novels, including Trapped (Orca Anchor), Escalate (Orca Soundings) and Wired (Orca Currents). Orca Soundings are short, high-interest novels written specifically for teens. These edgy stories with compelling characters and gripping storylines are ones they will want to read. Reading levels from grade 2.0 to 4.5. Interest level ages 12+. Sigmund Brouwer is the award-winning author of over 100 books for young readers, with close to four million books in print. He has won the Christy Book of the Year and an Arthur Ellis Award, and had books nominated for the TD Canadian Children's Literature Award (twice) and the Red Maple Award. For years, Sigmund has captivated students with his Rock & Roll Literacy Show and Story Ninja program during his school visits, reaching up to eighty thousand students per year. His many books in the Orca Sports and Orca Currents lines have changed the lives of countless striving readers. Sigmund lives in Red Deer, Alberta. "A teenage boy inadvertently crosses dangerous people in this pulse-pounding thriller…Short chapters and thrilling action scenes render this book compulsively readable, while the dialogue is realistic and snappy...A quick, engrossing pick that's ideal for reluctant readers."

Q: If you were stranded on a deserted island, how would you survive? A: I wouldn't. Zoe Harmon doesn't remember what life was like before she had type one diabetes. Her insulin pump feels like a body part now-just one she has to think about a little more than she thinks about her kidneys or her liver. Yeah, it's annoying sometimes, but it sure beats being dead. When she begrudgingly accepts a ride to a school camp from her former best friend, Vic Niels, a crash sends them flying off a remote mountain road. Stranded without her phone or insulin, Zoe is forced to team up with Vic in order to save her own life. And his. Twenty-four hours stuck with Vic? Fine. But twenty-four hours without insulin? This could get deadly. 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: • Diabetic teen Zoe Harmon races against time and low insulin when she and a former friend have a car accident on a remote mountain road. • A realistic portrayal of a determined teen with type 1 diabetes by an author with T1D. • The mountain setting and dangerous circumstances make this quick read a high-stakes survival story. Includes lots of facts about T1D and survival. • A subtle friends to enemies to friends to lovers subplot will appeal to readers. • Melinda Di Lorenzo is the author of over 30 books, including three other books in the Orca Soundings series. • Enhanced features (highly-readable 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, diabetic teen Zoe Harmon races against time and low insulin when she and a classmate have a car accident on a remote mountain road. Melinda Di Lorenzo has been writing professionally for more than a decade and is the author of Counting Scars, Racing Hearts and Normal Kids in the Orca Soundings line. She is the bestselling author of more than 30 books. Melinda lives in the lower mainland in BC, where she finds plenty of inspiration. Orca Soundings are short, high-interest novels written specifically for teens. These edgy stories with compelling characters and gripping storylines are ones they will want to read. Reading levels from grade 2.0 to 4.5. Interest level ages 12+. Surviving the crash was the easy part. "A broad spectrum of plots to be sure! There is a story for almost any taste in this varied selection." "With compact, plot-driven chapters and realistic tee dialogue geared toward reluctant readers, this thrilling survival story has Zoe facing one calamity after another. As someone living with Type 1 diabetes, Di Lorenzo lends an authentic voice, providing ample information about navigating an invisible disability while also tackling topics such as mixed feelings over the loss of friendship and the rekindling of romantic feelings. A highly engaging, nail-biting adventure with much-needed representation and a touch of romance."