2008 White Pine Books

The Droughtlanders by Carrie Mac

Keylanders live in a world of privilege and excess, while Droughtlanders live with poverty and disease. As Eli is compelled to journey into the Droughtlands, he is followed by his twin brother Seth. Both seek different truths and both are forced to confront the realities of a world without the protection of social status and family. Despite a setting in the distant future, the novel offers challenging insights into today's world.

The End of the World as We Know It by Lesley Choyce

Nicknamed "Flunked out Academy" by its students, Farnsworth Academy is seventeen-year-old Carson Sullivan's latest school. Carson hates everything in life. His friendship with local resident Christine forces Carson to re-examine himself and the world around him.

The Blue Helmet by William Bell

After he gets caught by police during a gang initiation, Lee is dispatched to Toronto to live with his aunt. Working as a delivery boy, he meets Cutter, a former peacekeeper once posted in the war-torn Balkans. In learning Cutter's story, Lee's own attitude towards others and his perspective on the world radically change in this poignant and thought-provoking novel by William Bell.

Grist by Heather Waldorf

Sixteen-year-old Charlie is troubled. Her writing teacher has criticized her final project, her dad has a new girlfriend, and her best friend, Sam, has left for the summer. Charlie decides to head to her Grams' house up north for a break, but life becomes even more complicated as she finds romance and discovers some mind-blowing family secrets.

The Warrior’s Daughter by Holly Bennett

The Warrior's Daughter beautifully evokes a time long past by re-working and re-imagining the Irish legend of Cuchulainn. The story focuses on Luaine, Cuchulainn's daughter, as she faces an undesirable suitor, threats to her life and turmoil in her country. Feisty and resourceful, Luaine is a remarkable character whose resilience and courage will resonate with readers of all ages.

The Space Between by Don Aker

Do Jace's hot dreams of sand, sun and sex turn lukewarm when the girl, the jock, and his nine year old autistic brother get in the way of his mission to "get laid" on a Mexican holiday? Jace learns how to stay real while exploring his manhood in this humorous, heart-wrenching story.

The Song of Kahunsha by Anosh Irani

This simply written but heart-wrenching tale shows Bombay in the 1990s through the eyes of Chamdi, a ten-year-old orphan. In the face of extreme poverty and violence, he idealistically searches with his friend Guddi and her brother Sumdi for his fantasy city, "the city of no sadness" he has named Kahunsha. Chamdi's grim reality may shock readers; his ability to dream is a testament to his strength.

Keturah and Lord Death by Martine Leavitt

In medieval times, Keturah is an anything but average girl with average desires. After standing up to Lord Death himself, she finds herself torn between all that she knows and her new confidant. What she decides will affect all those surrounding her and even Lord Death himself. It's a fairytale of love, death and the ability to be extraordinary in the face of that which frightens us most.

Another Kind of Cowboy by Susan Juby

What happens when you'd rather come out of the closet than the rodeo chute? Alex Ford doesn't know yet. But with his kooky Aunt Grace, his twin sisters the ninja wannabes, his horse Turnip, and his new friend Cleo O'Shea — posh dressage rider — on his side, Alex just might find a way to be himself.

Ysabel by Guy Gavriel Kay

History, both personal and cultural, is always present as Ned Marriner discovers on a trip to France with his father. While shooting images for his father's next book, Ned quite literally falls into the compelling story of an ancient love triangle. As the pagan festival of Beltane draws near, Ned must face a past that is very much present on a night when the spirit world collides with his own.