"This straightforward approach lends legitimacy to the novel’s final act, one that in lesser hands would come off as over-the-top pulp nonsense. A smartly plotted examination of the despair that keeps people in their places and the hope that pulls them out of it." -Kirkus Reviews
"The themes of the book may seem harsh, but they are realistic and timely, and Nelson is a thoughtful and understanding author who shows readers that her characters are multi-faceted and trying to do their best when faced with tough situations and even tougher life decisions." - 4 Stars, CM Reviews
Fifteen-year-old Jakub Kaminsky is the son of Polish immigrants, a good Catholic boy, and a graffiti artist. While his father sleeps, Jakub and his best friend, Lincoln, sneak out with spray paint to make their mark as Morf and Skar.
When Jakub gets a scholarship to an elite private school, he knows it’s his chance for a better life. But it means leaving Lincoln and the neighbourhood he calls home.
While Jakub’s future is looking bright, Lincoln’s gets shady as he is lured into his brother’s gang. Jakub watches helplessly as Lincoln gets pulled deeper into the violent world of the Red Bloodz. The Red Bloodz find out Jakub knows more than he should about a murder and want him silenced — for good. Lincoln has to either save his friend, or embrace life as one of the Red Bloodz
"The themes of the book may seem harsh, but they are realistic and timely, and Nelson is a thoughtful and understanding author who shows readers that her characters are multi-faceted and trying to do their best when faced with tough situations and even tougher life decisions." - 4 Stars, CM Reviews
Fifteen-year-old Jakub Kaminsky is the son of Polish immigrants, a good Catholic boy, and a graffiti artist. While his father sleeps, Jakub and his best friend, Lincoln, sneak out with spray paint to make their mark as Morf and Skar.
When Jakub gets a scholarship to an elite private school, he knows it’s his chance for a better life. But it means leaving Lincoln and the neighbourhood he calls home.
While Jakub’s future is looking bright, Lincoln’s gets shady as he is lured into his brother’s gang. Jakub watches helplessly as Lincoln gets pulled deeper into the violent world of the Red Bloodz. The Red Bloodz find out Jakub knows more than he should about a murder and want him silenced — for good. Lincoln has to either save his friend, or embrace life as one of the Red Bloodz
"Both heartbreaking and hopeful, this will be a popular choice among mature readers of realistic fiction, particularly fans of Ellen Hopkins’s “Crank” series."-Starred Review, Resource Links
Hope leaves her small town for a fresh start, but her plans are derailed by an online romance and the appearance of her brother.
Hope lives in a small town with nothing to do and nowhere to go. With a drug addict for a brother, she focuses on the only thing that keeps her sane, writing poetry. To escape, she jumps at the chance to attend Ravenhurst Academy as a boarding student. She’ll even put up with the clique-ish Ravens if it means making a fresh start.
At first, Ravenhurst is better than Hope could have dreamed. She has a boyfriend and a cool roommate, and she might finally have found a place she can fit in. But can she trust her online boyfriend? And what can she do after her brother shows up at the school gates, desperate for help, and the Ravens turn on her? Trapped and unsure, Hope realizes that if she wants to save her brother, she has to save herself first.
Hope lives in a small town with nothing to do and nowhere to go. With a drug addict for a brother, she focuses on the only thing that keeps her sane, writing poetry. To escape, she jumps at the chance to attend Ravenhurst Academy as a boarding student. She’ll even put up with the clique-ish Ravens if it means making a fresh start.
At first, Ravenhurst is better than Hope could have dreamed. She has a boyfriend and a cool roommate, and she might finally have found a place she can fit in. But can she trust her online boyfriend? And what can she do after her brother shows up at the school gates, desperate for help, and the Ravens turn on her? Trapped and unsure, Hope realizes that if she wants to save her brother, she has to save herself first.
- Selected as a Best Book for Teens by Canadian Children's Book Center, Fall 2016
- Starred Review School Library Journal
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Jess and Sara Jean couldn’t be more different. He’s a loner with a criminal record; a Metis boy raised on the Goosefeather Reserve and the son of a residential school survivor. She’s from nearby Edelburg, a conservative prairie town. Abandoned by her mother as a baby, and caregiver to her morbidly obese grandmother, Sara Jean is desperate to escape the town she’s lived in her whole life and the future she sees mapped out in front of her. When Jess is found guilty of arson, he’s ordered to complete 250 hours of community service. His first job is cleaning out Sara Jean’s neglected garage. Sorting through boxes left by her grandfather, they discover dark secrets about Jess’s father and the residential school. As Sara Jean and Jess unravel the twisted legacy of the residential school, they realize it has scarred generations. Until peace is made with the past, no one can move forward.
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Before Luke came into his life, all Ben cared about was skateboarding, and whether his father would ever remember that he was alive. Then there was Luke, and it felt like he was being carried along on some sort of wave. But then Luke died, and everyone at school thinks it’s his fault. Maybe it is.
The Fall charts the lives of three boys as they deal with the death of their friend and brother. One turns to alcohol to escape his guilt. Another looks to a gang to replace what he’s lost. Ben needs to find a way to reconcile his role in Luke’s death and prove that he was not to blame. He must also learn that the man he will become is his to define. Available from Great Plains Books
Praise for 'The Fall' from Canadian Children's Book News, Autumn 2013
"In her second novel for young adults, Nelson masterfully explores the ways in which boys cope with tragedy and grief...The novel is perfectly paced, and the seriousness of the issues such as abuse, bullying and alcoholism are offset by lighter action
scenes describing Ben’s skateboarding tricks. Covering ground seldom seen in YA literature, this novel is one that will generate discussion and is a necessary addition to any high school classroom shelf."
The Fall charts the lives of three boys as they deal with the death of their friend and brother. One turns to alcohol to escape his guilt. Another looks to a gang to replace what he’s lost. Ben needs to find a way to reconcile his role in Luke’s death and prove that he was not to blame. He must also learn that the man he will become is his to define. Available from Great Plains Books
- Shortlist Selection for the Ontario Library Association's 2014 White Pine Award
- Winner of 2014 McNally Robinson Book of the Year for Young People
- Selected as a Canadian Children's Book Centre '2013 Best Books for Teens'
Praise for 'The Fall' from Canadian Children's Book News, Autumn 2013
"In her second novel for young adults, Nelson masterfully explores the ways in which boys cope with tragedy and grief...The novel is perfectly paced, and the seriousness of the issues such as abuse, bullying and alcoholism are offset by lighter action
scenes describing Ben’s skateboarding tricks. Covering ground seldom seen in YA literature, this novel is one that will generate discussion and is a necessary addition to any high school classroom shelf."
