Most Popular Books by Lesley Choyce

Sixteen-year-old Cody was born and raised “off the grid” deep in the wilderness by idealistic parents. When his father becomes seriously ill, the family is forced to move into the city so he can get treatment. Attending high school for the first time, Cody is an oddity and has a hard time adjusting. He finds unlikely allies in DeMarco, an inner-city kid, and Ernest, a philosophical homeless man, and he begins a tentative friendship with Alexis. u003cbru003e    When he comes to DeMarco’s defense in an altercation at school, Cody finds himself in trouble with the police. A second confrontation puts Cody in more trouble with the cops, and he is convinced he must escape to the family homestead or be arrested. But Cody is torn between fleeing the city or staying with his ailing father and facing whatever consequences come his way.u003cpu003e

Josh knows he''s riding recklessly when he knocks down the old man he suspects is the hermit of Loggerman Creek. Josh is shocked when the hermit walks into the forest with his bike after the accident. Being without his beloved bike for a week motivates him to hike into the woods and confront the crazy old man. The hermit, Jonathan, has fixed Josh''s bike, and Josh learns that he has more in common with the old man than he ever imagined. When Jonathan needs help, Josh has to respect the old man''s choices in order to save his life. This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade 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.

For Sylvie, Ragged Island - and the whales who swam around it - is the only world she has ever known. It is the place where she was born and raised, where she lived with her four late husbands, and where she plans to live out her remaining years. It is also the home to a community whose love for the island is immense. But when the Nova Scotia government decides to shut down the ferry service that is the lifeblood of Ragged Island, the residents see their world beginning to disappear. Sea of Tranquility is the lyrical and moving story of an island struggling to survive. Lesley Choyce’s seventh novel, it contains the elements for which the author is known: engaging characters, page-turning storyline, and uproarious humour. Choyce is in top form.

Cameron has been in trouble with the law more than once for breaking and entering. After Cameron''s latest conviction, he''s sent to an outdoor program for young offenders rather than a standard juvenile detention facility. There he meets Brianna, a girl who has been caught selling drugs at her school. They bond quickly, and she convinces Cameron to steal two sea kayaks and head off with her into the wilderness of bays and coves of Nova Scotia''s Eastern Shore. It''s a fearless but ill-timed escape as a hurricane is about to pound the coast. They must use all their courage and newfound survival skills if they are going to make it back to shore alive. And Cameron suspects that Brianna may not be telling him the truth about her real plans. 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!

Everyone has a weakness.

Short-listed for the 2005 CLA Young Adult Canadian Book Award Sixteen-year-old Simon has always been considered odd. Three years ago, a skateboarding accident caused some minor brain damage and made him a little stranger. His career-driven parents mostly leave him alone, and he spends much of his time living in his imagination. When Andrea, whom no one else can see, appears to Simon in class, he is fascinated by her and strikes up a friendship, even though he knows she may be pure hallucination - he’s had imaginary friends before. Andrea says she is there to "help" him, but before the story ends, Simon discovers that it is he who needs to help Andrea, not the other way around.

Key Selling Points In The Rules Have Changed, a teenage boy is shocked to learn that a lot has changed in the three years he’s been away. The book is set in a modern not-as-dystopian-as-one-might-think North American high school and is the author''s commentary on the possible impact of the actions of the current US government. In this book themes of rebellion, governmental control and xenophobia are explored. The author has written many titles in the Orca Soundings line, including The Ledge, The Thing You''re Good At and Kryptonite. New, enhanced features (dyslexia-friendly font, cream paper, larger trim size) to increase reading accessibility for dyslexic and other striving readers.

Just when sixteen-year-old Cameron thinks he''s going to straighten out his troubled life, his parents break up and he ends up living on the street with his dog, Ozzie. Cameron meets a girl named Mackenzie, who has been sleeping in a pup tent in the park. With her help, he tries to survive on the street and continue with school, despite the new challenges in his life. Finding a safe place for them to crash at night is difficult, and panhandling for money isn''t as easy as it looks. Cameron learns that Mackenzie has her own emotional baggage to deal with, and life for a kid with a dog and no home gets even more challenging. After Mackenzie gets into some real trouble, Cameron realizes he needs to come up with a realistic solution if they are going to survive the turbulence. 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.

Tyler and Mason dream of escaping to the big city and getting started on their lives. One night, Mason convinces Tyler to help him steal a car and they are soon having the adventure of a lifetime. Until they run out of gas. Stranded on the side of the highway, Mason blames Tyler, Tyler blames Mason and their argument turns physical. Their fight is broken up by a scruffy-looking guy who offers them a ride to the city. Eventually the teens realize their rescuer is none other than Sean Dakota, a heavy-metal musician who suddenly disappeared from the spotlight the previous year. Tyler is intrigued by this music legend, but Mason wants to take advantage of him. Listening to Sean and the lessons he’s learned from his own life choices, Tyler starts to realize how dangerous and damaging his friendship with Mason is. But will he find the courage to branch out on his own?

Colin is tired of school bullies and other students'' refusal to speak up or "rat" on the real troublemakers. When Colin does speak out against a couple of school thugs, they post an embarrassing photo of him on a social networking website. Colin makes some new enemies in the process but also a few new allies, including the VP, Mr. Miller. One of Colin''s new unwanted allies, though, is Jerome, who is selling weapons to kids at school for "self defense." Colin threatens to turn Jerome in but backs off, tired of his growing reputation as the school rat. When Jerome is shot and killed, Colin regrets not speaking up earlier. Jerome''s killer is now known but has not been located by the police. When the police show up, Colin tells them what he knows, and while he realizes that he has some enemies, he also has some real admirers as well.

Ethan is an anxiety-ridden loner who relies on medication to get through his day. During one of Ethan''s fairly frequent panic attacks, a girl from school named Gabriella comes to his rescue. Gabe, as she prefers to be known, is facing her own inner turmoil. She has always been a tomboy, but the more pressure she faces to act and dress "like a girl," the more she wonders just who she really is.When he learns that Gabe is being constantly harassed at school, Ethan discovers he is able to overcome his own fears in order to stand up for his new friend. Then Gabe finds a disturbing note in her locker, and the threats begin to escalate. Ethan confronts the person responsible, but things take an unexpected turn, and he suddenly finds himself being questioned by police, accused of assault. With a dose of courage and a surprising ally, the two friends come up with a plan to set things right and end up discovering who they really are along the way. 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.

Nick was used to being good at everything. Hockey, football, track, they all came easy to him. Surfing was his latest passion. That is, until the accident. Now partially paralyzed, Nick is angry, depressed and getting far too fond of his prescription meds. But his frequent visits to his physiotherapist, a Syrian refugee, and a budding friendship with a partial amputee who has also experienced firsthand the horrors of war help him start to piece his life back together. A story about overcoming the odds and changing your life for the better.

After being the victim of an armed robbery, Sean should be terrified but he isn''t. Sean finds he likes the rush that comes from danger and tries to recreate the feeling. But when his risk-taking leads him to some of the worst parts of town and he finds himself face-to-face with the original armed robbers, he finds he must do the right thing. 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!

Anything might happen in this state of benign anarchy off the coast of Nova Scotia.

Winner of the 2003 Ann Connor Brimer Award, short-listed for the 2004 White Pine Award Martin Emerson’s family, friends, and even his therapist have trouble figuring him out. He never showed much of a reaction to the death of his mother, and his behaviour of late has been getting more and more bizarre. And yet, his website – Emerso.com – has made him something of a cult figure to followers who believe that, if not having all the right answers, "Emerso" at least has all the right questions. Shoulder the Sky is a rarity among young adult novels – it challenges the reader with philosophical thought and complex observations.

Zach and Ashley have been going out for a while, and things are going well—until Ashley finds out she is pregnant. She is angry and blames Zach. She wouldn''t be in this state if he hadn''t been so careless. Insistent at first on an abortion, she turns against Zach. Confused, Zach struggles with what he should do and what his responsibilities are. Coming to terms with the reactions of their families and friends, Zach realizes that this is a decision that he and Ashley must make together. 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! Available in Spanish as Reacción.

In Caution to the Wind the poet explores the nature of memory, places encountered while travelling and life at home. These engaging poems offer portraits of a soul contemplating the tenuous bonds of fear and hope that are shared between us and tie us to the world.

Sixteen-year-old Declan Lynch starts hearing the voice of a girl inside his head. It isn’t long until he starts falling in love and sets out on a quest that brings him to the shores of Ireland, and places where the “real” world seems like a thin veil stretched over someplace else, in the hopes of finding her.

Carrie wants to rollerblade, to zoom down the sidewalk at a hundred kilometres an hour. Her big brother Ernie says it isn''t going to happen, that she''s too young to do it. But her friend Gregory, a new kid in school with Down''s syndrome, inspires her to hold on to her dream. She has no money, no gear, no experience, and no encouragement. But at every turn Gregory''s words ring in her ears--"Go for it, Carrie!"--driving her to do more than she, or anyone else, ever thought she could. Go For It, Carrie is an inspiring story of one girl''s quest to overcome difficulties and realize her dreams--with a little help from her friend.

Jeremy''s band is hot—really hot. Thunderbowl is on the way up and they have had their first big break—a long-term gig at a local bar. The only problem is that while Jeremy should be doing his homework and keeping up in school, he is spending most nights in a rowdy club, trying to keep the band together while his life is falling apart. Trying to balance his dreams of success with the hard realities of the music business, Jeremy is forced to make some tough choices. 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! Available in Spanish as Los Pandemónium.

Key Selling Points New, enhanced features (dyslexia-friendly font, cream paper, larger trim size) to increase reading accessibility for dyslexic and other striving readers.

In this high-interest novel for teen readers, a boy deals with his mother’s death, a move to a group home and a strange new friend who helps him cope with it all.

Lesley Choyce''s poetry is transcendental, joyful and at times ecstatic, though rooted securely in the world. The new poems in Revenge of the Optimist are charged with a kind of soulful music and are distinguished by wide tonal flavours and range. Lesley Choyce has said of his writing that "Poetry arises from events, real or imagined, that stir the intellect and emotions to re-create, through words, the full impact of life''s greatest challenges... the best poetry comes about from the compassion that develops in a writer, the compassion necessary to understand the pain and joy of others while at the same time being able to work with one''s own suffering as a source for emotional honesty in all that is written." Book jacket.

Tara''s life in Halifax is about as good as it gets--she gets top marks in her class, her parents are cool, she has a good part-time job, her boyfriend Ron edits an alternative paper. Her life is especially good compared to her friend Janet''s. Janet fights with her parents whenever she sees them, which isn''t often. She spends more time begging for change on the street and crashing at the dismal squat locals call Hell''s Hotel. Soon, however, cracks start to appear in Tara''s perfect life. When Ron writes an exposé on the kids who live at the Hotel, Tara is forced to question his motives. Things start falling apart, one by one: her grades slip, her friends drop her, her mom leaves town. When catastrophe hits Hell''s Hotel, however, Tara and Janet find themselves relying on each other more than either expected. Together they aim to make big changes, in their city and in themselves. Set against a gritty, inner-city background, Hell''s Hotel examines the challenges teenagers face every day, in their comfortable homes and on the streets. This book was originally published in 1984 as Dark End of Dream Street.

The odds are stacked against Melanie and Trent, who are trying to stay in high school while holding down part-time jobs to survive. They can''t live at home, and they can''t rely on the social support system. They''re going to have to help each other through if they''re going to make it. Previously published as Falling Through the Cracks, a Canadian Children''s Book Centre "Our Choice" selection.

When their farm gets expropriated to make way for the Point Lepreau nuclear power plant, Alexander McNab and his family move to Saint John. Without the magic of the Bay of Fundy, without the bright companionship of his little sister, Alex grows up a lonely, insecure failure. At 30, he''s had enough; to make a clean break, he moves to Halifax. There, he is hired as a counsellor at New Dawn, a rehabilitation workshop, even though he has no professional qualifications. Alex soon becomes part of the New Dawn family, and the distinction between the helper and the helped blurs. The key may be that Alex takes for granted the wholeness in each of these damaged adults. Blind Jeff, 17, knows everything about cars, so Alex takes him out to the parking lot and teaches him to drive. In turn, Alex is adopted by Cornwallis Itwaru, a descendent of Jamaican Maroons plagued by encroaching Alzheimer''s, who firmly adjusts Alex''s fuzzy thinking. Alex sees right away that Gloria Vincent, who suffers from schizophrenia, has adopted a sloppy dress and ugly glasses as camouflage for her intelligence and beauty, and his discovery does not wholly displease her. Unfortunately, New Dawn goes broke, but by the time the landlord padlocks the doors, Alex has learned that living life fully doesn''t depend on external circumstances.

In Beautiful Sadness laughter often simmers under a rueful - or strangely joyful - melancholy tone. These poems are the songs you might sing on street corners if, reaching beyond the troubles of daily life, you discover the resiliency of the spirit.

First item on the list: live.

Ben is determined to learn to surf. In the rough North Atlantic waters near his home, only the tough can make it on the water. His first attempt is a disaster. Then he meets Ray, a surfing veteran from California. Ray promises to teach him to surf—and to face his inner demons. As Ben becomes more comfortable on his board he learns to face his fears and prove that he has what it takes to become a Wave Warrior. 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!

Sixteen-year-old Dylan Gibson has always felt different from his classmates and is shocked to discover he is a clone of his dead brother.

Dorf is all about skateboarding and so far that''s worked out fine. But now that he''s in a new city, the terrain has changed. He''s no longer free to skateboard where he wishes, school is more difficult, and his passion for skateboarding garners him the nickname and reputation of a freak. With daring stunts he gains the grudging respect of local troublemakers, but he needs to tap into another kind of courage to effect real change. This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade 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. Also available in French as Accro d''la planche.

Broken Man on a Halifax Pier is a tale of one man’s shipwrecked life and an unlikely crew of rescuers hoping to save not only him but also themselves.

Asked to write something for English class that expresses who he really is, 16-year-old Carson blisters the page with hate for everything in his life. Stuck in a private school for kids who have repeatedly flunked out elsewhere, Carson knows hes got nowhere lower to sink to. Then he meets someone who is even less optimistic than he is.

The award–winning author celebrates the everyday disasters and discoveries that shape a life in this memoir of love, loss, and adventure in Nova Scotia. If Lesley Choyce was not a surfer, he would not have dropped out of graduate school in Manhattan in 1978 and moved to Nova Scotia—a decision that made all the difference. In Saltwater Chronicles, he reflects on the ambitious, idealistic, and brash young man he once was, while the older man ahead of him beckons him forward with a mischievous grin. In between, Choyce adapts to the crisis of becoming a respectable citizen. He experiences the death of his father and of his family dog. He helps guide his wife through cancer as they ride the North Atlantic waves and record a most human range of sorrows and joys. In this, his one-hundredth book, Lesley Choyce takes readers along as he writes about nearly everything under the sun from his home by the sea on the North Atlantic coast of Canada—all of it most ordinary and extraordinary at the same time.

The history of Nova Scotia is an amazing story of a land & people shaped by the waves, tides, winds, & wonder of the North Atlantic. The first people arrived after the retreat of the glaciers, & over thousands of years the highly civilized Mi''kmaq culture evolved. The arrival of European settlers disrupted their life. Then came the power struggle between France; as England emerged the Victor, the Acadians were driven from the land they loved. The sailors & shipbuilders led the province into a flourishing trade. During WW1, it was again thrust into military activity. At the end of the 20th century, it is unclear whether the way of life along this coast will survive.