New Releases by Valerie Sherrard

Ethan Granger has no idea what his father does for work, just that it’s lucrative enough to make his family rich, and it often requires him to go out of town. But when Ethan catches his dad in a lie, it raises unsettling questions he can’t ignore. Before long, Ethan’s investigation into this seemingly small fib uncovers a whole clandestine — and potentially criminal — operation. Hiring a private eye, sneaking into his dad’s office, tailing him on his “business trips” — Ethan uses every deceitful trick his father taught him against those closest to him, but just how far will he go to expose the lies? And what if the truth throws his whole world off balance?

Maybe you’ve never thought about it, but you are constantly communicating, and with more than just words. Body language, hand gestures, facial expressions — they all have a lot to say. Are you aware of the silent signals you may be sending? How do you read verbal and nonverbal cues from other people? Through this illustrated book, you will learn how to communicate effectively — virtually and in person — with more confidence and fewer misunderstandings. You’ll learn about active listening, speaking skills, empathy, conflict resolution, critical thinking, and more! Then you’ll put your newfound knowledge into practice through individual exercises and group activities that will help you master your communication superpowers!

Am I pregnant? This question shatters the peace of seventeen-year-old Brooke Palinder’s life one Monday morning when she realizes her period is late. Although shaken, she’s determined to hide her feelings and go about her daily routine as though nothing is wrong. Brooke’s boyfriend Ryan handles the news poorly, and she can’t bring herself to confide in anyone else, not even her best friend. In an effort to distract herself, Brooke throws herself into a school project about Neptune, which leads her to some startling discoveries and a surprising sense of connection to the distant planet. But by Saturday, she knows she must face the answer to the question that began her week. Standing on Neptune is a novel in verse from the celebrated author of Counting Back from Nine, The Glory Wind, and Birdspell.

When eleven-year-old Pascale Chardon finds herself on a lifeboat drifting toward an uncharted island with no memory of how she got there, all she wants is to get back to her family. The islanders, however, have a different objective. For many decades, the islanders have been anticipating the arrival of someone foretold only as the Long Awaited. The Long Awaited is said to have knowledge of the island’s future and will tell the islanders of their fate seventeen days after their arrival. At first Pascale is sure she’s not the Long Awaited, but when strange happenings occur, she finds it impossible to be certain of anything. Could she be the Long Awaited after all? A Bend in the Breeze, award-winning author Valerie Sherrard’s 30th novel, is a delightful tale about the importance of love and compassion.

Corbin Hayes has felt alone for as long as he can remember. His mom’s illness means lost jobs, constant moves, new schools and friendships that never get to grow. There’s a gap in his life that’s been waiting to be filled. ​ So, when a classmate offers Corbin the talking bird she can no longer keep, he’s stoked. ​ But when things begin to spiral out of control, Corbin can no longer get his mom – or himself – through the dark period. At his lowest moment, he’s forced to do the one thing he fears the most.

Avalon Monday doesn't mind telling schoolmates that her mother ran off to California to live with a guy she met on the internet. After all, that's way less embarrassing than the truth, which is that her mom is in prison for trying to stab Avalon's fourth grade teacher. Even though it's been three years since she was able to make a fresh start, Avalon discovers there are things you can never truly leave behind. First, her mom reaches out to her, forcing her to face choices she never wanted to make. Then, the past collides with the present, exposing her secret and threatening to leave her new life in ruins.

Derek didn’t mean to become popular. His accidental photo bomb — the one that made him internet-famous — took him from invisibility to middle-school fame overnight. And you know what? He’s not sure if he likes it. But his best friend Steve does, and schemes to find other ways to help Derek to remain the talk of the school. But what goes up must come down, and Derek’s reluctant rise is followed by a regrettable crash. Funny, emotionally rich, and inspiring, The Rise and Fall of Derek Cowell is the latest book by award-winning, bestselling author Valerie Sherrard.

Now in paperback, a laugh-out-loud middle-grade novel featuring three friends whose acts of kindess go terribly awry. In the haze of a food-induced stupor, Zoey Dalton and her best friends Bean and Jenna make a pledge to begin performing random acts of kindness--anonymously. Their previous track record for altruism is pretty much a flat line, so anything they do to help others is bound to be an improvement. Or is it? What if the random acts of kindness are unwanted and misunderstood? What if, instead of spreading joy and good will, the trio's actions stir up trouble, wreak havoc and maybe even cause bodily harm? That, of course, would be a different story. This story, in fact.

Jamie loves to build things, from dazzling roller coasters to secret mazes to looming castlers comlete with fire-breathing dragons. But all mom see is a big mess. When Jamie tries to see things from Mom's perspective, well, Jamie starts to understand. From the top of the table things look like Mom sees them and it really does look a bit messy. But if Mom can be convinced to come down to Jamie's level and see things that way then she will understand the amazing and imaginative world down here.

"Bethany knows that she is special. She doesn't learn things as easily as her classmates do and that sometimes makes them mean to her. They call her names - including the really "bad" name. Even her mom and her sister Mira say unkind things at times. But Bethany has friends like her neighbor Mrs. Goldsborough as well as happy times with Dad when he gets home from work. And now, Mira has promised to protect her from the bullies when the new school year begins. Then tragedy strikes, tearing Bethany's world apart in ways she could never have imagined, and she starts to wonder if there will ever be a place that feels like home again. Award-winning author Valerie Sherrard revisits the world of The Glory Wind in her new historical novel."--Back cover.

"There are rules for what I've done. Specific punishments for crimes against friendship." Laren Olivier knows the rules, but her attraction to a friend's ex-boyfriend is strong. She tells herself that if she and Scott can keep their new romance a secret, no one will get hurt. But Laren is not the only one with something to hide. Thus begins a year-long journey through secrets, lies, exposures and betrayals. Somehow, Laren must find a way to reconcile who she is with what she's done. And when tragedy strikes, she finds herself struggling with a discovery so shocking it rocks the very foundation of her world. A novel in free verse by award-winning author Valerie Sherrard. Reviews: "Counting Back from Nine is a powerful young adult novel. It's not just another story of a high school romance that fails; it's about the tensions (and joys) of family relationships, the impact of losing a parent at a formative point in one's emotional development, and the social fall-out resulting when a girl knowingly breaks the unspoken rules of high school female friendships and finds herself "un-friended". "Anyone who has read Valerie Sherrard's other works knows that she is expert at capturing the nuances of adolescent conversation. In Counting Back from Nine, the voices of Laren and her mother are strong and distinct. "The novel is written in free verse, and not only does the poetry capture the rhythms of speech more effectively, but the visual impact of the free verse adds another powerful dimension. And, somehow, the nastiness of which teen-age girls are especially capable, is even meaner when rendered in poetry... While the novel certainly isn't "chick lit", this is a book which will be read and enjoyed primarily by a female audience. Guys just aren't going to pick up a book with a cover featuring photo vignettes of a younger and older girl, surrounded by abstract bubbles. It's a shame, because Counting Back from Nine is an excellent novel." Highly Recommended. -- CM Magazine "The language is stark but poetic, and the free verse format perfectly suits the story. Sherrard's characters are written with compassion, and a keen understanding of how teenagers think and feel. Laren's voice feels authentic and emotionally true, and readers will empathize with her feelings of isolation and grief. "Counting Back from Nine is poignant and emotionally resonant, and teens will be wholly engaged from the first page to the last." Recommended -- Canadian Children Booknews

On the 2014 CLA Book of the Year for Children Award shortlist New middle-grade fiction from the award-winning author of The Glory Wind Adam's summer is off to a disappointing start. His so-called "best friend" has bailed on him, choosing to stay behind to care for a sick dog, instead of joining Adam and his family at the seaside campground as planned. Adam is furious with Billy for abandoning him, impatient with his mother for her artistic obsessions, and embarrassed by his dad's lame attempts at being funny. At least an ever-changing cast of new summer friends proves to be an entertaining distraction: Joey, the shoe-thief with the cute sister; the mischievous Linden twins; enigmatic Nevin; and Ethan, the adventurer. But it is Theo, the blind gentleman up on the hill, with his magical stories of driftwood, who helps Adam to see the true nature of friendship -- and forgiveness.

Shana Tremain is a good kid who's never been in any serious trouble. But when her best friend comes to her for help, Shana agrees to break the law to save Carrie from a molester, but she soon finds herself trapped in a web of her own lies and deceit.. Then trouble starts. As she searches for the truth, Shana uncovers evidence that raises a terrifying question: Has she made a horrible mistake?

Coming soon to your neighborhood, a bakery with a twist!

Short-listed for the Forest of Reading Red Maple Award, 2012 Before you judge me, there are two things you should know about why I did it. Shana Tremain is a good kid. She knows right from wrong and she’s never been in any serious trouble. But when her best friend, Carrie, comes to her for help, Shana agrees to break the law to save Carrie from a molester. She even feels good about it for a while. Then trouble starts. Someone in their group of friends is stealing from the others. As she searches for the truth, Shana uncovers evidence that raises a terrifying question: Has she made a horrible mistake? Faced with the reality of what she’s done, Shana finds herself trapped in a web of her own lies and deceit. Can she convince the right people that she’s telling the truth now? Either way it’s clear someone is going to pay a terrible price for her crime.

Lexie Malton is an average Vancouver teen with fairly typical issues. Her stepmother is far from her favourite person, she has a sister with special needs, and life outside the home is the usual mix of school, friends, and social events. But Lexie has a secret. Her ex-boyfriend, Devlin Mather, is now a heroin addict living on the street, and only Lexie knows that she’s the one who put him there. Guilt makes her give in to Devlin’s demands for money time and time again, even though she knows how dangerous his drug use is. Lexie finally gathers the strength to stop enabling Devlin. But when he seeks treatment for his addiction, Lexie finds herself drawn back to him, never guessing what a dark and deadly path she has just chosen. Devlin relapses, and his desperation leads to an act that will change both of their lives forever.

When Vanessa Hudgens stepped onto the stage to try out for a role in High School Musical, she was one of over six hundred hopefuls. At that time, she was not well known. But the producers were blown away by her audition, and she was chosen for a leading part. It was this role that put the young singer/actress on the path to superstardom. Hudgens has now starred in a number of movies, released several albums, and won awards for her work as both an actress and a singer.

Ellie's grandmother doesn't want her around the farm, but times are tough, and her salesman father can't take her on the road. Ellie's challenge is to break through her grandmother's isolation and find kinship among strangers.

Luke meets Gracie, and despite her being a girl, they become close friends. When the citizens of the small, rural, 1940s town that Luke lives in learn that Gracie and her mother have a shady past, Luke must decide whether he will stand up for his new friend or save his own reputation.

"I knew one thing – I wasn’t going to be rotting in that place for the rest of my life. I was getting out of there. That place turned people into the living dead. In that neighbourhood, it was hard to hear anything that didn’t carry the sound of defeat." Sixteen-year-old Porter Delaney has his future figured out, but his nice, neat plans are shaken when a man he believes may be his father suddenly appears in his Toronto neighbourhood. Porter knows that he wants nothing to do with the deadbeat dad who abandoned him and his sister twelve years earlier, but curiosity causes him to re-examine the past. Unfortunately, actual memories are scarce and confusing, and much of what he knows is based on things his mother told him. As Porter looks for answers, it begins to seem that all he’s ever going to find are more questions.

Oscar Ollie Brown is troubled by animals he cannot see but his mother tells him exist, including a cow that licks his hair at night, ants in his pants, and frogs in his throat.

Commended for the 2009 Best Books for Kids & Teens Annie Berkley, a schoolmate of Shelby’s who has appeared in previous books, lives in a foster home and has become depressed. Shelby is concerned and eventually wins over Annie’s trust in order to find out what’s bothering her. Annie’s mother disappeared several years ago, leaving with her boyfriend when Annie was 8. she was never in touch with her daughter again. But now, the boyfriend has returned, saying that he lost touch with the mother and doesn’t know what happened to her. Shelby suspects that something more sinister is going on, and as she digs through clues, discovers that the boyfriend knows far more about the mother’s whereabouts than he’s letting on. But the attempt to uncover secrets puts Shelby and Annie’s lives in danger.

Commended for the 2009 Best Books for Kids & Teens For Skye Haverill and her family, it begins as an ordinary day. But in the annals of Canadian history, October 7, 1825, is the date of one of our greatest national disasters. The Haverill family has been turned upside down in the last year. Following the death of their mother, Skye and her brother, Tavish, have adjusted to live with a single parent. And when they’re asked to make another adjustment – when his father remarries and his new wife becomes pregnant – Skye finds that some changes are too much to handle. But family struggles quickly become irrelevant when the Haverills and their community are caught up in the Miramichi Fire, the largest land fire in North American history. As the family and the town struggle through the fire and the devastating aftermath, all must find a way to rebuild homes and relationships.

"No one pays much attention to you if you don't have much to say, so there was no way I could have predicted what would happen when I stopped talking altogether." When his teacher announces that it's time for the yearly class speeches, Griffin Maxwell starts to sweat. His past experience with the dreaded speech was humiliating, to say the least, and he just knows there's no way he can go through that again. So Griffin's best friend, Bryan, comes up with a solution -- one that's so simple it just has to work. But neither boy can begin to predict the bizarre chain of events that will be set in place when Griffin goes along with the idea. From squaring off with the school bully to reading a teacher's private letters, Griffin Maxwell wil have to face things he never imagined, and all without saying a word!

An unexpected delivery from the florist points to a secret admirer for Shelby Belgarden, but when an ominous phone call and a disturbing email follow, the teenaged sleuth and her family realize that the dangerous obsession of a stalker lies behind them. While the messages become increasingly sinister, the police are unable to uncover the culprits identity, and Shelby finds her world has turned into a nightmare of fear and betrayal. When an arrest is made, it seems that life can return to normal for the Belgarden family, but the stalker proves more cunning than anyone could have imagined. Just when it seems she is safe again, Shelby finds herself at the mercy of a twisted but brilliant mind. Time is running out, and with no one to help her, Shelby must outwit her captor before he can carry out his deadly plan.

Sarah and her mother become the recipients of an unusual inheritance. A home of their own sounds too good to be true but the conditions that come with it are strange indeed.

With school over, Greg visiting relatives, and Betts on vacation with her family, it’s looking like it will be a quiet summer for Shelby Belgarden. Until, that is, she finds out that Betts and her family have returned home suddenly, and Betts’s mom faces criminal charges in the theft of a computer program from her workplace. To save Mrs. Thompson’s job and reputation - and to keep her out of prison - Shelby infiltrates the company in order to dig up clues. But with no clues to be found, can Shelby find the answers that will keep Betts’s family together?

Cole Fennety doesn't know it, but he is about to have the strangest summer of his life. His boss, Sam Kerrigan, is the meanest man in town. But beneath Sam's crusty exterior lies a kind heart - as well as a terrible secret that forces Cole to face questions to which there are no easy answers.

Shelby suspects foul play when her co-worker goes missing, but the police wont believe her, so she launches a search for a criminal who may not exist.

"Kate Benchworth is far from typical. Having been diagnosed with a brain tumour that could end her life at any time, she views the world with refreshing honesty and rare insight. As her family and members of her community struggle to accept what lies ahead, Kate refuses to give in to self-pity. Determined to live each moment to the fullest, she falls in love with a boy locked up in the local jail and befriends the town recluse"-- Back cover.