In this powerful collection of short stories, children around the world turn eleven and take a step into their futures. Each one is changed in ways both big and small.
Annoyed at having to walk his sister’s dog on his birthday, Connor heads into an undeveloped subdivision, where he comes across chilling evidence of a stranger’s unhappiness. A girl sneaks away from her class camping trip to a local conservation area and experiences, for the first time, the terror and joy of fending for herself for the first time. Dom’s brother gives him a special crystal to boost his confidence, and the gift conjures up a child laborer from the impoverished area of Madagascar where the stones were mined. Mysterious voices at the local county fair prompt Aislynn to think twice after her older sister dumps her for her high-school buddies. While volunteering at his local soup kitchen, Len discovers that there are bigger shames than having the class bully seeing you in a hairnet. And on an historic bridge in Budapest, Lazlo’s dream of the perfect father-son birthday outing becomes a nightmare when his father introduces him to his Neo-Nazi friends.
A companion to the critically acclaimed Sit.
Key Text Features
short stories
table of contents
dialogue
In this powerful collection of short stories, children around the world turn eleven and take a step into their futures. Each one is changed in ways both big and small.
Annoyed at having to walk his sister’s dog on his birthday, Connor heads into an undeveloped subdivision, where he comes across chilling evidence of a stranger’s unhappiness. A girl sneaks away from her class camping trip to a local conservation area and experiences, for the first time, the terror and joy of fending for herself for the first time. Dom’s brother gives him a special crystal to boost his confidence, and the gift conjures up a child laborer from the impoverished area of Madagascar where the stones were mined. Mysterious voices at the local county fair prompt Aislynn to think twice after her older sister dumps her for her high-school buddies. While volunteering at his local soup kitchen, Len discovers that there are bigger shames than having the class bully seeing you in a hairnet. And on an historic bridge in Budapest, Lazlo’s dream of the perfect father-son birthday outing becomes a nightmare when his father introduces him to his Neo-Nazi friends.
A companion to the critically acclaimed Sit.
Key Text Features
short stories
table of contents
dialogue
| Published By | Groundwood Books Ltd — Mar 1, 2022 |
| Specifications | 152 pages | 5 in x 7.5 in 150 pages | 5 in x 7.5 in |
| Keywords | bullying; human rights and activism; coping with change; stories from around the world; middle grade; human rights and activism; stories of resilience; diversity; justice; activism; cultural expression; fiction; |
| Written By |
DEBORAH ELLIS is the author of The Breadwinner, which has been published in thirty languages. She has won the Governor General’s Award, the Middle East Book Award, the Peter Pan Prize, the Jane Addams Children’s Book Award and the Vicky Metcalf Award. A recipient of the Order of Canada, Deborah has donated more than $2 million in royalties to organizations such as Right to Learn Afghanistan, Mental Health Without Borders and the UNHCR. She lives in Simcoe, Ontario. |
| Written By |
|
DEBORAH ELLIS is the author of The Breadwinner, which has been published in thirty languages. She has won the Governor General’s Award, the Middle East Book Award, the Peter Pan Prize, the Jane Addams Children’s Book Award and the Vicky Metcalf Award. A recipient of the Order of Canada, Deborah has donated more than $2 million in royalties to organizations such as Right to Learn Afghanistan, Mental Health Without Borders and the UNHCR. She lives in Simcoe, Ontario. |
| Audience | ages 9 to 12 / grades 4 to 7 |
| Key Text Features | short stories; table of contents; dialogue |
Short-listed, Governor General's Literary Awards, Young People's Literature — Text, 2022
Short-listed, International School of Beijing Panda Book Awards, 2023
A first purchase for school and public libraries and a first recommendation for teachers, homeschoolers, and independent readers. STARRED REVIEW
” —School Library JournalA worthy addition for all collections.
” —BooklistRead individually, each story is affecting; as a whole, the collection is a potent representation of the onset of mature thought and emotional complexity.
” —Publishers WeeklyThis book illustrates a profound and deep well of insight.
” —School Library ConnectionSimply written, but powerful in its message.
” —CM: Canadian Review of MaterialsPoignant, empathy-invoking stories.
” —Cloud Lake LiteraryPoignant tales told from the young person’s point of view.
” —Winnipeg Free Press