Hi-Lo

This book tells a tough but realistic story about teen relationships and sexual assault and how social media plays a role in magnifying its impact.

In suburban Vancouver, in a multiracial mixed-income neighbourhood, three 14-year-old friends, a boy and two girls, go to a party organized by the boy's older brother. One of the girls, who comes from a mixed-race Aboriginal/Caucasian family of lower socio-economic standing, is raped, which has very serious consequences on her mental health.

Two years later, photos of the crime and the victim show up on social media and the girl's friend decides to confirm the victim's account of her experience — and confirm that the assailant was his own brother's good buddy. His actions of first remaining silent, then finally speaking up, have unexpected consequences for everyone — including him.

This novel reflects the complexities that teens face dealing with the rape culture many young men participate in and how it is intensified by social media.

Reviews
"I love the Sidestreets series, and this book is no exception. It tackles a very difficult issue that is very relevant in today's society of social media and cell phones. It's a quick read, and very to the point, and it outlines the aftermath of the horrific event, and the healing, rather than the event itself. If you haven't read a Sidestreets book, I highly recommend it. It's a great series for teens, on very real issues, and it's Canadian!" — Bailey Randolph, Librarian, NetGalley

"This book opens the door to talk about rape culture and the way that women are allowed to navigate in the world of sexuality."— Isaiah Roby, NetGalley

"In addition to the diverse protagonists, many secondary characters also bring diversity to the series."— Kirkus Reviews

Educator & Series Information
This book is part of the SideStreets series.  SideStreets are edgy, fast-paced novels that combine real-world themes and believable characters to make for short, heart-stopping books — sure to engage the most reluctant reader.

Interest age: From 13 To 18

Additional Information
176 pages | 5.25" x 7.50"

After budget cuts force the Southside Saints football team to disband, Jamal and his friends have to settle for playing pickup on the hardscrabble field behind their high school. Then the president of a sporting-goods company offers to donate $20,000 worth of equipment to the team. There's only one catch: he wants to be the coach. Thrilled to have a real team together, the players turn a blind eye to Coach Fort's racism, bullying and discrimination. Until he takes it too far. Now it’s up to Jamal and his teammates to take back their team and show what they’re made of.

Educator & Series Information
This book is part of the Orca Sports series. Orca Sports stories engage middle-schoolers and teens with fast-paced plots and easy-to-read language. Topics include a variety of team and individual sports. Reading levels from grade 2.0 to 4.5; Interest level ages 10+.

Additional Information
176 pages | 4.25" x 7.00"

Raised on a reserve in northern Ontario, seventeen-year-old Joe Littlechief tries to be like the other guys. But Joe knows he's different -- he's more interested in guys than in any of the girls he knows. One night Joe makes a drunken pass at his best friend Benjy and, by the next morning, everyone on the rez is talking about Joe. His mother, a devout Christian, is horrified, and the kids who are supposed to be his friends make it clear there's no place for him in their circle, or even on the rez. Joe thinks about killing himself, but instead runs away to the city.

Alone and penniless on the streets of Toronto, Joe comes to identify with the Aboriginal idea of having two spirits, or combining both feminine and masculine identities in one person. He also begins to understand more about how his parents have been affected by their own experiences as children in residential schools -- something never discussed on the rez. And he realizes he has to come to terms with his two-spiritedness and find people who accept him for who he is.

This is a novel that reflects the complex realities faced by young LGBTQ and aboriginal youth today.

Educator & Series Information
SideStreets are edgy, fast-paced novels, that combine real-world themes and believable characters to make for short heart-stopping books - sure to engage the most reluctant reader.

Lexile measure: 600L

Additional Information
184 pages | 5.25" x 7.50"

Follow Travis Hawk on a cross-country trek as he escapes a world of brutality and uncertainty and puts his trust, and even his very life, in the hands of total strangers. Travis's story is one of struggle, survival, risk, and resilience, navigating a solo journey of hundreds of miles to seek a safe haven, far from the demons of his past.

Reviews
"The Long Run is a stirring story about a young man who empowers himself to succeed against the odds. Travis Hawk is a pathfinder indeed."
— Tribal College Journal of American Indian Higher Education, August 2017

Educator & Series Information
Reading Level: 2.5

Recommended Ages: 12 to 16

This book is a PathFinders series Hi/Lo reader, a high interest, low readability book that supports reluctant or struggling readers.

Additional Information
120 pages | 4.50" x 7.00"

In this second installment in the series, Billy and his friend Chigger continue their adventures in a hidden cave. After a horrifying accident at the cave, Billy is pronounced clinically dead on an operating table. After being revived, he discovers an ability to see and speak with the spirits of the dead including his deceased Cherokee grandmother. When Chigger becomes possessed by an alien creature, Billy knows he must return to the cave to save his friend. What he doesn’t know is that the Horned Serpent known to the Cherokees as Uktena is lying in wait.

Educator & Series Information
Ages: 12 to 16 / Reading level: 4.5

This novel is part of the Billy Buckhorn series, which is part of the PathFinder series. The PathFinders series of Hi-Lo (high interest, low readability) novels offers the following features: 

• Indigenous teen protagonists
• Age appropriate plots
• 2.5 – 4.5 Reading Level
• Contemporary and historical fiction
• Indigenous authors

The PathFinders series is from an American publisher. Therefore, Indigenous terminology in the PathFinders books is not the same as Canadian Indigenous terminology. This prompts a useful teaching moment for educators in discussing appropriate terminology use in Canada.  The recommended ages for books in the PathFinders series are 12-16.

Additional Information
120 pages | 4.50" x 7.00"

After her ikusin (grandmother) dies, Kai Hunter, a part-Navajo, part-Stoney Nakoda 16-year-old, runs away to Banff, Alberta, to avoid being placed in a foster home. Kai lies her way into a new identity, a job, and a safe place to live. She makes new friends and volunteers with a rapid attack crew for the forestry service. She even meets a great guy named Rory, who's into motorcycles, just like her - and who seems to be into her, too. But Kai is scared of being found out, and she isn't sure that she can trust all of her new friends...or that she likes the person she's pretending to be. Meanwhile, she's got to pay rent, figure out whether Rory is boyfriend material, and assist the rap-attack crew as they face a string of suspicious forest fires. In the thrilling conclusion to this romantic adventure, Kai's choices become matters of life and death.

Educator & Series Information
This book is part of the PathFinders series.

R.L. 3.5

Recommended for ages 12 to 16.

Additional Information
128 pages | 4.53" x 7.00"

Luna Begay is as studious and serious about her Aboriginal heritage as her sister, Issy, is outgoing and fun. When Issy convinces Luna to go with her to a party full of rich kids, Luna is surprised to end up talking with Jon, who is charming, sophisticated, and very good-looking. But the night turns bad when Jon drugs and rapes Luna.

Feeling guilty and ashamed that she will be perceived as an "Indian slut," Luna doesn't tell anyone and remains in denial until Issy figures out that Luna is pregnant. Knowing that her decisions will affect her parents and Issy as much as her own future, Luna has to work out how to deal with the consequences of that one night, and she has to do it fast.

Reviews
"A hi-lo title that reads like a Lifetime made-for-TV movie. An adequate choice for struggling readers."— Tamara Saarinen, School Library Journal

"Melanie Florence's young adult novel One Night is a powerful read for all readers. Written for reluctant readers it will be read by readers at all levels... The author explores many issues — sexual abuse, bullying, teenage pregnancy, adoption, and rape. Melanie Florence's well-written and compassionate novel does not disappoint." — Keep Calm and Novel On, Educator and NetGalley Reviewer

"I adore Luna... She never begins to act out of character but she does grow throughout the novel ... Parents and other adults [are exactly as I would expect them to be. Realistically portrayed, they are at first shocked, then incredibly supportive of Luna. Her principal and teachers are understanding and concerned with her safety. I heaved a sigh of relief at this portrayal. I work at a public high school ... and I absolutely KNOW this is how it goes down there rather than the usual judgmental way portrayed in novels. (Although the students on the other hand can be brutal - also written in the novel.) Luna's parents were so fantastic. Concern for their daughter, getting her immediate medical care, discussing realistic options for after the baby is born, and supporting Luna the whole way are exactly how a parent SHOULD react. Writing adults as they are here could encourage girls to come forward about rape or pregnancy. THANK YOU MELANIE FLORENCE! ... The inclusion of so many contemporary issues (alcoholism, stereotyping, negative branding, rape, drinking, abortion, adoption, being roofied) makes it interesting and thought-provoking the whole way through." — Mandy Peterson, Librarian

"This book deals with some serious topics that are timely and are issues teens are facing. One Night touches on aspects of racism, stereotyping, bullying, drugs, rape, and Aboriginal heritage. It would be well-paired with some recent news articles or other non-fiction pieces on any of these topics."— Chasity Findlay,, CM Magazine

Educator & Series Information
This book is part of the SideStreets series. SideStreets are edgy, fast-paced novels that combine real-world themes and believable characters to make for short, heart-stopping books — sure to engage the most reluctant reader.

Interest age: From 14 To 18
Fry Reading Level [grade]: 2.9
Lexile Reading Level: HL560L

Additional Information
192 pages | 4.25" x 7.00"

Book one of the Billy Buckhorn series introduces a Cherokee teen who uses his supernatural abilities to solve mysteries. In Abnormal, Billy is struck by lightning while fishing with his friend Chigger. He survives the lightning strike but begins to experience an enhanced level of ESP. Billy is labeled "abnormal" by one of his teachers after he uncovers an unsavory secret from the teacher's past. What no one suspects is the teacher is a shape-shifter who becomes a raven that gains strength from his victims' fear. When Billy confronts the teacher, he must channel his own fear into anger in order to defeat the evil raven.

Educator & Series Information
This novel is part of the Billy Buckhorn series, which is part of the PathFinder series. The PathFinders series of Hi-Lo (high interest, low readability) novels offers the following features: 

• Indigenous teen protagonists
• Age appropriate plots
• 2.5 – 4.5 Reading Level
• Contemporary and historical fiction
• Indigenous authors

The PathFinders series is from an American publisher. Therefore, Indigenous terminology in the PathFinders books is not the same as Canadian Indigenous terminology. This prompts a useful teaching moment for educators in discussing appropriate terminology use in Canada.  The recommended ages for books in the PathFinders series are 12-16.

Additional Information
172 pages | 4.50" x 7.00"

This second volume of a three-part series continues the dramatic story of Danny Blackgoat, a Navajo teenager who, after being labeled a troublemaker, is taken prisoner during the Long Walk of 1864. Danny escaped from Fort Davis in volume one (Danny Blackgoat, Navajo Prisoner), but he must still face many obstacles in order to rescue his family and find freedom.

Whether it’s soldiers and bandits chasing him or the dangers of the harsh desert climate, Danny ricochets from one bad situation to the next,but his bravery doesn’t falter and he never loses faith.

Educator & Series Information
Like all PathFinders novels for reluctant teen readers, this contemporary story is by a Native American author, features a linear plot, and is written at a 4.0 to 4.5 reading level.

This is the second book in the Danny Blackgoat series, which is part of the PathFinders series. The PathFinders series of Hi-Lo (high interest, low readability) novels offers the following features: 

• Indigenous teen protagonists
• Age appropriate plots
• 2.5 – 4.5 Reading Level
• Contemporary and historical fiction
• Indigenous authors

The PathFinders series is from an American publisher. Therefore, Indigenous terminology in the PathFinders books is not the same as Canadian Indigenous terminology. This prompts a useful teaching moment for educators in discussing appropriate terminology use in Canada.  The recommended ages for books in the PathFinders series are 12-16.

Additional Information
144 pages | 4.50" x 7.00"

Playing ball is what keeps Podium Sports Academy's basketball captain going when things get rough. When there's trouble back home, Allie turns to basketball. Ditto when her relationship is in trouble or when she's at odds with her friends. But then tragedy strikes when an old knee injury resurfaces and Allie is told she might not be able to play again. With her hope of a future as an elite basketball player gone, Allie is overwhelmed with dark thoughts and feels she has nothing left to live for. That is, until unexpected support comes from two unlikely sources: her folks back home and her friends at Podium, her home away from home.

Reviews
"I'm really impressed with the writing and character development. Dialogue is realistic, and the pacing is exciting. Will be recommending more from the Podium series." — Jaime Tong, Educator at Vancouver School Board

"Allie leads a cast of well-drawn, multicultural characters, some of whom have starred in other Podium books, giving a cohesive feel to this fictional high school. The action flows naturally, alternating between scenes of intense basketball action, solitary angst, and hanging with friends. Readers will identify with Allie’s struggles and second-guess her choices, making this a valuable and worthwhile read for all teens -- elite athletes or not. Gripping, relatable and fast-paced, these books will appeal to a wide-ranging audience, particularly to teens reading below age level."— Penny Draper, National Reading Campaign

"Hoop Dreams is the perfect book for my students who need a short novel to get them engaged in reading again."— Melissa S., Educator, NetGalley Reviewer

Educator & Series Information
The Podium Sports Academy series follows the lives of super-jocks at an elite high school as they train for a future in pro sports.

Interest age: From 13 To 18
Fry Reading Level [grade]: 2.9
Lexile Reading Level: HL550L

Additional Information
136 pages | 5.50" x 8.50"

Inspired by the traditional Choctaw story "No Name," this modern adaptation features a present-day Choctaw teenager surviving tough family times--his mother splits, leaving him with a mean-spirited, abusive father. The one place the teen can find peace is on the neighborhood basketball court. But after a violent confrontation with his father, the teen runs away, only to return home to find an unexpected hiding spot in his own backyard. His hiding spot becomes his home for weeks, until the help and encouragement of a basketball coach, a Cherokee buddy, and a quiet next-door girlfriend help him to face his father.

Educator & Series Information
Reading Level: 4.0

This is the first book in the No Name series, which is part of the PathFinders series. The PathFinders series of Hi-Lo (high interest, low readability) novels offers the following features: 

• Indigenous teen protagonists
• Age appropriate plots
• 2.5 – 4.5 Reading Level
• Contemporary and historical fiction
• Indigenous authors

The PathFinders series is from an American publisher. Therefore, Indigenous terminology in the PathFinders books is not the same as Canadian Indigenous terminology. This prompts a useful teaching moment for educators in discussing appropriate terminology use in Canada.  The recommended ages for books in the PathFinders series are 12-16.

Additional Information
168 pages | 4.50" x 7.00"

Fifteen-year-old Mark Centeno is of Chumash, Crow, Mexican, and Filipino ancestry - he calls himself "four kinds of brown." When Mark goes to live with his Chumash grandmother on the reservation in central California, he discovers a rich world of family history and culture that he knows very little about. He also finds a pathway to better understanding a part of his own identity: the world of powwow dancing. Riveted by the traditional dancers and feeling the magnetic pull of the drums, Mark begins the training and other preparations necessary for him to compete as a dancer in one of America's largest powwows. Like all of our PathFinders novels for reluctant teen readers, this contemporary story is by a Native American author, features a linear plot, and is written at a 4.0 to 4.5 reading level.

Educator & Series Information
Reading Level: 4.0

This book is part of the PathFinders series. The PathFinders series of Hi-Lo (high interest, low readability) novels offers the following features:

• Indigenous teen protagonists
• Age appropriate plots
• 2.5 – 4.5 Reading Level
• Contemporary and historical fiction
• Indigenous authors

The PathFinders series is from an American publisher. Therefore, Indigenous terminology in the PathFinders books is not the same as Canadian Indigenous terminology. This prompts a useful teaching moment for educators in discussing appropriate terminology use in Canada.

Recommended ages: 12-16

Additional Information

Danny Blackgoat is a teenager in 1864 Navajo country when United States soldiers burn down his home, kill his sheep, capture his family, and force them all to walk at gunpoint to an Army fort far from their homeland. This forced exodus of the Navajo people was called the Long Walk of 1864, and during the journey, Danny is labeled a troublemaker and given the name Fire Eye. Refusing to accept captivity, he is sent to Fort Davis, Texas, a Civil War prisoner outpost. There he battles bullying fellow prisoners, rattlesnakes, and abusive soldiers, until he meets Jim Davis. Davis teaches Danny how to hold his anger and starts him on the road to literacy. In a stunning climax, Davis—who builds coffins for the dead—aids Danny in a daring and dangerous escape.

Set in troubled times, Danny Blackgoat, Navajo Prisoner is the story of one boy’s hunger to be free and to be Navajo.

Educator & Series Information
Reading Level: 4.0

This is the first book in the Danny Blackgoat series, which is part of the PathFinders series. The PathFinders series of Hi-Lo (high interest, low readability) novels offers the following features: 

• Indigenous teen protagonists
• Age appropriate plots
• 2.5 – 4.5 Reading Level
• Contemporary and historical fiction
• Indigenous authors

The PathFinders series is from an American publisher. Therefore, Indigenous terminology in the PathFinders books is not the same as Canadian Indigenous terminology. This prompts a useful teaching moment for educators in discussing appropriate terminology use in Canada.  The recommended ages for books in the PathFinders series are 12-16.

Additional Information
160 pages | 4.50" x 7.00"

“Dad, I don’t want to play football or baseball,” I blurted out.
“Oh, what do you want to play?” he asked. “Basketball? I hope its not soccer. That’s not even a real American sport.”
“Stickball,” I said.
“Say what?” Dad replied. He almost spit out a mouth full of coffee.
“Stickball. Toli.”
“You mean running around in your shorts behind the community center on Saturdays? That’s not a real sport.”
“Actually it is a real sport, and I’m talking about playing on a team that will compete at Choctaw Fair next summer.”
Dad slammed his fist down on the table. The plates and glasses shook. I almost jumped out of my seat.

Sixteen-year-old Mississippi Choctaw Randy Cheska lived most of his young life in the shadow of his older football-hero brother, Jack. After Jack is tragically killed while serving in Iraq, Randy's father puts even more pressure on Randy to excel in football. Randy has absolutely no desire or skills to play high school sports but when he discovers that he's good and stickball and loves the game, Randy jumps at the chance to play when its offered. His father considers the sport a relic of the Choctaw past when it was known as the Little Brother of War and used to settle disputes between communities. For Randy, stick ball provides him with a new sense of self-worth and a new direction in life.

Gary Robinson is a writer and filmmaker of Cherokee and Choctaw descent. He has spent 25 years working with American Indian communities to tell the stories of Native people. His previous works include From Warriors to Soldiers and The Language of Victory. He lives in rural central California.

Educator & Series Information
Reading Level: 3.9

This book is part of the PathFinders series of Hi-Lo (high interest, low readability) novels, which offers the following features:

• Indigenous teen protagonists
• Age appropriate plots
• 2.5 – 4.5 Reading Level
• Contemporary and historical fiction
• Indigenous authors

The PathFinders series is from an American publisher. Therefore, Indigenous terminology in the PathFinders books is not the same as Canadian Indigenous terminology. This prompts a useful teaching moment for educators in discussing appropriate terminology use in Canada.

Additional Information
120 pages | 4.53" x 7.00"

Mel's best friend Dustin is her dream guy, but she lost her chance with him last year and now he's seeing someone else. Enter Colter, the handsome new guy in school who is definitely interested in her. It's just the thing Mel needs to get her mind off Dustin. Before Mel realizes it, she's spending almost every waking moment with Colter, even skipping volleyball practices and nights out with friends.

When Colter gives Mel a ring, alarm bells start ringing, and Mel worries that maybe they're moving too fast. But every time Mel tries to cool things down a bit, Colter latches on even tighter. Mel can't bring herself to leave him. But she is beginning to wonder what lengths Colter will go to if she does.

Educator & Series Information
Fry reading level - 3.7

This book is part of the SideStreets series.  SideStreets are edgy, fast-paced novels that combine real-world themes and believable characters to make for short, heart-stopping books — sure to engage the most reluctant reader.

Additional Information
144 pages | 4.25" x 7.00"