Young Adult Fiction

This teen novel, written by Iqaluit-based Inuit author Aviaq Johnston, is a coming-of-age story that follows a young shaman named Pitu as he learns to use his powers and ultimately finds himself lost in the world of the spirits.
After a strange and violent blizzard leaves Pitu stranded on the sea ice, without his dog team or any weapons to defend himself, he soon realizes that he is no longer in the word that he once knew. The storm has carried him into the world of the spirits, a world populated with terrifying creatures---black wolves with red eyes, ravenous and constantly stalking him; water-dwelling creatures that want nothing more than to snatch him and pull him into the frigid ocean through an ice crack. As well as beings less frightening, but equally as incredible, such as a lone giant who can carry Pitu in the palm of her hand and keeps caribou and polar bears as pets.
After stumbling upon a fellow shaman who has been trapped in the spirit world for many years, Pitu must master all of his shamanic powers to make his way back to the world of the living, to his family, and to the girl that he loves.

Stories of Survival and Revenge presents three action-packed Inuit folktales: the stories of Nuliajuk, the mother of the sea mammals; Kaugjagjuk, the mistreated orphan who seeks revenge; and the Nanurluk, an enormous polar bear many times the size of a regular bear.
Written at a reading level of approximately grade three, and an interest level suitable for the 12+ age group, this book is a perfect pick for reluctant and struggling readers.
With comic book-inspired illustrations, this book presents these folktales as they were meant to be experienced, with all of the heart-pounding action and awe-inspiring creatures that Inuit mythology has to offer.

Haunted by the vicious creatures of his recent past, Pitu tries to go back to a normal life at home after the other-worldly travels and near-death encounters of his recent disappearance into the world of the spirits. But Pitu knows that there is more work to be done, and more that he must learn in his new role as a shaman.

When word of a starving village nearby reaches Pitu, he must go help its people appease the angry spirits. It soon becomes clear that Pitu must travel to the bottom of the ocean to meet Nuliajuk, the vengeful woman below, one of the most powerful beings in Inuit mythology.

There he learns about his role in saving the starving community and that all in his home camp may not be as it seems . . .

One jump to save all time

Life is progressing normally for sixteen-year-old Dan Renfrew when he accidentally transports himself to England in the year 1066. He soon realizes that he’s trapped there, and that’s not his only astonishing discovery. Dan learns that he’s descended from a long line of time jumpers—secret heroes who travel to the past and resolve glitches in the time stream that threaten to alter subsequent history. The only way Dan can return home is to set history back on its proper course in the Anglo-Saxon age. This is no easy task. A Viking horde is ravaging England in the north while a Norman army threatens to invade from the south. In between and desperately struggling to hold on to his throne is Harold Godwinson, the newly-crowned English king. Dan is fighting to ensure that events play out correctly when he finds himself plunged into an even more lethal conflict. To save history, Dan must battle a band of malevolent time jumpers whose lust for wealth and power threatens the entire future of the world.

One jump to save all time

Life is progressing normally for sixteen-year-old Dan Renfrew when he accidentally transports himself to England in the year 1066. He soon realizes that he’s trapped there, and that’s not his only astonishing discovery. Dan learns that he’s descended from a long line of time jumpers—secret heroes who travel to the past and resolve glitches in the time stream that threaten to alter subsequent history. The only way Dan can return home is to set history back on its proper course in the Anglo-Saxon age. This is no easy task. A Viking horde is ravaging England in the north while a Norman army threatens to invade from the south. In between and desperately struggling to hold on to his throne is Harold Godwinson, the newly-crowned English king. Dan is fighting to ensure that events play out correctly when he finds himself plunged into an even more lethal conflict. To save history, Dan must battle a band of malevolent time jumpers whose lust for wealth and power threatens the entire future of the world.

Murderer’s Blade is a dystopian novel following a world broken up by war. The government is corrupt, and it has established orphanages throughout the country which secretly serve as screening centers for a secret program. The brightest and most talented kids are identified and sent to an elite assassin training academy where they are taught to hunt the most dangerous criminals. Scarlet is one such candidate. An orphan without a family, she navigates friendships, dangerous adventures and even falls in love for the first time. Until, one day, her world turns upside down. Maybe the people she is trained to hunt are not the enemy. Maybe Scarlet’s family is closer than she thinks.

And maybe, just maybe, her friend is not who she seems to be

It’s hard being a twelve-year-old girl trapped in the middle of your parent’s divorce, but when your teacher assigns homework over spring break to define peace—Jazzi G is ready to explode. Since her dad left home her life has been anything, but peaceful. Angry and depressed, she has no clue what peace is. She needs to ace this assignment or she’s in big trouble. Desperate, she turns to Oxford, a computer nerd and target of every bully on campus. After they create the Kids’ Worldwide Peace Club, the story takes a turn when an accident sends Jazzi spiraling into an altered reality where she and Oxford find themselves traveling the world via an underground CyberCoaster. They unite with kids from different cultural and religious backgrounds, and discover important lessons. But will they unravel that elusive answer to peace before someone notices they’re gone . . .

It’s hard being a twelve-year-old girl trapped in the middle of your parent’s divorce, but when your teacher assigns homework over spring break to define peace—Jazzi G is ready to explode. Since her dad left home her life has been anything, but peaceful. Angry and depressed, she has no clue what peace is. She needs to ace this assignment or she’s in big trouble. Desperate, she turns to Oxford, a computer nerd and target of every bully on campus. After they create the Kids’ Worldwide Peace Club, the story takes a turn when an accident sends Jazzi spiraling into an altered reality where she and Oxford find themselves traveling the world via an underground CyberCoaster. They unite with kids from different cultural and religious backgrounds, and discover important lessons. But will they unravel that elusive answer to peace before someone notices they’re gone . . .