Pajama Press

Posts Tagged ‘ya-fiction’

ASLC Litpicks says “Bass does an excellent job of uncovering the layers of many complex emotions” in Uncertain Soldier

Posted on December 6th, 2018 by pajamapress

Cover: Uncertain Soldier Author: Karen Bass Publisher: Pajama PressASLC Litpicks

Bass does an excellent job of uncovering the layers of many complex emotions: – prejudice toward German prisoners expressed by Canadians at home who had relatives fighting in Europe; – the bullying and hatred experienced by many families and school children who had been born in Canada but were of German heritage; – the emotions of young German soldiers who may have been conscripted to serve their country, but were not necessarily supportive of the Nazi regime….

Mature junior high readers, and senior high students will identify with Bass’s strong male characters whose loyalties are tested and with the complex friendships that develop as the plot unfolds….”

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Moon at Nine is a tense and riveting YA novel” says The International Educator

Posted on November 14th, 2018 by pajamapress

The International Educator

“…Moon at Nine is a tense and riveting YA novel. Fifteen-year-old Farrin has grown up with secrets: ten years after the overthrow of the Shah, her aristocratic mother is still working against Iran’s conservative revolutionary government. But when Farrin befriends Sadira, the new student at her school, her own secret is even more dangerous. Because the girls discover their relationship is more than just a friendship—and in Iran, being gay is punishable by death.”

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“Bass uses evocative metaphors, and exquisite descriptive prose…” ALSC LitPicks says of The Hill

Posted on November 12th, 2018 by pajamapress

ALSC LitPicks

“Based on the ancient Cree legend of Wihtiko, The Hill, by Alberta author, Karen Bass, is both a quest on several levels and a story of survival in a supernatural world…Beyond the obvious plot of escape, and their terrifying encounters with Wihtiko, is the underlying theme of racial tension as both boys try to understand the other’s point of view. Both boys make comments that show their prejudices and intolerance, but eventually overcome these differences, when they realize that they must work together to develop an escape plan. In the process, they develop a friendship grounded in mutual respect for their individuality and their differences.

Bass uses evocative metaphors, and exquisite descriptive prose to establish a strong sense of place; short simple sentences heighten the sense of terror and suspense; her characters are well-developed through realistic dialogue and actions. Tolerance, respect, loyalty, and spirituality are themes for students to explore in this Young Adult novel.”
­—Linda MacDougall

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Brigham Young University calls The Hill “riveting…”

Posted on November 12th, 2018 by pajamapress

Brigham Young University, Children’s Book & Media Reviews

“Bass tells a riveting story of survival and friendship, staying true to the real Cree legend that has been passed down for generations. The story builds a moral message of not judging others or jumping to conclusions about them as Kyle and Jared work together and learn more about the other. The protagonists were able to form a true friendship that genuinely benefited the other as they passed through their experiences together. Bass does a wonderful job of setting the scene for the novel and describing the landscape, particularly the forest. The author also adds an educational value to the book by demonstrating basic survival skills such as having water, knowing the landscape, and avoiding harmful plants while utilizing helpful ones. Overall, a wonderful story for anyone looking for a thrill and to learn something new.”

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Canadian Children’s BookNews calls Road Signs That Say West “an engaging story”

Posted on October 18th, 2017 by pajamapress

roadsignsthatsaywest_website“…Sylvia Gunnery is able to show that the path through life has many bumps and turns along the way. She illustrates that, with good travel companions, the journey to healing and self-discovery can be very rewarding. Gunnery is sensitive, empathetic and insightful with these characters as they explore their paths.

Young teens will easily identify with the characters as they enjoy a youthful summer trip. They may also relate to the secrets the characters disclose, navigating who to trust, and the bonds of siblings and true friendship. It is an engaging story about what it means to let go of the past and align yourself with the path to your own journey in life.”
—Christie O’Sullivan

Read the full review on page 37 of the Fall 2017 issue of Canadian Children’s BookNews

Resource Links calls Road Signs That Say West “an important journey of discovery”

Posted on June 13th, 2017 by pajamapress

roadsignsthatsaywest_website“What starts out as a daring cross-Canada romp evolves into an important journey of discovery, personal and philosophical, with important and realistic results….

Author Sylvia Gunnery has portrayed this trip as a portrait of Canada’s better self; the onethat sees youth as something to be treasured and travel as something with purpose rather than a simple means to a destination. The people the three sisters meet on their journey are believable and real and that added dimension gives the narrative much more depth than initially expected.”

Thematic Links: Travel; Canada; Sisterhood; Conduct of Life; Adolescence; Sexual Politics
Lesley Little

Read the full review on page 24 of the June 2017 issue of Resource Links

Road Signs That Say West “is funny and full of heart” says Atlantic Books Today

Posted on May 23rd, 2017 by pajamapress

roadsignsthatsaywest_website“Despite the weight of the themes Road Signs is funny and full of heart, with skillful depiction of the hooks and barbs of sibling rivalry.”

Read the full review on page 64 of the Spring 2017 issue of Atlantic Books Today

Library of Clean Reads says they were “pulled to the storyline about three sisters who take a road trip” in Road Signs That Say West

Posted on May 18th, 2017 by pajamapress

roadsignsthatsaywest_website“As soon as I read the book description, I was pulled to the storyline about three sisters who take a road trip. In my family we are three sisters and I like stories that center on sisterhood. I liked that the trip was across Canada from Nova Scotia to Vancouver, including a stopover in my city of Montreal….

The best part of the novel was how the sisters experienced life together and grew closer by the end of the trip, although it was in subtle ways.”

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Booktime blogger Lisa Day wonders is she could be “brave enough to simply get in the car and drive” like the sisters do in Road Signs That Say West

Posted on May 11th, 2017 by pajamapress

roadsignsthatsaywest_website“I often wonder if I was brave enough to simply get in the car and drive, if I would have had the adventures sisters Hanna, Claire and Megan had in Road Signs That Say West.

That is not to say their adventures were far-fetched or unlikely, because they certainly were not, I just feel as though I am bit more like Megan – practical and responsible (but less grouchy) or Claire, up for adventure, but who likely wouldn’t do it on her own, then say Hanna, who is spontaneous and free spirited.”

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Road Signs That Say West is “Highly Recommended” by CM Magazine

Posted on April 28th, 2017 by pajamapress

roadsignsthatsaywest_website“…In Sylvia Gunnery’s novel Road Signs That Say West, Hanna persuades her younger sisters, Megan and Claire, to join her on a parent-free road trip across Canada….With a cast of interesting yet believable characters, Road Signs That Say West gives a realistic look into the lives and relationships of three very different yet inextricably linked sisters.

Road Signs That Say West is a novel that will absolutely find its way to the shelves of the junior high library I run. In a YA world full of fantasy, sci-fi, and dystopian fiction, I have a large number of readers looking for what we call people stories: complex stories about realistic characters and their lives. The sisters in this story are believable and familiar without the author’s resorting to clichés….

Road Signs That Say West reads quickly and cleanly, with simple yet engaging language. It’s broken up into sections; there are smaller passages within the chapters, and 6-8 chapters within each of the three parts. This structure makes the novel manageable for struggling readers without affecting the flow of the story or making it choppy….

On a personal note, there are few things I enjoy more than seeing my hometown mentioned in works of literature. Gunnery’s novel opens with a fitting quote from Islander Catherine McLellan’s song ‘Lines on the Road’. A few chapters in, there is a reference to the university in Charlottetown. A reader in Southern Manitoba will recognize the name Pinawa, and one in Saskatchewan might recognize Weyburn. Baddeck, Edmundston, Jasper, and Mount Robson are among the other places named as the girls travel west across Canada. The mentions of various cities and landmarks across the country is a perfect way to draw readers into the story.

Highly Recommended.
Allison Giggey

Click here to read the full review