Leslie Gentile – författare

Winner of the 2021 City of Victoria Children’s Book PrizeWinner of the 2022 Jean Little First-Novel AwardIt’s the summer of 1978 and most people think Elvis Presley has been dead for a year. But not eleven-year-old Truly Bateman – because she knows Elvis is alive and well and living in the Eagle Shores Trailer Park. Maybe no one ever thought to look for him at on the Eagle Shores First Nation on Vancouver Island.It’s a busy summer for Truly. Though her mother is less of a mother than she ought to be, and spends her time drinking and smoking and working her way through new boyfriends, Truly is determined to raise as much money for herself as she can through her lemonade stand … and to prove that her cool new neighbour is the one and only King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. And when she can’t find motherly support in her own home, she finds sanctuary with Andy El, the Salish woman who runs the trailer park.

Missing jewelry, a false accusation, and a real thief. Shamus the Urban Rez Dog, P.I. is on the case.The name’s Shamus. I’m a special kind of dog known as a Rez Dog. That means I’m a mix of different breeds and I come from a reserve. I live in the city with Mom and the twins, Rainey and Cole. We are one of many Indigenous families on our block. Life is great — until Mom is falsely accused of stealing from the jewelry store she’s worked at for years. When the kids and I set out to catch the real thief, we discover some surprising and, if I do say so myself, hilarious clues — including a false wall, a lucky bowling ball, and a vicious poodle named Hepzibah!

The first book in the series, Elvis, Me, and the Lemonade Stand Summer, won the City of Victoria Children’s Book Prize and the Jean Little First-Novel Award.Winter rains have swept into Eagle Shores Trailer Park, and Truly is happily settling into a new life.A new home with Andy El, the Salish elder who took her in. A new responsibility to look after her new puppy, Gracie. A new passion for playing her not-quite-new guitar — gifted to her by Elvis Presley, the thought-to-be-dead King of Rock ’n’ Roll and Truly’s pen pal.But then Clarice returns, asking for a second chance at being Truly’s mom.Has Clarice really changed? Can Truly ever forgive her? And if so, will she have to give up this new life with Andy El to move back in with Clarice?Truly has a lot to write to Elvis about this winter!