Orca Book Publishers – förlag

Walter Davis is young, handsome, intelligent, dynamic, personable and homeless.

The product of a bi-racial marriage but abandoned by his father as a young child, he prides himself on three things: his drive to succeed, his fine clothes and never having been late for anything in his life. Walter is also homeless. The medical expenses that came with his mother's brief and unsuccessful battle against cancer have left him destitute. Still, ever the optimist, Walter believes that if he lives in his car for a few months, he will have the time he needs to find a good job in the business world and turn his life around. His situation gets more complicated when he finds himself attracted to a girl he meets at the mailing center where he keeps a post box. But trying to impress a girl when you have no fixed address proves difficult, and when he's caught in a lie, she shuns his company. Walter's struggles grow when his car is impounded and he can't afford to pay the fine. Only resilience, ingenuity and his drive to succeed can bring Walter back from the brink of despair.

This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for older teen readers and adults who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read! The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

Lily is discovered by a big-name director when she’s auditioning for a role in a toothpaste commercial.

He wants her for his new movie, which is great except for the fact that it’s shooting in Los Angeles and Lily lives in Vancouver. With the help of her Chinese grandmother, she convinces her parents to let her go to LA with her agent as a chaperone. But when she gets there, she finds out that if she wants to be more than the flavor of the week, she’s going to have to pay a price that may be way too high.

This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read! The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

Sixteen-year-old drummer Stella, guitarist Jacob and bassist Miles need a wild singer for their old-school rock band.

When they discover nerdy Tamara Donnelly, who nails the national anthem at a baseball game, Stella is not convinced Tamara’s sound is right for the band. Stella wants to turn Tamara into a rock goddess, but Tamara proves to be a confident performer who has her own ideas about music and what it means to be epic cool. When their band, the Frail Days, starts to build a local following, Stella and Tamara clash over the direction the band should take, forcing them to consider what true musical collaboration means.

This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read! The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

String is one of the great inventions of all time.

It may not be as big as a rocket ship or as shiny as a subsea gizmo, but it’s just as remarkable. We have string to thank for helping us survive and thrive pretty well everywhere on Earth. It has taken us across oceans and up into the sky. It has linked us—human to human—across continents and beyond.

Unravel the fascinating history of string, from the oldest surviving piece of string made by a Neanderthal to the potential for space elevators made of long ropes in the future. Discover how string was used for travel, art, music and as a tool to record everything from stories to taxes. And learn a few handy knots along the way! Just a Piece of String encourages young readers to take a second look at the everyday things we take for granted and find the remarkable in the ordinary.

Twelve-year-old Alina is actually looking forward to going back to school.

For once, she has some friends to sit beside on the first day. But when Alina walks into her classroom, someone is sitting in her spot and there are no seats left next to her friends. Grade seven is off to a rocky start! Then the teacher announces that the class will be going on a trip to Paris later in the fall. It’s an expensive trip, but she’s sure that with the right plan, she can convince her strict parents to let her go. What could go wrong?

For starters, her passport is expired so she can't go on the trip to Paris. When her new passport does arrive, her parents announce a trip back to Pakistan. At first Alina is miserable, but soon she begins to see that when it comes to the things that matter the most, she might not be so unlucky after all.

This is a sequel to the author’s first novel, The Unlovable Alina Butt, which was a starred selection for CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens.

The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

Praise for The Unlovable Alina Butt:

“In this charming, tightly plotted debut, Alina’s witty, vulnerable narratorial voice guides readers through her intensely authentic personal evolution.”—Kirkus Reviews

“This charming, eye-opening book highlights not only the struggles of an immigrant girl, but the power that comes from seeing things through someone else’s eyes.”—School Library Journal (SLJ)

★ “One of the most poignant elements of the story is Tallie’s exploration of her neurodivergence. A technology-forward, futuristic story that holds friendship and empathy at the centre, highly recommended for hi-lo or general collections.” — School Library Journal (SLJ), starred review

Sixteen-year-old Tallie and her best friend Diego have always shared the same dream: to become mechbot pilots and compete in the Mech Battles, a hugely popular sport that promises fame and fortune to successful pilots.

On the day that copilots are assigned, Tallie is devastated when she doesn’t get paired with Diego. Instead, she has to partner with Zaina Chandra, a troubled pilot who got kicked off her last team. But to drive a mechbot, pilots have to connect their minds, which means sharing your deepest thoughts and secrets. Tallie was ready to share her secrets with Diego, but Zaina? She's a complete stranger. With her dreams and pride riding on the partnership, Tallie will have to find a way to open up and convince Zaina to do the same.

This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading-level book for teen readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don't like to read! The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

No matter how little you are, you can have big feelings.

Some feelings are easy, some are hard, but they all matter. When you feel sunshine on your face, you might feel happy. When a new friend wants to play, you might feel shy. When you have to say goodbye, you might feel sad. Feelings don't usually stick around for long, and this book reminds us that they rise and then they pass, like an ocean wave.

Full of adorable photographs of kids expressing each feeling in the story, Feelings Come, Feelings Go helps kids to recognize and name their emotions, and offers a first step on the journey toward emotional regulation.

Praise for Jillian Roberts:

"Crisp, heartwarming photos in warm tones that depict racially diverse caregivers holding and comforting tots."—Kirkus Reviews, on Calm

"Gentle and quietly reassuring, this is recommended for board book collections aimed at new parents or caregivers."—School Library Journal, on My Promise

Rosario Gomez gave up gang life after his brother was killed in a street fight.

Now all he wants to do is finish night school, be a good father and work hard enough at his job at the supermarket to get promoted. But when an old friend shows up to ask him why he left the gang, Rosario realizes he was fooling himself if he thought his violent past would just go away. When his pregnant girlfriend is hit in a drive-by shooting, Rosario has to make some hard choices. Revenge means a return to his old ways, something he swore he would never do. But unless he takes action, his enemies will not rest until they've settled the score against him.

This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for older teen readers and adults who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read!

Ethan vit dans une famille d'accueil et s'efforce de rester dans le droit chemin. Enrôlé dans un programme de photographie pour jeunes, il se trouve menacé à plusieurs reprises par quelqu'un qui veut s'emparer de son appareil photo. Que sait Ethan? Pour quelles images quelqu'un serait-il prêt à tuer? Ethan tente de résoudre le mystère tout en évitant les ennuis. Il découvre qu'il a toutes les réponses. Il ne lui reste plus qu'à découvrir les questions.

Cet ouvrage en format ePub est entièrement accessible. Également disponible sous le titre Picture This en anglais.

Dan appréhende l'ennuyeuse sortie scolaire dans une ferme historique éloignée.

Pas tant à cause du fumier que du fait que le fermier élève des porcs. Les porcs s'appellent aussi des cochons et le nom de famille de Dan est Cauchon. Déjà en butte aux moqueries, Dan se cuirasse contre l'épreuve anticipée. Mais il n'a pas prévu l'apparition d'un inquiétant fermier tatoué, la disparition mystérieuse de son enseignante ou les menaces de mort contre ses camarades. Et encore moins qu'il sera seul à pouvoir les sauver.

Cet ouvrage en format ePub est entièrement accessible. Également disponible sous le titre Pigboy en anglais.

Linda is a young, hardworking single mom struggling to get by from paycheck to paycheck.

When she learns that her son Dre needs a kidney transplant, her family's already precarious financial situation takes a turn for the worst. Then she discovers that the only one who can help Dre is his half-brother LeVon, a drug-dealing gangbanger who thinks only of himself. Somehow Linda must get through to LeVon in order to save her son.

Though she is deathly afraid of LeVon and the world he lives in, Linda knows she must conquer her fear and meet him on his own turf if she is to have any hope of success. Linda is finally able to teach LeVon the value of doing something noble with his life. And to her surprise, she learns she has room in her heart for one more kid, a boy from the streets who never had a chance.

This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for older teen readers and adults who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read!

This amazing part of the northeast Pacific Ocean is home to some of the planet's mightiest and most beloved residents: whales, sea lions, dolphins, orcas, sea otters and wild salmon.

Following up the success of their first two books about the Great Bear Rainforest, The Salmon Bears and The Sea Wolves, Ian McAllister and Nicholas Read take readers on an expedition into the wondrous and mysterious underwater world of the Great Bear Sea. Filled with spectacular images of this largely unknown part of the world, the book also explores the uncertain future of the Great Bear Sea in this age of climate change, overfishing, pipelines and oil tankers. Can a rainforest full of rare spirit bears, fishing wolves and great grizzlies survive without a Great Bear Sea to feed and nourish it?

Sixteen-year-old Sid barely remembers his birth mother and has no idea who his father was.

Raised on an idyllic island by loving foster parents, Sid would be content to stay there forever, drawing, riding his bike, hanging out with his friend Chloe and helping out with Fariza, a newly arrived foster child. But when a stranger named Phil arrives on the island with disturbing news about his birth family—including a troubled younger brother—Sid leaves all that is familiar to help find the sibling he didn't know existed.

What he discovers is a family fractured by mental illness, but also united by strong bonds of love and compassion. As Sid searches for his brother, gets to know his grandmother, and worries about meeting his biological mother, he realizes that there will never be a simple answer to the question, Am I my brother's keeper?

Tom loves running through cow fields with his best friend, Peggy, and his dog, Amos—especially when he's pretending to be his favorite radio hero, the Lone Ranger.

But when Tom learns the nearby Fraser River is about to flood, he may have to become a real-life hero and help save his family's herd of dairy cows. This story is based on real events that happened in the farming community of Agassiz during the Fraser River flood of 1948.

The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

Tamar Robinson knows a lot about loss—more than any teenager should.

Her younger sisters are dead, her parents are adrift in a sea of grief, and now Tamar is losing her hair. Nevertheless, she navigates her rocky life as best she can, not always with grace, but with her own brand of twisted humor. She joins the chess club with her friend Roy, earns a part in the school production of The Wizard of Oz, buys an awesome wig, lands a crappy job, gets invited to the prom (by three different guys!) and helps her parents re-enter the land of the living. What Tamar lacks in tact (and hair), she makes up for in sheer tenacity.

Cameron has been in trouble with the law more than once for breaking and entering.

After Cameron's latest conviction, he's sent to an outdoor program for young offenders rather than a standard juvenile detention facility. There he meets Brianna, a girl who has been caught selling drugs at her school. They bond quickly, and she convinces Cameron to steal two sea kayaks and head off with her into the wilderness of bays and coves of Nova Scotia's Eastern Shore. It's a fearless but ill-timed escape as a hurricane is about to pound the coast. They must use all their courage and newfound survival skills if they are going to make it back to shore alive. And Cameron suspects that Brianna may not be telling him the truth about her real plans.

This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for teen readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read!

Owen has a crush on Kamryn. Kamryn has a crush on Owen's brother Kyle.

Owen knows extreme action is necessary to make sure Kamryn does not end up dating his brother, a jerk who manipulates every situation to get what he wants. So what does Owen do? He manipulates the situation. With the help of his friend Hannah, Owen sets up a blog called The Oracle that gives out relationship advice to local teens. Everything seems to be going great. Hannah and Owen are having fun, and Kamryn seems to be following The Oracle's advice and taking an interest in Owen. Owen thinks he's got it made, but he soon discovers that fraudulent tactics have their consequences.

This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read!

How often do you get to see a car tipped or stores looted?

Seventeen-year-old Daniel gets caught up in a post-game riot, and then he and his best friend escape police by breaking into a store. They only intend to cut through to the alley, but rioters follow and trash the place. Daniel prevents an arsonist from torching the store; the next day he's a hero while his friend is outed as a rioter. Can Daniel save face, and will it cost him his friend?

This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for teen readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read!

Danny McBride is not the coolest kid in school, not in his wildest dreams.

And if the other kids knew he spent his Saturday nights playing Parcheesi with his mom and working on a city made of Lego, he'd be even less cool. Danny wants more than anything to be popular. He creates a fictional British rocker named James and befriends him publicly online, hoping his make-believe friend's cool will rub off. It works. Danny starts making friends and feeling like part of the crowd—until people start wanting to meet the imaginary friend, and Danny's plan starts to unravel.

This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read! The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

Edge of Flight is the toughest rock-climbing route Vanisha has ever faced. She has one last chance to conquer it before she moves to Vermont to start university.

University is a sore point for Vanisha, who yearns for a career in the outdoors but feels pressured by her mother to earn an academic degree. Trying to put school out of her mind, she heads to the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas with her buddies Rusty and Jeb for a final weekend of climbing and camping. Deep in the woods, they stumble on an illegal marijuana plantation, and the gang of bikers who guard it. When Jeb is shot by the bikers, Vanisha alone must get help—and to do so, she must climb Edge of Flight. As she confronts her insecurities on the cliff face and in the woods, Vanisha gains a new resolve and the self-confidence to choose her own path in life.

This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read!

Riding the wrong way up a one-way street, Kenzie takes his eyes off the road and hits a pedestrian.

And not just any pedestrian. It's his ex-girlfriend, Stassi. Was this a freak accident? Or something more sinister? And when the police come to talk to him, it becomes clear that everyone thinks he had a reason to hurt her. Kenzie ends up in a fight to prove his innocence, even as he begins to question it himself.

This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for teen readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read! The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

Ria est riche, mince, jolie et populaire. Ses amies pensent qu'elle mène la vie rêvée. Mais sa situation a pris un tournant malencontreux. Ses parents se séparent et, avant qu'elle ait pu absorber le choc de cette nouvelle, son père bien-aimé disparaît dans un accident d'avion. Et comme si ça ne suffisait pas, des rumeurs circulent à l'effet que son père ne serait pas le héros que l'on croyait. Ria décide de prendre les grands moyens pour se protéger, ainsi que son jeune frère, et défendre la réputation de son père.

Cet ouvrage en format ePub est entièrement accessible. Également disponible sous le titre Comeback en anglais.

Dorf a toujours été fidèle à sa devise : « Si ça en vaut la peine, fais-le. Si ça n'en vaut pas la peine, fais-le quand même. » Mais il a déménagé à la ville et le terrain est différent. Il ne peut plus faire rouler sa planche oû bon lui semble et il a de la difficulté à s'intégrer à sa nouvelle école. Ses tricks audacieux lui assurent le respect des voyous du coin, mais il devra faire appel à une autre forme de courage s'il veut vraiment changer sa vie.

Cet ouvrage en format ePub est entièrement accessible. Également disponible sous le titre Skate Freak en anglais.

Pedal It! celebrates the humble bicycle and shows you why and how bikes can make the world a better place

From the very first boneshakers to the sleek racing bikes of today, from handlebars to spokes to gear sprockets, bicycles have continued to capture our collective fascination. Not only can bikes be used to power computers and generators, but they can also reduce pollution, promote wellness and get a package across a crowded city—fast! Informative but not didactic, Pedal It! encourages young readers to be part of the joy of cycling.

Did you know that cars can run on french-fry grease or that human poop can be used to provide power to classrooms?

Brilliant! is about what happens when you harness the power of imagination and innovation: the world changes for the better! Kids in Mexico help light up their houses by playing soccer, and in the Philippines, pop-bottle skylights are improving the quality of life for thousands of families. Full of examples of unusual (and often peculiar) power sources, Brilliant! encourages kids to look around for new and sustainable ways to light up the world.

Ever since he was small, Franklin has been soothed by fire.

Staring into the flames helps Franklin forget his problems. And right now, he's got a lot to forget. Franklin's mother has left the family home to be with her hairdresser boyfriend. Franklin's father, the mayor of Montreal West, is too busy worrying about his public image to do anything about the family. As a rash of local fires competes with upcoming elections for media attention, Franklin's father has to work hard to keep the public happy. And Franklin has to reconsider his romance with fire.

This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read! The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

Eric and Chris are avid geocachers who stumble into a very strange search.

At first they are merely curious, but as the stakes rise and the challenges become more trying, the boys get truly hooked. Convinced they are indeed on the trail of treasure, they become consumed with the search, and though their quest tests their strength, intelligence, courage and even their friendship, they don't give up.

This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read!