Off the Grid

by Lesley Choyce

Overview

Sixteen-year-old Cody was born and raised “off the grid” deep in the wilderness by idealistic parents. When his father becomes seriously ill, the family is forced to move into the city so he can get treatment. Attending high school for the first time, Cody is an oddity and has a hard time adjusting. He finds unlikely allies in DeMarco, an inner-city kid, and Ernest, a philosophical homeless man, and he begins a tentative friendship with Alexis.

When he comes to DeMarco’s defense in an altercation at school, Cody finds himself in trouble with the police. A second confrontation puts Cody in more trouble with the cops, and he is convinced he must escape to the family homestead or be arrested. But Cody is torn between fleeing the city or staying with his ailing father and facing whatever consequences come his way.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781459809291
Publisher:	Orca Book Publishers
Publication date:	05/01/2015
Series:	Orca Soundings Series
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	120
File size:	373 KB
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

Lesley Choyce, who has been teaching English and creative writing for over thirty years, is the author of more than ninety books of literary fiction, short stories, poetry, creative nonfiction and young adult novels. He has won the Dartmouth Book Award, the Atlantic Poetry Prize and the Ann Connor Brimer Award. He has also been short-listed for the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humor, the White Pine Award, the Hackmatack Children’s Choice Book Award, the Aurora Award from the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Association and, most recently, the Governor General’s Literary Award. He lives in Lawrencetown Beach, Nova Scotia.

Editorial Reviews

"Cody is a likeable character as are his friends. The author’s attempt to have Cody understand the reason behind Austin’s bullying was a valuable addition to the narrative...Environmentalism, sexual orientation, serious illness, homelessness, bullying and alcoholism are explored...The older student will appreciate the maturity of the content, yet not become frustrated by complex word choice and dialogue. Highly Recommended."

CM Magazine

"This book has many curricular applications. It helps examine the way we live, and the reasons and motivations behind our actions. It looks at differences between others and accepting those differences, and not judging others by their looks, economic status, race, or sexual orientation."

Resource Links

"This slim, straightforward novel will appeal to struggling readers who want stories that reflect their experiences."

Booklist Online

09/01/2015
Gr 8 Up—Focusing on protagonists confronted with difficult choices, these slim novels pack a punch. Off the Grid involves Cody, whose parents raised him in the wilderness. When the family must return to civilization, Cody finds himself the ultimate square peg in a round hole and contemplates abandoning his parents in order to go back to the world he knows. Sleight of Hand centers on Javvan, whose criminal record makes finding a job impossible, until he meets Kevin. Now he faces a dilemma: help Kevin with a criminal scheme or go back to jail. In Foolproof, 17-year-old Daniel thinks that beautiful Cyn is the girl of his dreams, but he soon learns that he's no more than a means to an end: a way to help her move drugs. Written at a third-to-fourth-grade reading level but focusing on tough themes and subjects that will resonate with adolescents, these titles will immerse readers; the writing is to the point and immediate, the print size large, and the covers darkly enticing.

School Library Journal