Willpower

by Marty Chan

Overview

Jennifer Mah has a secret — a big one.

She can move objects with her mind. She knows if people learn about her abilities, she would be taken and subjected to horrible experiments. That’s why she and her father have been living in a new city under false identities. But when Jennifer uses her powers to save someone from being hit by a car, she exposes herself to the authorities. Her father is taken away by agents and Jennifer has to find a way to save him without getting caught herself.

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781459832930
Publisher:	Orca Book Publishers
Publication date:	02/15/2022
Series:	Orca Currents Series
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	112
Lexile:	HL550L (what's this?)
File size:	2 MB
Age Range:	9 - 12 Years

About the Author

Marty Chan is an award-winning author of dozens of books for kids, including Kung Fu Master, Haunted Hospital and Kylie the Magnificent in the Orca Currents line and the award-winning Marty Chan Mystery series. He tours schools and libraries across Canada, using storytelling, stage magic and improv to ignite a passion for reading in kids. He lives in Edmonton.

Marty Chan is an award-winning author of dozens of books for kids, including Kung Fu Master, Haunted Hospital and Kylie the Magnificent in the Orca Currents line and the award-winning Marty Chan Mystery series. He tours schools and libraries across Canada, using storytelling, stage magic and improv to ignite a passion for reading in kids. He lives in Edmonton.

Editorial Reviews

About many different situations that test one’s willpower...A good read. Highly Recommended.

CM: Canadian Review of Materials

2021-12-27
A teen must learn to control her special powers in order to save her imperiled father.

Jennifer Mah, an Asian American girl, was born with telekinetic abilities. Tricked by unethical scientists who promised her a cure but really seek to conduct experiments on her, she and her father are on the run. Jennifer feels stifled by her dad’s extreme protectiveness and constant worrying and wants nothing more than to lead a normal teenage existence. When Noah, the top jock at her school and a jerk-to-nice-guy, is about to get hit by a car, Jennifer cannot help but use her powers to avert the accident, which leads to an unlikely friendship between the pair. Then, Jennifer’s dad is kidnapped by the evil Dr. Lansing and her agents, and it falls upon Jennifer and Noah to save him. Although the plot is basic, Chan’s suspenseful, fast-paced storytelling is engrossing from the very first page. With short, action-packed chapters, the book will appeal to reluctant readers. While the focus is largely on Jennifer’s immediate troubles, including her guilt over her mother’s death, the story does touch upon issues of class and racial identity. With convincing dialogue, ably handled character development, and a strong female Asian lead, this book would be a great addition to any young reader’s library. Noah’s “shaggy hair” may or may not code him as White. The main characters are teens, although the book’s audience is middle-grade readers.

A lightly speculative novel about developing courage and inner strength. (Science fiction. 8-11)

Kirkus Reviews