Off Limits

Short, readable, realistic fiction for teens. Fifteen-year-old Birmingham feels an instant connection with his new substitute music teacher, and she seems to have feelings for him too. They begin meeting outside of school hours until, one day, Birmingham's girlfriend catches him in a lie. Birmingham is forced to defend himself in a formal inquiry, while he wonders whether he's the one who has done something wrong. ROBERT RAYNER lives in St. George, NB, where he teaches music, plays in a band, and writes. He has written many books for children and young adults, including the SideStreets novel Scab, which was named a Best Books for Kids and Teens by the Canadian Children's Book Centre. ""[A] topical and provocative read that will capture the attention of its intended audience."" - Lisa Doucet Atlantic Books Today Will interest ages 12 to 18. Highly readable Canadian author, teen fiction. Paradise Manor is depressing - the smells are bad and the residents are old. Sunny would much rather be doing her volunteer hours at Salon Teo, but her teacher won't let her. Who says volunteering at a hair salon doesn't benefit the community? But working with the Alzheimer's patients has a surprising effect on Sunny. Along with Cole, the grandson of one of the residents, she begins to see that the residents don't have much more choice about their lives than she does: what they eat, how they are treated by staff, even what they watch on television. So Sunny does what she can to make the residents happy - even if she has to sometimes break the rules to do it. But when tragedy strikes at Paradise, Sunny's left to make the decision about whether or not to honour a promise that Cole made to his grandmother about her life ... and her death. Sunny's character is flawed but moral - both brat and saint - and representative of a teen well on her way to becoming a grounded adult, until fate interferes. In Sunny, author Sylvia McNicoll creates a character whose irreverent outlook will appeal to a wide range of teenage readers "Fifteen-year-old Birmingham has a hot girlfriend who wants to "do it" anytime, anywhere. But to his (and his best friend's) surprise, it just leaves him feeling hollow, and he finds himself longing for something more. Then his school hires a substitute music teacher, and Birm feels an instant connection with her. They both share a deep love for music--and she seems to have feelings for him too. They begin meeting outside of school hours until, one day, Birmingham's girlfriend catches him in a lie. Jealous and angry, she tells anyone who will listen that he is having an affair with the teacher. Birmingham is forced to defend himself in a formal inquiry, while he wonders whether he's the one who has done something wrong"-- Publisher's description Last year, Sunny served forty hours volunteer time on an Alzheimer's ward, where she developed a crush on Cole, another volunteer. Now she is on trial for manslaughter