Books with author Michael Betcherman

High-school football star Matt Barnes was on the top of the world until a freak snowboarding accident ended his promising sports career and left him with a permanent limp. As he struggles to accept his changed body, Matt becomes depressed and isolated. Instead of college football camp, he faces a summer job at the local golf club. Then by chance Matt lands an internship at the Justice Project, an organization that defends the wrongly convicted. The other intern is his high-school nemesis, Sonya Livingstone, a quick-witted social activist with little time for jock culture. The two slowly develop a friendship as they investigate the case of Ray Richardson, who was convicted of murdering his parents twenty-one years ago. Matt and Sonya are soon convinced that Ray is innocent―but how will they prove it? Unraveling the cold case takes them on a journey filled with twists, turns, deception and danger. It will take dedication, perseverance and courage to unmask the real murderer. Can those same qualities help Matt move on to a life not defined by football?

A year ago, 16 year-old Nick Macklin had it all. He was an A student and a talented hockey player, with a beautiful girlfriend and the best dad in the world - a man who was not only there for him when his mom died, but was also a star player for the Vancouver Canucks. Then the bottom fell out. His father was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison for a crime Nick is convinced he didn’t commit. Angry and bitter, alienated from school and friends, Nick devotes himself to seeking justice for his father. Who framed him? And why? But freeing his dad is not his biggest challenge. His obsession with proving his father’s innocence threatens to ruin his own life. Can Nick put the pieces of the puzzle together - and save himself and his dad? Shortlisted for The John Spray Mystery Award

Seventeen year-old Alex Petrovic is thrilled to be playing goal in an international hockey tournament. He has his sights set on a college hockey scholarship, and scouts from all the big-time schools will be there. After a game against a team from Eastern Europe, he shakes hands with the opposing goalie, Stefan Divac, and finds himself staring at his identical double. At first he doesn’t know what to make of it. Then his mother sees Stefan—and faints dead away. The chance meeting uncovers family secrets buried in the wake of a civil war back in their home country that separated the brothers when they were infants. When the two war criminals who were responsible for tearing their family apart escape, Alex dreams of bringing them to justice. Can his dream become reality? Shortlisted for the Arthur Ellis Mystery Award

High-school football star Matt Barnes was on the top of the world until a freak snowboarding accident ended his promising sports career and left him with a permanent limp. As he struggles to accept his changed body, Matt becomes depressed and isolated. Instead of college football camp, he faces a summer job at the local golf club. Then by chance Matt lands an internship at the Justice Project, an organization that defends the wrongly convicted. The other intern is his high-school nemesis, Sonya Livingstone, a quick-witted social activist with little time for jock culture. The two slowly develop a friendship as they investigate the case of Ray Richardson, who was convicted of murdering his parents twenty-one years ago. Matt and Sonya are soon convinced that Ray is innocent—but how will they prove it? Unraveling the cold case takes them on a journey filled with twists, turns, deception and danger. It will take dedication, perseverance and courage to unmask the real murderer. Can those same qualities help Matt move on to a life not defined by football?

Seventeen year-old Alex Petrovic is thrilled to be playing goal in an international hockey tournament. He has his sights set on a college hockey scholarship, and scouts from all the big-time schools will be there.After a game against a team from Eastern Europe, he shakes hands with the opposing goalie, Stefan Divac, and finds himself staring at his identical double. At first he doesn’t know what to make of it. Then his mother sees Stefan—and faints dead away. The chance meeting uncovers family secrets buried in the wake of a civil war back in their home country that separated the brothers when they were infants. When the two war criminals who were responsible for tearing their family apart escape, Alex dreams of bringing them to justice. Can his dream become reality?

Sixteen-year-old Nick Macklin's life has been divided in two. Before and After. Before his father went to jail, and After.Before, he was a talented hockey player, an A student, in love with his girlfriend, Sherry, and had the greatest dad in the world, a man who not only was there for him after his mom died of cancer, but who was also a star player for the Vancouver Canucks.Then the bottom fell out. His father was convicted of murder and given a life sentence for a crime Nick is convinced he didn't commit.Now living with his dad's agent, the only thing that keeps Nick going is a burning desire to seek justice for his father. Who framed him? And why? Drifting away from everything and everyone who matters, Nick spends his days roaming the city, looking for the bald man with a limp who is the key to answering these questions: the man his father swears planted the evidence that led to his conviction.Finding him is like looking for a needle in a haystack—until Nick stumbles on a very real clue, an eye-opening revelation that just might get his father out of jail forever.

Sixteen-year-old Soliloquy’s life is anything but normal. Deserted by a mother who speaks in tongues. Informally adopted by her boyfriend’s family that owns a tequila distillery and agave farm. Visited by strange dreams filled with coded message and premonition. She is not your typical teenager. But when three alien spacecraft attack the farm, her life takes a twist down the proverbial rabbit hole.Driven into ice caves beneath the farm, she learns strange secrets about her mother, the family she is with, and the invading aliens. Nothing is what it seemed. Yet to survive, she and the family must transform in a way that will change them forever. Their response over the next twenty-four hours will have repercussions far beyond their little farm. For them, it is world war with their farm as the beachhead.

Seventeen year-old Alex Petrovic is thrilled to be playing goal in an international hockey tournament. He has his sights set on a college hockey scholarship, and scouts from all the big-time schools will be there. After a game against a team from Eastern Europe, he shakes hands with the opposing goalie, Stefan Divac, and finds himself staring at his identical double. At first he doesn't know what to make of it. Then his mother sees Stefan--and faints dead away. The chance meeting uncovers family secrets buried in the wake of a civil war back in their home country that separated the brothers when they were infants. When the two war criminals who were responsible for tearing their family apart escape, Alex dreams of bringing them to justice. Can his dream become reality?

Sixteen-year-old Nick Macklin’s life has been divided in two: before his father went to jail, and after. Before, he was an A student and a talented hockey player with lots of friends, a girlfriend, and the greatest dad in the world—a man who not only was there for him after his mom died, but was also a star player for the Vancouver Canucks. But then his father was convicted of murder and given a life sentence for a crime he says he didn’t commit. Angry and bitter, alienated from school and friends, Nick devotes himself to seeking justice for his father. His obsession threatens to ruin his own life. Can Nick put all the pieces of the puzzle together—and save both himself and his father?

Sixteen-year-old Nick Macklin's life has been divided in two. Before and After. Before his father went to jail, and After. Before, he was a talented hockey player, an A student, in love with his girlfriend, Sherry, and had the greatest dad in the world, a man who not only was there for him after his mom died of cancer, but who was also a star player for the Vancouver Canucks. Then the bottom fell out. His father was convicted of murder and given a life sentence for a crime Nick is convinced he didn't commit. Now living with his dad's agent, the only thing that keeps Nick going is a burning desire to seek justice for his father. Who framed him? And why? Drifting away from everything and everyone who matters, Nick spends his days roaming the city, looking for the bald man with a limp who is the key to answering these questions: the man his father swears planted the evidence that led to his conviction. Finding him is like looking for a needle in a haystack - until Nick stumbles on a very real clue, an eye-opening revelation that just might save his father... and himself.

Sixteen-year-old Soliloquy’s life is anything but normal. Deserted by a mother who speaks in tongues. Informally adopted by her boyfriend’s family that owns a tequila distillery and agave farm. Visited by strange dreams filled with coded message and premonition. She is not your typical teenager. But when three alien spacecraft attack the farm, her life takes a twist down the proverbial rabbit hole.Driven into ice caves beneath the farm, she learns strange secrets about her mother, the family she is with, and the invading aliens. Nothing is what it seemed. Yet to survive, she and the family must transform in a way that will change them forever. Their response over the next twenty-four hours will have repercussions far beyond their little farm. For them, it is world war with their farm as the beachhead.

An everything-you-need activity kit that lets kids create art that jumps right off of the page. Comes with 56 brightly coloured wax-dipped strings that are just sticky enough to cling cooperatively, but never permanently and are easily manipulated into all kinds of nifty drawings. This no-mess, take-it anywhere,quiet-kid kit is the perfect backseat companion.