Books published by publisher James Lorimer

After a gang of thugs beat him up, Paul's parents decide they've had enough of Glasgow's tough streets and move the family to Winnipeg. Still healing from his injuries, Paul also has deep inner scars that will make his new high school, in this new country, even more of a battleground. New Blood is an edgy yet moving account of violence, bullying, recovery, and hope. Peter McPhee, a Southern Alberta-based writer, was for many years an editor and film critic for the Winnipeg Sun. He has written several books for both children and young adults, including Runner and A Way With Horses.

For as long as they've been friends, Elias has been relying on his buddy Jordan. It's Jordan's mom who takes him in when his own mother is on an alcoholic binge; it's Jordan who acts as the brother and role model that Elias doesn't have. But now they've gone too far, and a schoolyard fight has landed them both in jail. The judge gives them a warning: Shape up, or face time in juvie. The clock is already ticking when Jordan gets his girlfriend pregnant and then comes up with a big-time takedown that'll set them both up for life. For Elias, it's not worth the risk. But can he free himself of Jordan's influence in time?

Shay and his pal Toby are among the players on the school soccer team who fall foul of the "fair play contract" introduced by the new school administration. After being banned from playing on behalf of the school for the rest of the season, the dismissed players form their own unofficial team—and become one of the top teams in the league. But will they be allowed to play in the championship game? Based on a true incident, Suspended is a story about determination and true sportsmanship.

Sixth-grader Maggie Ito believes she has been cursed by the Witch of Bloor Street. While her friends all seem to be best at something—Sasha is best at art, Alice is the most musical, and even her nemesis Jarrett Johnson is the fastest runner—Maggie believes the curse is keeping her from being best at anything. Her attempts to break it become increasingly far-fetched, but her luck is still bad. With the help of her friends and a supportive teacher, Maggie finds confidence in her own abilities and the strength to confront her "witch."

Troy and Trent are brothers who play on the same Winnipeg hockey team, Trent as forward and Troy in goal. When Trent takes a turn in nets he finds out he's a natural, the best goalie on the team. Troy has to fight for ice time, and the brothers' relationship grows colder and colder. Brothers on Ice is a poignant story of the struggle to learn what brings families together, and what drives them apart.

Lee comes from a family of NHL hockey players, but he's no hotshot$mdash;he plays because he loves the game. His coaches, however, spend all their time with the team's stars and leave ordinary players warming the bench. When the coaches' determination to win puts Lee in hospital, however, he's forced to take a stand against their recklessness. Red-Line Blues is the story of one player's fight for what's important in sport: fair play and love of the game.

An epic rivalry began with star NHL players and the Soviet Union during the Summit Series in 1972. The eight-game tournament quickly became a "war on ice" fueled by competing Cold War ideologies. Hockey fans will enjoy reading about: small-town teams that represented in international tournaments before there was world hockey; Father David Bauer and the first Canadian National Hockey Team; North American style of play versus the Russian style of play; and Bobby Clarke's dirty slash on Kharlamov.

Robyn's family has always struggled to make enough money to survive. When Robyn's grandmother leaves them an apple orchard in British Columbia, Robyn thinks things will be different, but Robyn's father still can't pay the bills. He asks Robyn for her own hard-earned money and encourages her to drop out of school to work in the orchard. Robyn desperately wants to go to university, but to make a better life for herself, she'll have to leave her family behind.

"When Vicky and her mom pack up and move across the city to a new neighborhood, it means switching schools and leaving behind her best friend and her soccer team. Now she'll have to try out for goalkeeper with her former rivals, deal with racism at her new school and struggle to maintain loyalty to her old friends while making new ones. Vicky is awesome in net and tries to keep focused on her goals and the game she loves, but it's not easy without the support of her friends and family."

Her last year in Junior High and Stephanie is going to make it a big one. With her new image--glitzy rhinestones, sexy spandex and lots of lip gloss--Stephanie just knows success will be hers.And at first, she's right. After all, she's president of the student council, and has a date with Wheels--she must be doing something right. But when the date doesn't work out and students object to her "presidential style," Stephanie's life begins a downward spiral. Will Stephanie stop before she hits bottom?Based on the groundbreaking Degrassi Junior High television series, this book offers a sensitive and engaging look at the challenges of teenage life.

It's the summer before her final year of high school, and Amy and her best friend Elise are stoked about their summer job. Two months, no parents, a dreamy twenty-something boss and a remote island resort. It sounds like the perfect opportunity for shy, artistic Amy to reinvent herself. But when her dream boss turns creepy, Amy has to decide how far she's willing to go to get the recommendations she needs for her future.