Description
One misunderstood teen. One eccentric granny. One missing uncle. A coming-of-age story that gets to the heart of one family’s secrets.
Zoe’s straitlaced and narrow-minded parents don’t understand her — they are shocked by her swearing and believe that she’s a bad girl. They also want to put Zoe’s Granny in a seniors home, despite Zoe’s objections. Sure, Granny has become a bit odd and her memory is spotty, but she’s outspoken and funny, and Zoe loves her. Granny still mourns her favourite son, Teddy, who was also a troublemaker, and who died before Zoe was born.
Or did he?
After a series of disastrous incidents, including a school suspension and a near-death experience, Zoe decides to liberate herself and her grandmother from their respective prisons, taking them on an unforgettable journey to Toronto, where Zoe learns the truth about her uncle and discovers strengths of her own that just might help her find a way back home.
From award-winning storyteller Allan Stratton comes a moving story of unresolved family conflicts, and a young girl’s awakening to the things that matter most.
Author Bio
Prizes
- Carnegie Medal, UKNominated 2018
- Amy Mathers Teen Book AwardShort-listed 2018
- Best Books for Kids and Teens, Canadian Children's Book Centre, Starred SelectionCommended 2017
- Manitoba Young Readers' Choice AwardWinner 2019
- OLA Red Maple Award, FictionShort-listed 2018
- Governor General's Award, Young People's Literature - TextShort-listed 2017
- Resource Links, Best of the YearCommended 2017
Review Quotes
Praise for The Way Back Home:
"Funny, raw and heartbreaking, this emotional story about family, loss and transformation will touch readers and raise questions about loyalty, justice and forgiveness." — Canadian Children's Book News
"The Way Back Home is a heartfelt, riveting novel from a master of his craft." — Quill & Quire
