New Releases by Lesley Choyce

Halifax''s surfing poet Lesely Choyce, throws Caution to the Wind, in a new collection of poetry that dives deep into the swells of experience, and dances nimbly at the breakers'' edge. In a refreshing maturity of voice Choyce surfs on the surface of language and plunges into the oceanic heart of being, encountering fear and wonder. A most integrated and fully realized volume of poetry by the author of Beautiful Sadness. --Ekstasis Editions.

The history of Nova Scotia is an amazing story of a land & people shaped by the waves, tides, winds, & wonder of the North Atlantic. The first people arrived after the retreat of the glaciers, & over thousands of years the highly civilized Mi''kmaq culture evolved. The arrival of European settlers disrupted their life. Then came the power struggle between France; as England emerged the Victor, the Acadians were driven from the land they loved. The sailors & shipbuilders led the province into a flourishing trade. During WW1, it was again thrust into military activity. At the end of the 20th century, it is unclear whether the way of life along this coast will survive.

When Craig''s friend Roy starts taking steroids and surpasses everybody on the football team, Craig decides to start a steroid program of his own, until he begins experiencing terrible side effects and must stop before he loses everything.

Carrie wants to be part of the cool crowd. Becoming friends with them means getting a new image for herself but it also means ignoring her old friends. That''s when Carrie starts to see that there are friends, and then there are good freinds.

In Beautiful Sadness laughter often simmers under a rueful - or strangely joyful - melancholy tone. These poems are the songs you might sing on street corners if, reaching beyond the troubles of daily life, you discover the resiliency of the spirit.

Another chapter book for the younger set.Lavishly illustrated, a story about being and getting famous. A journey of discovery for everyone.

Lesley Choyce writes rings around most Canadian authors. This collection of short stories, Dance the Rocks Ashore, is certainly choice Choyce. Dance the Rocks Ashore contains substantial new stories including "Dance the Rocks Ashore," a bittersweet account of an elderly couple''s decline; the hilarious and bizarre "My Father Was a Book Reviewer" "The Third or Fourth Happiest Man in Nova Scotia," with a peculiar hero reminiscent of Noah; and "The Wreck of the Sister Theresa," in which spring fever hits like "a handshake in hell." Favourite stories from previous books include "Losing Ground," the pivotal chapter in Choyce''s acclaimed 1989 novel The Second Season of Jonas MacPherson, as well as "The Cure," "Dancing the Night Away," and the complex and disturbing "Conventional Emotions."

Grade level: 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, i, s, t.

Set in Canada''s East Coast, this novel from the award-winning and prolific Lesley Choyce grapples with current environmental issues as experienced by two teenagers. "As with all his young adult books, Big Burn features a strong plot, some conflicts, and a resolution that isn''t glib. And there''s that unmistakable gusto for the great outdoors; lots of wind, sun, rocks, ocean and scenery." Halifax Chronicle Herald.

Gary Sutherland lives for skateboarding. Gary and his friends spend most of their free time on skateboards. The greater the challenge, the more they like it. Then they discover the ultimate challenge - an abandoned pool they call the grave. But then everything falls apart. The grave is going to be destroyed and a shopping mall constructed in its place. Gary and his friend Sheila don''t think their community needs another needs another shopping mall - so they put together a plan to stop it!