An insecure teen turns into a reluctant activist after realizing her beloved grandmother is being threatened by an elderly genocide in the making. This page-turner weaves together an exploration of family and friendships with civil rights, mob mentality, and the challenges youth with learning disorders can face. High school junior Alia is good at sports but struggles with schoolwork, hindered by her learning disabilities. The latest history assignment on genocide is just more homework to be endured. That's until a troubling conversation with her beloved grandmother reluctantly jolts Alia into action. Between the country's shifting mood toward the elderly and new government programs championed as practical ways to deal with a burgeoning elderly population, Alia fears that senior citizens are being targeted for something more ominous. To rally others and challenge the growing oppression, Alia will need to step up and speak out. But people tend to doubt Alia due to her learning difficulties. Can she get people to listen to her? More importantly, can she believe in herself? Characterized by exciting, fast-paced plots and themes that are relevant for high school students, Horizon's Hi-Lo books are both engaging and easy to read. Short chapters, simple sentence structures, and an accessible format make these books perfect for teen reluctant readers. AGES: 14 plus AUTHOR: Jennifer Phillips writes stories that celebrate creativity, courage, and determination. She started out as a newspaper reporter in the Midwest and then spent many years in corporate and nonprofit communications. Now she splits her professional energy between writing for children and helping grown-ups make things work better through process improvement and creativity methods. She also advocates for social justice needs, especially concerning disability and mental illness. A Seattle mom of two young adult girls and one bird, she has more story ideas than time. She does her best writing super early in the morning when the coffee is piping hot and the house extremely quiet. Firebreak is her seventh book for children and teens. Come visit her at jenniferphillipsauthor.com.
