Saving Grad
Vienna, a mixed Native American teen, and her mother struggle to escape her step-father's constant violence by moving to a new city to start new lives.
Vienna, a mixed-race teen and her mother experience racism and domestic violence while living with her step-father. They try to escape the situation by moving to a big city where they begin to start new lives. But staying under the radar is tough, and when her step-father shows up threatening her at her new high school's grad party, Vienna has to find a way to keep herself, her mother, and her friends out of harm's way.
This book illustrates the very real circumstances women and children victims of domestic abuse face and one family's struggle to escape a violent situation.
About the Author
KAREN SPAFFORD-FITZ grew up in an old limestone farmhouse near Kingston, Ontario. Karen studied English Language and Literature at Queen's University. She went on to graduate in Education and taught elementary and junior-high students for eight years. Both her previous books,
Dog Walker and
Vanish have been recognized as Best Books by
Resource Links and the Canadian Children's Book Centre. Karen lives in Edmonton, Alberta.
Reviews
"Saving Grad is un-put-down-able."
Monique Polak, Fiction for Young Adults
"[A story] about the strength of a mother and daughter who put the end to the violence that was going on in their lives. Vienna does what she has to keep her friends and her mother save when her family's problems come after them. It is a good fast paced story. I enjoyed it."
Destiny Bridwell, NetGalley
"This book was both inspirational and scary as it does not shy away from domestic violence and the results of living it."
Tina Avon, NetGalley
"The story of a young girl heading into her final year of high school. Her mom is in an abusive relationship, and there's racism involved as she's mixed Métis. They escape this man and move to Edmonton, but he finds them. It's got a lot of layers, really well done."
Fish Griwkowsky, Edmonton Journal
"Karen Spafford-Fitz has woven a realistic narrative in Saving Grad, with credible characters with whom teen readers can associate.The themes are everyday issues which are plausible and authentic. The novel is an easy read — only 184 pages with enough to keep readers engaged until the very end ... Saving Grad is an excellent novel for classroom discussion."
Resource Links
"Vienna is a solid role model for younger readers."
Lacey Crowie, CM: Candian Review of Materials
"In addition to the diverse protagonists, many secondary characters also bring diversity to the series."
Kirkus Reviews
Awards
Resource Links The Year's Best - Fiction Grades 7-12
2017
CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens
2018
Subjects (BISAC)
Subjects
Resource Guide
Outlines, activities and ideas to help teachers guide students reading SideStreets books in the classroom.
(more)The Lorimer SideStreets guide provides teachers with (a) an outline for helping students
to choose novels in the SideStreets series as well as (b) a choice of response activities
that offer students opportunities to make sense of what they have read in a variety of
modes.
