• Age: 9 to 12
• Grade: 4 to 7
• Reading age: 9 to 12

Dylan and his friends snowball cars for entertainment on the weekend.

When they don't get enough reaction from passing cars, they put rocks in the middle of their snowballs. Their first attack with the loaded snowballs causes a car crash. His friends flee, but Dylan goes to the scene of the accident to make sure the driver is okay. He runs off when he knows help is on the way. Dylan is sighted, and rather than being punished, he is lauded as a hero. As his lies pile up, so does the hype about his heroics, and along with it, Dylan's guilt.

This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read!

Deb Loughead is the author of more than twenty-five books for children and young adults. She completed an English degree at the University of Toronto before working as a copy editor. She turned to creative writing after deciding to stay home to raise her three sons. Deb's books have been translated into seven languages, and her award-winning poetry and adult fiction have appeared in a variety of Canadian publications. In addition to having extensive experience with educational writing, Deb has conducted workshops and held readings at schools, festivals and conferences across the country. She has written and directed children’s plays and taught creative writing classes for adults in Toronto. Deb likes to spend her non-writing time reading, knitting or hanging around horses as a therapeutic riding volunteer. Deb lives with her family in Toronto, Ontario. For more information, visit www.debloughead.ca.

Deb Loughead's profile page

• Commended, CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens
• Commended, Resource Links, The Year's Best Books

"Deals with contemporary issues in a concise, clear manner, and even though the reading level is lower, there is excellent use of new language that will create opportunities for expanding the reader's vocabulary…This book is full of teachable moments, most notably the idea that you can learn from your mistakes and become a better person…Recommended."

Resource Links

"A good read about accepting consequences of one's own behavior."

Puget Sound Council for Review of Children's Media

"Loughead is especially good at depicting Dylan's physical turmoil...The snowball metaphor—how a single lie grows increasingly large—is also well handled…[An] intelligent drama."

Booklist

"Loughead creates a very realistic teen dilemma...Reluctant readers will keep plowing through simply to see if Dylan can undo all the damage he has caused."

School Library Journal (SLJ)

"[A] fast-paced story that will resonate with young readers because of its relevant themes. Dylan's guilty conscience and fear of exposure heighten the story's drama…Reluctant readers will appreciate the captivating plot, and the short, low-vocab design of the novel ensures it will be accessible to those reading below grade level."

CM: Canadian Review of Materials