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Young Adult Fiction Activism & Social Justice

Poison Town

by (author) Elyssa Campbell

Publisher
James Lorimer & Company Ltd., Publishers
Initial publish date
Sep 2023
Category
Activism & Social Justice, Law & Crime, Environment, Recycling & Green Living, Politics & Government
Recommended Age
12 to 18
Recommended Grade
7 to 12
Recommended Reading age
12 to 18
  • Hardback

    ISBN
    9781459417496
    Publish Date
    Sep 2023
    List Price
    $27.99
  • eBook

    ISBN
    9781459417502
    Publish Date
    Sep 2023
    List Price
    $12.95
  • Paperback / softback

    ISBN
    9781459417489
    Publish Date
    Sep 2023
    List Price
    $16.95

Classroom Resources

Where to buy it

Description

ELYSSA CAMPBELL’s debut novel Poison Town tells the story of a fourteen-year-old who becomes an environmental activist - in a company town built around a smelter. She faces a mystery – what is poisoning the town when there has been a successful clean-up.

Addie’s town is built around a lead and zinc smelter. The company has done an extensive cleanup of its operations, but the air and water still seem dangerous. Addie decides to find out if the smelter is still poisoning local residents. To do that, she needs help.

This novel allows young readers to confront climate anxieties while finding inspiration in Addie’s believable and realistic actions. Addie is overlooked and treated as a child who wouldn’t understand. Big mistake. She uses adult naivety to her advantage and confronts what most people in her town are too fearful to address.

ELYSSA CAMPBELL adds an author’s note to her story, pointing to real-life examples which closely parallel the situation and events in her novel

About the author

ELYSSA CAMPBELL'S stories have been published in literary magazines in Canada and the United States. She’s also into skiing, hiking, and playing with her dog. She is a substitute teacher, and self-identifies as having an ADHD brain. She grew up in a town with a smelter and now lives near Vancouver, Canada.

Elyssa Campbell's profile page

Editorial Reviews

Inspired by the author’s own experiences, this original exploration of the impact of environmental pollution is a quick and accessible read, with consistent, smooth pacing and solid characterization… An absorbing story of grassroots environmental activism by teens.

Kirkus Reviews

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