The Undercover Book List

GovernorGeneral’s Award Finalist Colleen Nelson’s tale of identity, unlikely friends,and a secret book club, now available in a new paperback format.

Between her father’s posting overseas and herbest friend Sienna’s move to the other side of the country, seventh grade islooking lonely for Jane MacDonald. But Sienna has left her with one last trick:a hidden message in a library book—the perfect plot to start a secret club andfind Jane a new book-loving friend.

Tyson Flamand has problems of his own. Since thefourth grade he’s had a reputation as a bad kid, and there’s no point fightingit when teachers always think the worst. So when he finds an anonymous note inthe library looking for a nerdy new friend, he knows he’s the last person inthe world it could be meant for. But something makes him answer it anyway, andTyson finds himself pulled into a secret book club where being hidden may bethe first step to being truly seen.

With the insight of a veteran middle-schoolteacher, Colleen Nelson, author of the award-winning Harvey Comes Home andSadia, weaves together two stories of identity, expectation, and thecourage to challenge both. As their paths move ever closer, Jane and Tyson bothdiscover their own self-reliance and their ability to overcome obstacles thatseemed insurmountable. 

“Told in alternating chapters from the perspectives ofseventh graders Jane and Tyson, this story unfolds with clever aplomb… [and] arobustly diverse supporting cast…A well-plotted, well-written story that willengage readers and encourage nonreaders.”—KirkusReviews