Juvenile Fiction

Myth

Myths of the Sea

• Series: Bug Club Guided
• Paperback: 24 pages
• Publisher: Pearson Education Limited (July 20, 2016)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0435180525
• ISBN-13: 978-0435180522

Odysseus does battle with Scylla and Charybdis in one of three stories included in this collection of tales from the sea.

Historical Fiction

Jo’s Triumph

ISBN: 9781551431994
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
Pub Date: Sep/01/2002
Pages: 144
Fiction Ages 8-11

Flame quivered beneath me, ready to fly off the moment I asked.

“The mail’s been stopped one minute and twenty seconds,” Uncle Billy said. “That’s more than long enough.”

He slapped Flame on the rump and the horse leaped forward as if shot from a cannon. The sudden movement caught me off guard and for one horrible second I thought my career as a Pony Express rider was over before it started.
In the late 1850s in and around Carson City, struggles between the Indians and the local whites are growing. During the struggles, Joselyn, a young orphan, meets Sarah Winnemucca, a Paiute girl who becomes her friend and gives her some valuable advice. When Joselyn takes that advice and escapes from the Carson City Home for Unfortunate Children, she has no idea that her boy’s disguise and her love for and expertise with horses will lead her straight to the Pony Express. Joselyn becomes Jo and turns to a life that demands all her inner strength and resources. Then the meanest man on the route learns her secret and uses it to extract a promise that kept or broken could mean death. 

Purchase Jo’s Triumph on amazon.com

Jo’s Journey

ISBN: 9781551435367
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
Pub Date: Mar/01/2006
Pages: 128
Fiction Ages 8-11

I had felt almost smug striding into town, but leaving again made me realize that the wild country ahead was probably beyond my imagining. Already the way had been difficult, but judging by stories told by some of the men who had traveled this way before, only the very strongest, the most determined, survived to see the Cariboo. Would I be one of them?
It’s 1861 and orphan Jo has made it from Carson City, Nevada, to San Francisco without anyone figuring out that she’s a girl in boy’s clothing. When she hears talk of gold strikes in the Cariboo, Jo and her friend Bart sign on for what turns out to be a journey far more arduous and dangerous than anything Jo experienced as a Pony Express rider. Through it all, Jo keeps her true identity a secret. Strong men turn back but Jo forges ahead, unsure of what lies ahead but sure that her father and mother would be proud of her determination.

Purchase Jo’s Journey on Amazon.com

The Tarragon Island Novels

Tarragon Island (#1)

Heather Blake can’t believe her bad luck when her family moves from Toronto to tiny Tarragon Island in British Columbia. What will she, a budding author, write about on this “rock in the middle of nowhere”? From her home-schooled neighbour, to the woman down the road who grows herbs for her aromatherapy practice, to the Dexter calf her mother brings home to promote the preservation of rare farm animal breeds, life on Tarragon Island couldn’t be more different from the one Heather has left behind in Toronto.

Heather’s mother is far too busy getting established as the local veterinarian and her father too preoccupied with his new sailboat for either of them to pay much attention to her predicament. Alyssum, the girl dressed in rags next door, hardly seems like a promising friend, and Heather finds herself planning a brilliant escape—just like the Count of Monte Cristo.

Set against the backdrop of British Columbia’s scenic Gulf Islands, Tarragon Island explores the coves, beaches, and animal life of the area as well as the inner landscape of a young girl struggling to come to terms with the imperfections of her family and herself.

Nikki Tate writes with verve, humour, and absolute authenticity of twelve-year-old Heather’s life in transition. Nothing stays the same as Heather’s understanding of her island world widens and deepens. Insightful, gentle, a pleasure to read, and wise in its portrayal of Heather’s determination to become a writer.— MARILYN BOWERING

Sono Nis Press
Juvenile Fiction 8-12, 182 pp, 5 x 8
ISBN 1-55039-103-8, paper, $7.95

No Cafe’s in Narnia (#2)

It’s not easy to have a private life on a small island. Thirteen-year-old Heather Blake can’t stand the fact people on Tarragon Island know about her family’s traumas practically before she does. The local youth writing group is supposed to help her meet people and improve her writing skills. Instead, Heather finds herself revealing way too much about both her writing life and her private thoughts to kids she can’t believe are becoming her friends. Heather’s new school, a budding romance, serious family illness, a strange crime, and even stranger island residents cause more trouble than she thinks she can handle. It will take all the strength and determination Heather can muster if she hopes to survive and carve out a place for herself in her new island home.

Nikki Tate writes with verve, humour, and absolute authenticity of twelve-year-old Heather’s life in transition. Nothing stays the same as Heather’s understanding of her island world widens and deepens. Insightful, gentle, a pleasure to read, and wise in its portrayal of Heather’s determination to become a writer.— MARILYN BOWERING

Sono Nis Press
Juvenile Fiction, 174 pp, 5 x 8
ISBN 1-55039-107-0, paper, $8.95

Trouble on Tarragon Island (#3)

Chocolate Lily Award (Nominee)
Diamond Willow Award (Nominee)
Red Cedar Book Award (Nominee)

Heather Blake is horrified when her grandmother gets involved with the Ladies of the Forest, a radical group of protesters willing to do just about anything to save a stand of old-growth trees from the loggers’ chainsaws. When the Ladies make a calendar, semi-nude photos of Granny and her friends hang on just about every fridge on Tarragon Island. Things get even worse when protesters get arrested and tempers flare. Without question, there’s a crisis in the Tarragon Woods, and the solutions are far from clear-cut.

Inspired by actual conflicts played out on logging roads and protest camps in British Columbia, Trouble on Tarragon explores issues facing many communities today. Like many other citizens, Heather must grapple with some difficult questions. What are the avenues open to a citizen displeased with government policies? Can one ever break the law with a clear conscience? Is a protester a criminal? How can a journalist remain unbiased when personally involved with a story?

With a touch of wry humour, Nikki Tate has created a believable story of a young writer trying to make sense of the world around her. Fans of this series, and readers new to Tate’s work, won’t be able to put Trouble on Tarragon down.

“In this remarkable contemporary story, Nikki Tate scoops up the beating heart of the environmental struggle over BC public forests and presents it to her young readers with verve and audacity. In their efforts to save a rainforest, grandmothers pose naked, granddaughters freak out, little boys get arrested and the community becomes polarized over the clear cutting of public forests. A great read, one I would wish for every Canadian child.”
—Betty Krawczyk, author of Lock Me Up or Let Me Go

Sono Nis Press • 216 pp • 5.25 x 7.75
ISBN 1-55039-154-2 • paper • $9.95
ages 8-13

Teachers’ Guide

The StableMates Series

Keeping Secrets at Dark Creek (#7)

Fans of Nikki Tate’s horse novels will be happy to see Jessa and the rest of the Dark Creek gang back for more horsey action in the seventh volume of the best-selling StableMates series. Jessa continues to struggle to control her new mount, Jasmine, even as she tries to keep a lid on her intense jealousy towards Molly, the young rider who has been taking lessons on Jessa’s beloved pony, Rebel. The barn is not the only place where Jessa encounters strife. Soon after the start of the new school year, problems arise at Kenwood Middle school where Jessa finds herself embroiled in a battle of secrets and betrayal with Andrew, a strange new boy who seems determined to make her life miserable. This page-turner draws readers into this popular heroine’s world as Jessa and Cheryl survive a nasty encounter with angry wasps, learn about the railway companies that once served the Saanich Peninsula, and return an historical artifact to its rightful owner nearly one hundred years after it went missing. In the end, an offer of friendship from an unexpected soulmate makes Jessa realize the importance of looking beyond appearances before judging someone’s character.

Return to Skoki Lake (#6)

Jessa’s week-long trail riding trip into the Rocky Mountains should have been the experience of a lifetime. Ignoring increasingly peculiar symptoms, Jessa sets off into the mountains, determined to enjoy herself despite feeling very ill. To her horror, she finds herself regaining consciousness in an Alberta hospital! This is only the beginning of a long journey of recovery, one which turns Jessa’s life upside down and threatens even her desire to ride.

“Return to Skoki Lake is an engaging novel that captures the challenges and frustrations of living with diabetes….[It] is a delight to read and is highly recommended for children with diabetes, as well as those who share their lives.” – Allison Husband, RN, MN, CDE (Diabetes Clinic, Alberta Children’s Hospital and member of National Publications Committee, Canadian Diabetes Association)

Raven’s Revenge (#5)

When Jessa wins a trip for two to horse camp, she and Cheryl are so excited they can hardly think of anything else. But Camp Singing Waters may not be a blissful getaway. Feuding campers, a lame horse and drafty cabins are bad enough, but should they have listened more carefully to Mrs. Bailey’s ominous warnings about Dr. Rainey’s experiments with witchcraft? Or, are the late-night ghost stories around the campfire just fuelling their overactive imaginations?

“The enthusiasm of Vancouver Island author Nikki Tate, who has been riding horses since she was very young, is contagious; the reader is quickly caught up in the story. The world of characters she creates in Rebel of Dark Creek is solid; readers will care about what happens to Jessa in future books.” — QUILL AND QUIRE

Sienna’s Rescue (#4)

When four abused and neglected horses are seized by the Kenwood Animal Rescue Society, Jessa convinces Mrs. Bailey that Dark Creek Stables would be a perfect foster farm for one of them, but nobody is prepared for the challenges of Sienna’s rehabilitation. Can Jessa and her friends save the young renegade mare from the slaughterhouse? Why is Mrs. Bailey behaving so strangely around Walter Walters? And what is Jessa going to do with Romeo, the lovable mutt who shows up at the little house on Desdemona Street and refuses to leave?

“The enthusiasm of Vancouver Island author Nikki Tate, who has been riding horses since she was very young, is contagious; the reader is quickly caught up in the story. The world of characters she creates in Rebel of Dark Creek is solid; readers will care about what happens to Jessa in future books.” — QUILL AND QUIRE

 

Jessa Be Nimble, Rebel Be Quick (#3)

The continuing adventures of Jessa and her pony, Rebel, in book #3 of the StableMates Series. Jessa is completely stressed out! Her terrifying dreams about water jumps just won’t stop. In fact, as the date of Jimmy McBride’s eventing clinic draws closer, the nightmares keep getting worse. At school, she’s responsible for helping the new girl from Japan settle in. Unfortunately for Jessa, her efforts to help just seem to make Midori unhappier. Jessa’s best friend, Cheryl, is no help at all-she’s too busy trying to land a juicy part in a play.

“The enthusiasm of Vancouver Island author Nikki Tate, who has been riding horses since she was very young, is contagious; the reader is quickly caught up in the story. The world of characters she creates in Rebel of Dark Creek is solid; readers will care about what happens to Jessa in future books.” QUILL AND QUIRE — QUILL AND QUIRE

 

Team Trouble at Dark Creek (#2)

When two giant draft horses take up residence at Dark Creek Stables, the trouble starts. Fences collapse, Mrs. Bailey can’t keep up with the feed bills, and Jessa’s pony, Rebel, finds himself out in the cold during the worst blizzard of the century. To make things worse, Jessa and her best friend Cheryl can’t seem to get along and a surprise visitor nearly ruins Jessa’s Christmas vacation. Will Dark Creek ever be the same again?

 

“The enthusiasm of Vancouver Island author Nikki Tate, who has been riding horses since she was very young, is contagious; the reader is quickly caught up in the story. The world of characters she creates in Rebel of Dark Creek is solid; readers will care about what happens to Jessa in future books.” — QUILL AND QUIRE

 

Rebel of Dark Creek (#1)

Jessa is in Grade 6 and eats, sleeps, and dreams horses. But lessons and ponies are expensive, so how will she ever manage to buy or lease a horse of her own? With a combination of work, luck, and good friends she finds a pony named Rebel … and then the adventures begin! On with the gumboots, up with the pitchfork and Jessa has to learn to work for Rebel’s room and board while keeping up in school and coping with some strange behaviour from a few classmates.

“The enthusiasm of Vancouver Island author Nikki Tate, who has been riding horses since she was very young, is contagious; the reader is quickly caught up in the story. The world of characters she creates in Rebel of Dark Creek is solid; readers will care about what happens to Jessa in future books.” — QUILL AND QUIRE

Fantasy Fiction (Estorian Chronicles)

Cave of Departure (#1)

Twelve-year-old Dominique fails to complete a deadly serious ritual and is banished from his place with the Estorian people, a tribe of nomadic storytellers. He must travel alone to a distant cave where, it is believed, he will find the voice he has always longed for. His quest takes him to far-off lands where he must do battle with a mighty river serpent, outwit pungent yagabonos, and survive capture by a group of powerful leranons.

Inspired by the creatures and legends of a variety of mythologies, Nikki Tate has created a world where there is no greater honour-and no greater challenge-than being a magnificent storyteller. The first novel in the Estorian Chronicles Trilogy, Cave of Departure introduces a feisty young word warrior and his female counterpart, Amana, the Campriano, whose relentless search for the truth is destined to change Dominique’s life forever.

Sono Nis Press
Juvenile, 239 pp, 5¼ x 7¾, $8.95
ISBN 13: 978-1-55039-119-0; 1-55039-119-4

Battle for Carnillo (#2)

Banished from his tribe, twelve-year-old Dominique’s quest continues as he reaches the great port city of Carnillo. Civil strife and rumours of imminent invasion bring suspicion upon all who walk the streets. Arrested and imprisoned, Dominique receives help from an unexpected ally and is drawn into a confusing conspiracy of constantly shifting alliances. As he attempts to unravel the truth behind the strange web of conflicting stories about his father, Dominique learns there is a greater challenge before him. It will require all of his inner resources to help mend the rift that tore his people asunder centuries earlier.

Second in the Estorian Chronicles trilogy, The Battle for Carnillo continues to explore the nature of story and the power wielded by those who control information. Inspired by the myths, legends, and folktales of cultures from around the world, Tate weaves an exciting tale of adventure as one young boy struggles to understand the beliefs, prejudices, and shortcomings of his own people.

Sono Nis Press
JUVENILE FICTION • 310 pp • 5.25 x 7.75
ISBN 1-55039-127-5 • paper • $9.95
Recommended for ages 10 – 14