Don't Stand so Close to Me

Thirteen-year-old Quinn and her friends can't believe their luck when spring break is extended an extra two weeks even if it's because of some virus. But when the impact of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic becomes apparent, everyone, not just the students, has to learn to adjust to their new reality.

Quinn's father is an ER doctor and has to self-isolate to protect his family from the virus. Isaac's mother is the chief of police and now has to enforce new physical-distancing bylaws. Reese can't visit her grandmother in her care home anymore.

And their entire school has moved to online classes. Sacrifices have to be made to keep everyone safe, but there's more to life than rules and scary news reports. In an effort to find some good in all this uncertainty, Quinn comes up with an idea that she hopes will bring the entire community together. (From Orca Book Publishers)

Eric Walters is one of Canada's most prolific and successful writers for young people. Inspired by reluctant readers when he was a grade five teacher, he decided to write them a story they couldn't put down. Since then, he's penned almost 100(!!) books, includingCamp X,The Power of ThreeandRun. He's reaching more readers than ever: his 2006 novelWe All Fall Downcame inat #88 on the list ofthe bestselling 150 Canadian books of the past 10 years.

• The best Canadian YA and middle-grade books of 2020

Interviews with Eric Walter

Eric Walters on creating 'I Read Canadian' Day

5 years ago

Duration 2:44

Children's author Eric Walters says he heard from multiple struggling Canadian authors before he decided to start an annual day to promote them.