The King of Jam Sandwiches

Thirteen-year-old Robbie leads a double life. It's just Robbie and his dad, but no one knows that his dad isn't like most parents. Sometimes he wakes Robbie up in the middle of the night to talk about dying. Sometimes he just leaves without telling Robbie where he's going.

Once when Robbie was younger, he was gone for more than a week. Robbie was terrified of being left alone but even more scared of telling anyone in case he was put into foster care. No one can know. Until one day when Robbie has to show the tough new girl, Harmony, around school.

Their first meeting ends horribly and she punches Robbie in the face. But eventually they come to realize that they have a lot more in common than they thought.

Can Robbie's new friend be trusted to keep his secret? (From Orca Books)

The KingofJam Sandwicheswon the 2020 Governor General's Literary Prize for young people's literature text.

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.

• Here are the finalists for the 2020 Governor General's Literary Awards
• The worst writing advice Eric Walters ever received

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.