Stay

By Katherine Lawrence

Winner, 2017 Moonbeam Children’s Book Award for Children’s Poetry

Millie is eleven going on twelve when her life is upended by her parents' decision to separate. Her mother gets a new boyfriend, and her father moves into a new place: an apartment with a big sign on the door that says NO DOGS ALLOWED. Since there's nothing Millie wants more than a dog of her own, that seems like the biggest blow of all.

Hoping to get her parents back together-not just for her sake, but for the sake of her future dog-Millie is elated when her father moves back in after a short while. She can't understand why her parents aren't happy at the reconciliation until she learns the truth: her father is back because he has been diagnosed with cancer.

Told in verse by acclaimed Canadian poet Katherine Lawrence, Stay is a moving, touching, and yet often humorous portrait of a family in a time of crisis, whose pain is filtered through the thoughts and actions of an eleven-year-old girl. Stay captures the essence of what it means to grow up, confront your fears, support your family, and share in the wild optimism that only youth can harbour.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Reprise
• Release date: Apr 15, 2022
• ISBN: 9781989398388

Katherine Lawrence

Saskatoon writer Katherine Lawrence has published four poetry collections, most recently Black Umbrella (Turnstone Press, 2022). Her poetry has been published across the country and has been longlisted twice for the CBC Literary Awards. Originally from Hamilton, Katherine has lived on the prairies for over 35 years. She is a former writer-in-residence for the Saskatoon Public Library and holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Saskatchewan. You can find her online at www.katherinelawrence.net.

Book preview

Half Title

PRAISE FOR STAY

BY KATHERINE LAWRENCE

Winner of a 2017

Moonbeam Children’s Book Award

for Children’s Poetry

"At first glance, Stay appears to be modest in length, form, and story. But within the spare pages of this middle-grade novel in verse is a powerful narrative about a family in transition, and the young girl at its centre who needs to form something new and whole from what remains . . . Though the plot of Stay is relatively straightforward, Katherine Lawrence’s writing is not. Lawrence is an accomplished author with several books of poetry for adults to her name; here she pens a novel for young readers so profound and complex in its voice and subtle in its story that multiple readings are necessary to appreciate all the nuances . . . Stay might be a quick read, but it’s a book that should be savoured."– Quill & Quire (starred review)

While a child can teach a dog to ‘Stay,’ a child cannot cause parents to stay together. This free-verse novel is a powerful portrayal of a nuclear family that is coming apart . . . Highly Recommended. – Canadian Review of Materials

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"Stay is brilliantly written; each word serves its purpose and powerfully paints the characters. The format is wonderfully unique. It manages to be both accessible to children and lyrically sophisticated at the same time. Heavy subject matter is treated with a deft hand." — Judges, Children’s Literature Award, 2018 Saskatchewan Book Awards (Finalist)

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Katherine Lawrence’s middle grade novel-in-verse, Stay, evokes the changeable emotions of eleven-year-olds and the enduring truths of community. Here is a world of families in transition, poor puppy training, and the possibility of discovering something new within the tatters of the old. Filled with charm and world play, Stay is a hopeful response to our modern struggles . . . It’s everyday magic—stirred up, made bright." — Judges, Saskatchewan Arts Board Poetry Award, 2018 Saskatchewan Book Awards (Finalist)

Title Page

STAY

By Katherine Lawrence

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Second Edition

Published 2022 by

Shadowpaw Press Reprise

Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada

www.shadowpawpress.com

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First Edition

Published 2017 by Coteau Books

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Copyright © 2017 by Katherine Lawrence

All rights reserved

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All characters and events in this book are fictitious.

Any resemblance to persons living or dead is coincidental.

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The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions of this book, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted material.

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Trade Paperback ISBN: 978-1-989398-37-1

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-989398-38-8

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Cover design by Tania Craan

Interior design by Edward Willett

Table of Contents

Halo Hello

Fines Accumulating Daily

Sent

Punctuation

Stop Asking Me Questions (1)

Jane

Stop Asking Me Questions (2)

Trick or Treat

Stop Asking Questions (3)

No Return Address

They Finally Agree on Something

Sent

Secret Agent

Divorce

I Spy