About the Book
You think you know the world you live in, but you're wrong. the life of 15 year-old city kid, Barnabas Bopwright, is turned upside down when he discovers a transit map that includes a subway line he's never seen before! The map leads Barnabas deeper and deeper into secrets that have been closely guarded for over a century. Not that his life wasn't already complicated: his beloved big brother is teaching overseas; his family is struggling financially; his childhood friend, Deni might be his girlfriend now, but he's not sure.
When his investigations uncover a terror plot against the city he loves, he is shocked to discover that none of the adults in authority will lift a finger to stop it. Barnabas and his friends realize that if the city is to be saved, if the secrets are to be revealed at last, they must do it themselves.
Set in a heightened version of our world, TEETERING is familiar enough that it could be happening around us now, and fantastic enough that we aren't surprised to find steam-powered cathedrals and a hungry forest witch within its pages. In this book full of larger-than-life characters and vivid settings, Barnabas goes from a boy who thinks he's a cowardly loser to a leader and a hero. I wrote TEETERING because I wanted to bring young readers a story of friendship, first love, and the ties of family -- a character-driven page-turner that is both a thrilling yarn and a call to youth activism. TEETERING reflects my own passion for building a just and sustainable world. I want to inspire young people to take up these causes, to find their voices as activists, as artists, as the inheritors of the planet.
From precocious 13-year olds to adults, there is something in the book for a wide range of readers. While the kids' perspectives make up most of the book, the adult characters and their dilemmas are fully fleshed-out. Additional themes include family conflicts as children search for their own identities, the journey of young artists, questioning of religious faith, and transparency versus secrecy in our political institutions. The language of the book is direct and clear but full of humour and playfulness, too. TEETERING is the first of a planned two-book series called, "The Real Education of Barnabas Bopwright."
About the Author :
J. Marshall Freeman is a writer, musician, and cartoonist. He is a graduate of the University of Toronto, and a member of the Toronto Writer's Co-operative. Upcoming work includes the young adult novel, Copper in the Blood, the novel, The Release Party, and the children's books, Rhubarb's Double Life and Holly, Solly, and Blue. To read and view more of the author's work and to sign up for his email newslist, please visit jmarshallfreeman.com. J. Marshall Freeman is a writer, musician, and cartoonist. He is a graduate of the University of Toronto, and a member of the Toronto Writer's Co-operative. Upcoming work includes the young adult novel, Copper in the Blood, the novel, The Release Party, and the children's books, Rhubarb's Double Life and Holly, Solly, and Blue. To read and view more of the author's work and to sign up for his email newslist, please visit jmarshallfreeman.com. J. Marshall Freeman is a writer, musician, and cartoonist. He is a graduate of the University of Toronto, and a member of the Toronto Writer's Co-operative. Upcoming work includes the young adult novel, Copper in the Blood, the novel, The Release Party, and the children's books, Rhubarb's Double Life and Holly, Solly, and Blue. To read and view more of the author's work and to sign up for his email newslist, please visit jmarshallfreeman.com.
Review :
As a secondary school ELA (English Language Arts) teacher, I can see this book capturing the interest of many of my students. It follows in the long literary tradition of an ordinary young person stumbling into extraordinary events. The book's themes of overcoming fears, perseverance, and making sacrifices for the greater good are both inspiring and important for young readers. I found myself very quickly wrapped up in Barnabas' circumstances and the world Freeman created. The City and its secret "other half" were both realistic and fantastical. For a first novel, this is an incredible book, and I very much hope to see more from him in the near future. - Brian Barfoot, MST, High School teacher, English
