• Age: 12 to 15
• Grade: 7 to 10
• Reading age: 12 to 15

Short-listed for the 2012 SYRCA Snow Willow Award
Lexie Malton is an average Vancouver teen with fairly typical issues. Her stepmother is far from her favourite person, she has a sister with special needs, and life outside the home is the usual mix of school, friends, and social events.
But Lexie has a secret. Her ex-boyfriend, Devlin Mather, is now a heroin addict living on the street, and only Lexie knows that shes the one who put him there. Guilt makes her give in to Devlins demands for money time and time again, even though she knows how dangerous his drug use is.
Lexie finally gathers the strength to stop enabling Devlin. But when he seeks treatment for his addiction, Lexie finds herself drawn back to him, never guessing what a dark and deadly path she has just chosen.
Devlin relapses, and his desperation leads to an act that will change both of their lives forever.

Valerie Sherrard first decided to become an author when she was in grade six! Her homeroom teacher that year, Mr. Alf Lower, praised and encouraged her efforts and instilled in her a lifelong belief in her ability to write. After producing about a dozen books for teens, Sherrard turned her hand to picture books. There’s a COW Under My Bed! introduces Oscar Ollie Brown, who will be embarking on his second adventure in There’s a Goldfish in my Shoe! in the fall of 2009. Since becoming a published author, Sherrard has enjoyed visiting many classrooms and libraries to speak to young people about writing, literacy, and most of all, finding and following your dreams. Born in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Valerie has spent time in a number of provinces, including her current home of New Brunswick. She lives in Miramichi with her husband Brent and their four cats: Lilly, Thragg, Patootie and Cody.

Valerie Sherrard's profile page

• Short-listed, SYRCA Snow Willow Award

Lexie's voice is consistent and authentic; she's equal parts guilty, anxious, and naive. Sherrard doesn’t shy away from the details and realities of drug abuse and withdrawal, and provides good explanations of drug terminology.

Accomplice presents a straightforward but not light-weight plot involving common teen trials dealing with curiosity about drugs, discriminating between right and wrong, dating and communicating, and accepting responsibility.

CanLit for Little Canadians (blog)

a thought-provoking book by a Canadian writer.

Region Record (Waterloo)

Accomplice was gritty and refreshing.

The Book Pixie

This novel is a bit heavy-handed but it really makes a point that involvement with drugs on any level can be dangerous. It should appeal to reluctant readers who like lots of action in a short book.

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