• Age: 12 to 18
• Grade: 7 to 12

Inspired by the true story of a teen who was killed at a railway crossing, the author weaves the tale of fourteen-year-old Paige, who, taking a shortcut alongside the tracks to avoid the school bullies, is tragically hit by a train and transported to a surreal world where she encounters Kim, who died seven years before. Convinced she is only dreaming, Paige must discover a way to return to her former life. Poignant, gripping, and full of unexpected twists and turns, Best Friends through Eternity will resonate with readers who have struggled with cultural identity, a sense of belonging, and the real meaning of home.

Sylvia McNicoll wrote her first book, Blueberries and Whipped Cream, as a project for a college writing course in order to explore a tragedy that occurred in her own high school. She went on to teach creative writing at that same college for nine years, edit a parenting magazine for another eight years and write 29 more novels for a variety of age groups.
Most acclaimed are her three dog guide fostering stories: Bringing Up Beauty, Beauty Returns and A Different Kind of Beauty, which won and were nominated for many children's choice awards. Last Chance for Paris, her adventure book set on the ice fields of Columbia, explored ecological issues with glaciers before climate warming became a popular issue.
Her recent novel, Crush. Candy. Corpse, tells the story about a teen on trial for the manslaughter of an Alzheimer's patient. Reviewers and bloggers have declared it a must read for all high school students. In her thirtieth book Death Goes Viral, already a blockbuster hit in Norway, Sweden and Finland, Sylvia returns to the theme of life and death and the values our own mortality inspires in us.

Sylvia McNicoll's profile page

Selected, CBC's Next Chapter with Shelagh Rogers's list of Best Summer Reads for Children and Teens, 2015
"This is a nicely paced story with solid characters .... The narrative remains compelling .... [and] will be a solidly satisfying read for many middle school girls." - School Library Journal
"McNicoll's story addresses a slew of important issues - including racism, self-perception, intergenerational culture clashes, bullying, and selflessness - via an engaging, multilayered plot that will give readers much to ponder. It is also refreshing to see characters from diverse cultures presented realistically, something that is still sorely lacking from most children's fiction." - Quill & Quire
"Influenced by the true story of a teenager who died at a railway crossing, Sylvia McNicoll has written a supernatural fiction that aims to fill in the blanks of a tragic death .... The tone is fresh and feels present-day appropriate, challenging stereotypes, racism and how families integrate into Canadian culture. Don't be fooled by the cover; this novel takes place largely after death has occurred, though it remains lively throughout." - The Globe and Mail
“Celebrated writer Sylvia McNicoll's latest book is Best Friends Through Eternity (February), about a teen who is hit by a train and transported to a surreal world where she meets another girl who'd been killed years before.”
— “Most Anticipated: 2015 Kids’ Books Spring Preview”, 49th Shelf