• Age: 9 to 12
• Grade: 4 to 7
• Reading age: 9 to 12

It really seems like Dani's dad has gone around the bend.

Ever since Dani's mother died of cancer, all her dad does is stand around on street corners with his crazy signs, proclaiming that processed foods mean the end of the world. The Food Freak, as he is known, has already scared away all of Dani's friends at her old school. But it's a new year, and Dani is at a new school in a different part of town. Maybe things will be better now. Dani just needs to keep her head down and avoid making any friends. That way, nobody will find out about her dad and his insane protests. The plan seems to be working fine until one day Dani meets a boy who helps her see things in a different light.

This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read! The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

Alex Van Tol taught middle school for eight years, then made the switch to writing for a living. A writer of fiction and nonfiction for kids and teens, she has published over 10 books including Great Bear Rainforest: A Giant-Screen Adventure in the Land of the Spirit Bear with Ian McAllister and several titles in the Orca Currents, Soundings and Sports lines. Alex lives in Victoria, British Columbia, with her family.

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"A well written book for any young person...Van Tol has an upbeat breezy style that is very appealing. She makes Dani and her friend Gregor teenagers with real problems but she also has them demonstrate maturity and composure and grace under difficult circumstances...Van Tol tackles a contemporary social issue creatively and sensitively."

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"Food Freak is more than a story about a family coping after losing a loved one. It is about acceptance, acceptance of our differences. It is also about believing in others...Finally, it is about trust, trusting yourself and letting others in. A good read about life lessons. Highly recommended."

CM: Canadian Review of Materials