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

Resourceful fourteen-year-old Odette is on the move again, traveling as a stowaway on a cheese cart with her hapless mother, Anneline.

They are in Burgundy, France, in 1799, fleeing yet another calamity caused by Anneline (who is prone to killing people accidentally). At dawn they find themselves in a town called Nevers, which is filled with eccentric characters, including a man who obsessively smells hands, another who dreams of becoming a chicken and a donkey that keeps the town awake at night, braying about his narrow life. As Odette establishes a home in an abandoned guardhouse, she makes a friend in the relaxed Nicois and finds work as a midwife's assistant. She and Nicois uncover a mystery that may lead to riches and, more important for Odette, a sense of belonging.

The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

Les livres de Sara Cassidy ont &eacutet&eacute finalistes pour de nombreux prix : le Chocolate Lily Award pour Black Gold et Blackberry Juice ; le Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Award pour A Boy Named Queen ; le Bolen Books Children’s Book Prize pour Skylark ainsi que le Kirkus Prize for Young Readers’ Literature. Deux de ses titres, A Boy Named Queen et Double Play, ont &eacutet&eacute s&eacutelectionn&eacutes par la Junior Library Guild. Sara Cassidy a publi&eacute de nombreux recueils de po&eacutesie, œuvres de fiction et ouvrages documentaires pour adultes. Elle vit &agrave Victoria en Colombie-Britannique.

Sara Cassidy's profile page

• Short-listed, Rocky Mountain Book Award (RMBA)
• Short-listed, Chocolate Lily Book Awards
• Short-listed, Hackmatack Children's Choice Book Award
• Short-listed, BC and Yukon Book Prizes - Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize
• Short-listed, City of Victoria Children’s Book Prize
• Short-listed, Sunburst Award for Excellence in Canadian Literature of the Fantastic
• Nominated, The Governor General’s Literary Awards (GGBooks) - Young People’s Literature Text
• Commended, CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens

"Nevers is a funny story, simply told, with a delightful heroine. It has been a long time since I've read such a convincing, relevant historical novel for children."

CM: Canadian Review of Materials

“Nevers is a marvelous and magical book with an unforgettable heroine—prepare to be transported!”

Esta Spalding, author of the Fitzgerald-Trouts series

"This brief sojourn in an alternative 18th-century France is an unexpectedly rich one."

Kirkus Reviews

“Beautiful in its writing style, almost poetic at times, this novel is characterized by the strength of the protagonist, the historical references which educate young readers about a monumentally influential period of French history and the clever resolution which will surprise all readers who do not read carefully.”

Must Read Literature: K thru YA

“Poignant, passionate and full of surprises.”

Globe and Mail

“Unfolds with mystery and hilarity, building momentum in a way that will keep readers engaged to the end. Recommend to fans of Adam Gidwitz’s The Inquisitor’s Tale.”

Booklist

“Readers will enjoy the quirky characters...While the pacing is quick, the story never feels rushed. A worthy addition to middle grade collections; give this to fans of Adam Gidwitz’s The Inquisitor’s Tale.”

School Library Journal

"Full of twists and turns...The book has an off-beat story line and will appeal to kids who like a quirky, unexpected read."

Canadian Children's Book News, student takeover edition

"In Nevers, readers will be spellbound by the magic and mayhem of Odette and Anneline’s life in motion. Against a rich background of post-Revolutionary France, they’ll learn of perseverance, friendship and love in many forms. Cassidy is a master storyteller, and her fresh imagery and wordplay, along with a well-paced plot and a diverse cast of characters, are a real delight.”

Julie Paul, author of <i>Meteorites</i> and <i>The Pull of the Moon</i>

“This book is a quick, fast paced read that will keep the reader involved…Filled with a variety of characters that will be appealing to most readers.”

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