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

Jaz lives in the small northern community of Destiny and is a new member of the Junior Canadian Rangers. Her divorced parents argue a lot, and Jaz hopes if she wins a dog-mushing derby, they will be so proud of her they will stop arguing. But the derby would be a lot more fun if she wasn't paired with Colly, an older boy who is a more experienced JCR. On the derby trail all Jaz's newfound skills, her will to survive and her ability to get along with Colly, are put to a life-and-death test.

Anita Daher draws writing inspiration from the many places she's been blessed to spend time which include Summerside, PEI; Yellowknife, NT; Churchill, MB; Baker Lake, NU and Sault Ste. Marie, ON. She's been entrenched in the book publishing industry for several years writing books, articles and reviews, leading workshops and presentations, and has worked on the publishing end of things as a marketing director. Previous occupations include flight service specialist, radio broadcaster, lunch truck driver, and grave-plot salesperson. She likes writing best, as she never has to take off her slippers, can wear a funny hat, and can hold conversations with the statues and stuffies that keep her company.

Anita holds memberships in The Writers' Union of Canada, The Canadian Children's Book Center, The Manitoba Writers' Guild, The Saskatchewan Writers Guild, and was a founding member of the Territorial Writers Association. When she's not writing, she likes to spend time baking, playing her guitar (badly), and turning her backyard garden into a haven for neighbourhood bunnies. Anita currently resides in Winnipeg, Manitoba, with her husband, two daughters, a basset hound, and a Westfalia camper van named Mae.

Books with Orca: Flight from Big Tangle (2002), Flight from Bear Canyon (2004), Racing for Diamonds (April, 2007), Poachers in the Pingos (2008), On the Trail of the Bushman (2009).

For information on school presentations and workshops visit Anita's website: http://www.anitadaher.com.

Anita Daher's profile page