• Age: 14 to 18
• Grade: 9 to 12

Sheldon Bates wants to share his story — the story of what it was like when he was seventeen.

Sheldon was an ordinary high school student until he started noticing something changing about himself. It was then that Sheldon started feeling the same way about boys that he did about girls. It was at seventeen that Sheldon desperately tried to figure out the truth and accept the fact of his bisexuality. And trying to find someone to talk to brought its own set of complications — especially when he found himself at the centre of a scandal that he was ill-equipped to handle.

Sheldon discovered he was not alone and that he would survive his seventeenth year.

Douglas Davey holds degrees in fine art, education, and library science. Currently, he is the Children’s and Youth Services Librarian for the Halton Hills Public Library. He has been playing guitar for over 20 years, most recently with a Joy Division cover band. He lives with his family in Guelph, Ontario.

Douglas Davey's profile page

"Switch is a searing, funny, heartbreaking book about a young man trying to come to terms with his sexual identity in a hostile world. . . The book takes a frank and non-judgmental look at issues important to most teenagers: sexual identity, peer pressure, bullying and self-worth. Completely engaging, Sheldon's story will both entertain and inspire young readers who are trying to figure out who they are."
— Canadian Children's Book News

"Switch should belong in the 2015 version of Mr. Aiden's cupboard or, better yet, in high school libraries where everyone and anyone, regardless of sexual orientation, could share in the emotional turmoil of Sheldon Bates. Douglas Davey is providing us with the insight that, with greater awareness, could help us become more empathetic to those struggling with issues of sexual orientation. Let's hope we all accept Switch as that tool for learning."
— CanLit for LittleCanadians