STAY By Katherine Lawrence
Award-winning middle-grade novel-in-verse by acclaimed Saskatoon poet
Katherine Lawrence now available
Stay, an award-winning middle-grade novel-in-verse by acclaimed Saskatoon poet Katherine Lawrence, orphaned by the demise of Coteau Books in 2020, is now back in print in a new edition from Regina’s Shadowpaw Press.
Stay is being released under the company’s Reprise imprint, which focuses on producing new editions of notable, previously published work, won the 2017 Moonbeam Award for Children’s Poetry (Gold) and was a finalist for both the Poetry Award and the Children’s Literature Award in the 2018 Saskatchewan Book Awards.
“I’m thrilled to know that Stay has been given a second life,” Lawrence said. “This story of a twelve-year-old girl who navigates a world made complex by family breakdown is one that kids everywhere can relate to.”
“I was captivated by Stay the moment I read it,” said Edward Willett, editor and publisher of Shadowpaw Press. “I’m excited to be able to give it new life for new readers.”
Stay can be bought directly from the publisher or from most online bookstores in both ebook and print and can also be ordered through any brick-and-mortar bookstore. This handy URL provides links to multiple online sources: https://books2read.com/KatherineLawrenceStay.
More about the book
Millie is eleven going on twelve when her life is upended by her parents’ decision to separate. Her mother gets a new boyfriend, and her father moves into a new place: an apartment with a big sign on the door that says NO DOGS ALLOWED. Since there’s nothing Millie wants more than a dog of her own, that seems like the biggest blow of all.
Hoping to get her parents back together—not just for her sake, but for the sake of her future dog—Millie is elated when her father moves back in after a short while. She can’t understand why her parents aren’t happy at the reconciliation until she learns the truth: her father is back because he has been diagnosed with cancer.
Told in verse by acclaimed Canadian poet Katherine Lawrence, Stay is a moving, touching, and yet often humorous portrait of a family in a time of crisis, whose pain is filtered through the thoughts and actions of an eleven-year-old girl. Stay captures the essence of what it means to grow up, confront your fears, support your family, and share in the wild optimism that only youth can harbour.
Praise for Stay
“At first glance, Stay appears to be modest in length, form, and story. But within the spare pages of this middle-grade novel-in-verse is a powerful narrative about a family in transition and the young girl at its centre who needs to form something new and whole from what remains. . . Stay might be a quick read, but it’s a book that should be savoured.” – Quill & Quire (starred review)
“While a child can teach a dog to ‘Stay,’ a child cannot cause parents to stay together. This free-verse novel is a powerful portrayal of a nuclear family that is coming apart . . . Highly Recommended.” – Canadian Review of Materials
“Stay is brilliantly written; each word serves its purpose and powerfully paints the characters. The format is wonderfully unique. It manages to be both accessible to children and lyrically sophisticated at the same time. Heavy subject matter is treated with a deft hand.” – Judges, Children’s Literature Award, 2018 Saskatchewan Book Awards
“Katherine Lawrence’s middle-grade novel-in-verse, Stay, evokes the changeable emotions of eleven-year-olds and the enduring truths of community. Here is a world of families in transition, poor puppy training, and the possibility of discovering something new within the tatters of the old. Filled with charm and world play, Stay is a hopeful response to our modern struggles . . . It’s everyday magic—stirred up, made bright.” – Judges, Saskatchewan Arts Board Poetry Award, 2018 Saskatchewan Book Awards
About the Author
Saskatoon writer Katherine Lawrence has published four poetry collections, most recently Black Umbrella (Turnstone Press, 2022). Her poetry has been published across the country and has twice been long-listed for the CBC Literary Awards. Originally from Hamilton, Katherine has lived on the prairies for over 35 years. She is a former writer-in-residence with Saskatoon Public Library and holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Saskatchewan. www.katherinelawrence.net
