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The Edge
No one understands Declan. Not his mother or his father or his teachers. No one but maybe his new group of friends. After moving, Declan will do anything to fit in at his new school, even if it is illegal. When he and his new friends get caught, the consequences are tragic. Given a second chance that he is not sure that he wants, Declan is sent to work at a ski lodge in the Canadian Rockies. Though he is not locked up, he feels trapped and lonely, and learns that second chances aren't easy. While there, Declan learns to snowboard and meets new friends, but the ghosts of his past keep rising up to haunt him. Standing on the edge, Declan realizes that the only way to break free is to face his past, and to look forward to the future.
- GenresYoung Adult
144 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1999
4 people are currently reading
20 people want to read
About the author
Ben Bo
10 books3 followersBen Bo is a pseudonym of V.A. Richardson.
V.A. Richardson was born and brought up in the North East of England on the River Tyne near Corbridge in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He is married and lives in London with his wife, Janie, daughters Indigo and Zara, and a benign ghost left over from the late Victorian era. He also writes novels for Bloomsbury under a pen-name, Ben Bo.
After leaving school, V.A. Richardson studied at Reading University before going to University at Caen in Normandy. 'I got heavily into the art and literature of France. I’ll never forget my time spent there. I returned to London determined to be a designer and illustrator. I first made some money by designing a coin holder for £1 coins. It sold more than a million! After that I was able to set myself up designing novelties, diaries, and calendars. It was a short step from there to writing and illustrating books.'
In 1995 I had a short story published by Transworld and soon after that Barry Cunningham (then editor at Bloomsbury Children's Books) picked one of my stories out of the slush pile. The slush pile is the name publishers give to all their unsolicited manuscripts — the ones people like me send them in the hope of being published. I just kept sending in my stories and was lucky. Mind you - I did illustrate the envelope and so it must have stood out. I’ve been writing for Bloomsbury ever since.
V.A. Richardson was born and brought up in the North East of England on the River Tyne near Corbridge in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He is married and lives in London with his wife, Janie, daughters Indigo and Zara, and a benign ghost left over from the late Victorian era. He also writes novels for Bloomsbury under a pen-name, Ben Bo.
After leaving school, V.A. Richardson studied at Reading University before going to University at Caen in Normandy. 'I got heavily into the art and literature of France. I’ll never forget my time spent there. I returned to London determined to be a designer and illustrator. I first made some money by designing a coin holder for £1 coins. It sold more than a million! After that I was able to set myself up designing novelties, diaries, and calendars. It was a short step from there to writing and illustrating books.'
In 1995 I had a short story published by Transworld and soon after that Barry Cunningham (then editor at Bloomsbury Children's Books) picked one of my stories out of the slush pile. The slush pile is the name publishers give to all their unsolicited manuscripts — the ones people like me send them in the hope of being published. I just kept sending in my stories and was lucky. Mind you - I did illustrate the envelope and so it must have stood out. I’ve been writing for Bloomsbury ever since.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
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March 10, 2016 This book is probably my most favorite books I have ever read. The reason why I say that is because the storyline is pretty crunchy on how a troublesome guy who skateboards get sent away high up into the mountains at a ski lodge and lives up there for the summer. He gains knowledge on how he's suppose to shred the gnar, although he totally bails and eats it on some of the kickers. Later on from being the first track, he meets a girl who helps him out and then he starts tearin’ it up. Although he has a few tacos here and there, he still signs up for a contest.
I’m not a snowboarder, but I like to ski on my free time, so I understand how challenging it is to pick up on something new. I also feel his accomplishment on being able to even think about signing up for a contest; it took me 3 years just to be able to go down a hill without rolling down inside a snowball. It's hard to find the right speed for going over jumps, hitting rails and instantly think of the most plausible way to land without biffing it. Declan experiences the same struggles I did. His experience that picking up something new is very difficult at first, but because of how he overcame it he shows us how real the struggle, but in the the struggle was worth it because he creates lifelong friends and something new to look up to, as well as a new way upon life.
This is a short easy to read book, and I suggest it to all folks who live that shreddin’ life (or anyone a pair of eyes).
I’m not a snowboarder, but I like to ski on my free time, so I understand how challenging it is to pick up on something new. I also feel his accomplishment on being able to even think about signing up for a contest; it took me 3 years just to be able to go down a hill without rolling down inside a snowball. It's hard to find the right speed for going over jumps, hitting rails and instantly think of the most plausible way to land without biffing it. Declan experiences the same struggles I did. His experience that picking up something new is very difficult at first, but because of how he overcame it he shows us how real the struggle, but in the the struggle was worth it because he creates lifelong friends and something new to look up to, as well as a new way upon life.
This is a short easy to read book, and I suggest it to all folks who live that shreddin’ life (or anyone a pair of eyes).
June 22, 2009
Here's what Cameron B. had to say about this book:
Overview: It's about a snowboarder, and him doing tricks and getting cold in snow.
This book ROCKS because: It is an adventure and it's a fun book. It will interest snowboarders. It is not long or short. It is an awesome book, so grab it, check it out, and read it!
Overview: It's about a snowboarder, and him doing tricks and getting cold in snow.
This book ROCKS because: It is an adventure and it's a fun book. It will interest snowboarders. It is not long or short. It is an awesome book, so grab it, check it out, and read it!
January 20, 2012
ok book if u like snowboarding
March 13, 2013
Short and well written with a dark edge, I like snowboarding and Canada and I like this book too!
July 16, 2008
it was a okay book and it was very dark!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews