Big Burn

by Lesley Choyce

*Chosen for 1995-96 "Our Choice" Canadian Children's Centre literature guide

Set in Canada's East Coast, this novel from award-winning author Lesley Choyce grapples with environmental issues as experienced by two teenagers.

215 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published May 1, 1995

About the author

Lesley Choyce is a novelist and poet living at Lawrencetown Beach, Nova Scotia. He is the author of more than 80 books for adults, teens and children. He teaches in the English Department and Transition Year Program at Dalhousie University. He is a year-round surfer and founding member of the 1990s spoken word rock band, The SurfPoets. Choyce also runs Pottersfield Press, a small literary publishing house and hosted the national TV show, Off The Page, for many years. His books have been translated into Spanish, French, German and Danish and he has been awarded the Dartmouth Book Award and the Ann Connor Brimer Award.

Lesley Choyce was born in New Jersey in 1951 and moved to Canada in 1978 and became a citizen.

His YA novels concern things like skateboarding, surfing, racism, environmental issues, organ transplants, and rock bands.

Reviews

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this little book was written in 1995, it is still valid today with regard to pollution of soil, water and air, and the ill effects that has on wildlife and human health.
Two teenagers meet and become great friends, while taking on a big business that is polluting the environment. Both their families have been deeply affected by the secrets and underhandedness of the companies they had been involved with, and it is time to do something about it.

I used this book for the 52BooksClub challenge, prompt #52 - featuring the environment."