FRANCES GREENSLADE was born in St. Catharines, Ontario, and has since lived in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and British Columbia. She has a B.A. in English from the University of Winnipeg and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from UBC. Her first book, a travel memoir called A Pilgrim in Ireland: A Quest for Home, won the Saskatchewan Book Award for Non-Fiction. Her second memoir, By the Secret Ladder: A Mother's Initiation, was published in 2007, and her novel, Shelter, was published in 2011. Greenslade teaches English at Okanagan College in Penticton, B.C. Red Fox Road is her first novel for young readers. [...] [...] (Instagram)

COMPELLING STORY: A survival story and coming-of-age (Francie's memories about her mom's breakdowns, the death of her twin sister and her related guilt slowly unfold over the course of the story), the tension slowly builds as the days go by.

SURVIVAL STORIES PERENNIAL KIDS' FAVE: Hatchet is THE classic survival story-there's something a little exciting to think about how to survive on your own…

STRONG FEMALE CHARACTER: Francie is both fragile and strong, facing her internal fears about her sister's death and her relationship with her mother, all the while relying on her extensive outdoor living skills to survive.

COMPLICATED MOTHER-DAUGHTER RELATIONSHIP: Francie's relationship with her mother is complex, adding a layer to this adventure/survival story.

ATMOSPHERIC WRITING: In Frances Greenslade's hands, the woods come alive, and readers will smell the fresh air, feel the rough bark beneath their hands, sink into the softness of vibrant green moss.

DEBUT MIDDLE GRADE: Frances Greenslade is the author of three books for adults (two memoirs and one novel).