Progress comes at a price that may be too high for Bree’s family.
In this sequel to Trouble in the Trees, it’s the end of grade six and Bree plans to spend the summer hanging around her townhouse complex in Vancouver, climbing trees with her friends But her parents have other plans for her; she is going to Ontario to stay with her grandma who lives on a farm “in the middle of nowhere.” A farm that is about to be destroyed by a superhighway unless Bree can stop it.
Convinced that saving the land will end her grandma’s unhappiness, Bree tries to rally cousins and neighbors, but instead of finding help, Bree uncovers some shocking things about her relatives. The more Bree gets to know about her extended family and their farm, the more complicated everything becomes. If she isn’t able to save the farm, can she at least manage to save her family?
Road Block (Orca Books, 2012) can be ordered through your local book store or online retailers (Bookshop, Chapters Indigo, Amazon, and most others).
Reviews
“Road Block by Yolanda Ridge was one of the best books I’ve read. Bree really inspired me to fight for what’s right and now I realize that something can’t be done if you just ignore it. You have to fight back! I was really impressed by the way Bree just took matters into her own hands! I would never have been able to do what she did. I hope Yolanda Ridge writes more books!”
Rossland News May 9, 2012 (Tatyanna, grade five)
“I thought this book was well written and at the end of each chapter, it was in the middle of something interesting which kept me reading on. I liked that the characters had many different personalities… I wouldn’t change anything about this book. I think everyone who can read will love this book just like me.”
Rossland Telegraph May 29, 2012 (Loren, grade four)
“Bree is a great representative of a strong, mature, but still innocent, girl who has the drive to carry through with things that others have long since given up on… This engaging novel is perfect for young people who are looking for a role model that is strong, yet feels insecure at times; is driven, yet empathetic to other people. Recommended.”
Resource Links Spring, 2012 (Volume 17, Number 4)
“I think this series has great potential for reluctant readers. I’d also recommend it to fans of Carl Hiaasen.”
Ten Stories Up June 15, 2012 (Lindsey Carmichael)
“Bree is a wonderful role model for young adults who care about social causes and want to have a voice that can make a difference. This book will be especially enjoyable for children in the Kitchener/Waterloo/Cambridge/Guelph area as the event described… are current to this area.”
Guelph Mercury June 15, 2012 (Betty Kowall)
“Its strong plot and believable characters make it a very likeable novel indeed.”
cm magazine Oct 19, 2012 (Volume XIX, Number 7)
