Heather Smith

HEATHER SMITH is originally from Newfoundland and now lives in Waterloo, Ontario, with her husband and three children. Her east coast roots inspire much of her writing. Her first novel, Baygirl, received a starred review from Quill & Quire, was named to the Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Books of the Year, and was a 2015 White Pine Honour Book.

Newfoundland, 1986. Fourteen-year-old Bun O’Keefe lives with her mother, a compulsive hoarder, isolated from the outside world. All she knows about life comes from the random books and VHS tapes her mother brings home. When Bun’s mother tells Bun to leave one day, she does, ending up on the streets of St. John’s. Fortunately, the first person she meets is Busker Boy, a street musician who senses her naivety and takes her in. Together they live in a house with an eclectic cast of characters – including a sinister man who Bun is told to avoid at all cost.

Through her experiences with her new roommates, Bun discovers the joy of being part of a new family – a family of friends who care.

Ages: Young Adult