King of Jam Sandwiches, The

Thirteen-year-old Robbie has a complex life – his father’s mental health issues mean Robbie has to feed himself, do the household tasks, hold a part-time job, and study hard to get into university. When Harmony arrives at his school she has her own struggles, including being in foster care which Robbie fears, and the two clash, but soon find common ground and become great friends, and Robbie can finally share his deepest secrets. This award-winning Canadian novel is suitable for read-aloud or literature circles, and deals with issues of mental health, suicide, drug and alcohol abuse, survival, poverty, violence, neglect, and abandonment. Social considerations noted.