New city. New school. Same old problems.

There’s no escaping the facts. Kit’s father is a drunk, and her mother won’t stand up for herself.

Kit’s old life was bad enough but now it’s almost intolerable. It’s only when she meets Elliot that she starts to see beyond her own misery.

(Orca Book Publishers 2013)
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Awards

• 2015 OLA White Pine Award Honour Book

“When we got home Dad said we should celebrate. But we all knew what that meant. So we sat around and discussed the other speeches just long enough for Dad to have one drink. Then we all went our separate ways and left Dad alone in his chair to gnaw on the bone I had thrown him, savoring every last morsel, until nothing was left but tiny sharp fragments.”

Quill & Quire [Starred review]

“Refreshingly, Smith chooses not to cast Phonse as an abusive alcoholic, but accurately portrays the mood swings, unpredictability, and misunderstandings of the disease…Kit is a likable, sympathetic heroine who is often funny in a goofy, endearing way…With sprightly dialogue, relatable characters, and a story that delves into serious subject matter without becoming morose, Baygirl is a balanced, well-written debut.”
- November 1, 2013

Resource Links

“An accurate story of life in St. John’s in 1992 … Smith has given a different perspective on the Cod Moratorium and how it impacted the lives of fishing families who had to rebuild and retrain at an unexpected time in their life.”
- October 1, 2013