Awards

• Commended for Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Books of the Year 2014 (United States)

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9781459802742

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Reviews

This first-person tale gently illustrates change, both good and bad. --Kirkus Reviews (08/15/2013) [A] gritty, realistic, coming-of-age story...[Kit] is such a likable character. She is strong-willed, sharp-tongued, and possesses one heck of a sense of humour. I have met this character before. Coincidence? I think the island breeds this type of feistiness. Regardless, Ms. Smith captures it perfectly. The language is also spot-on. Although a bit 'salty' at times, it is this verisimilitude that has readers buying into the authenticity of the story...The details of the family's hardships are not sugar-coated by any means; yet, all is not bleak. Hope exists for Kit, and it comes at the hands of forgiveness. -- (09/23/2013) 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. -- (10/01/2013) Teen Kit Ryan learns about love and loss in this luminous young adult novel set in 1990s Newfoundland...Teens will connect with Smith's well-crafted characters, including the fully-formed protagonist. The tragic ending will resonate with readers, and they will root for Kit as she emerges from the other side. -- (02/01/2014) A sensitive and well-crafted story, rich with humour and pathos...The author, a St. John's native, is sympathetic to Kit and her father, neither treading into maudlin territory nor making this an 'issue of the week' type of book. -- (02/15/2014) Sitting at the juncture between historical and contemporary realism, Baygirl is, very much, a bildungsroman, a coming-of-age story that will captivate the attention of today's young adults...This well-crafted novel deals with the maturation and growing awareness of self and others...One of the alluring aspects of this historically realistic novel is Smith's obvious insider-knowledge of the impact that the all-too-real moratorium on the cod fishery had on the lives of ordinary Newfoundlanders who depended on this natural resource for their livelihood...Part of the charm and allure of this novel is its skilful depiction and stitching together of social and personal challenges in believable ways. And this makes it ideal for book clubs and literature discussion groups inside and outside of schools...A remarkable first novel that I vigorously recommend for students in Grade nine and up. -- (11/29/2013) [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. The supporting characters are equally strong...while the language convincingly evokes the novel's East Coast setting...With sprightly dialogue, relatable characters, and a story that delves into serious subject matter without becoming morose, Baygirl is a balanced, well-written debut. -- (11/01/2013)

Author Information

Heather Smith is the author of several picture books, including the award-winning The Phone Booth in Mr. Hirota's Garden. Her middle-grade novel Ebb and Flow was shortlisted for the Governor General's Literary Award, and her YA novel The Agony of Bun O'Keefe won the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Award, the OLA Forest of Reading White Pine Award and was shortlisted for the Amy Mathers Teen Book Award and the Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People. Originally from Newfoundland, Heather now lives in Waterloo, Ontario, with her family.

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