Showing results for "Dogs" in Coming of Age

Declan dreams of becoming a writer. It's a dream that helps him escape the realities of his life—going through the motions at college and stacking supermarket shelves part-time, whilst fighting a battle with the ever-darkening thoughts in his head. James Cavani—Declan's idol and his hometown's claim to fame—is a renowned writer, director and actor. But despite his success, his past hasn't relinquished its hold of him, and through his younger sister's battle with drug addiction, he finds himself returning to a world he thought he had escaped.

When 19-year-old Tommy Carter throws away a promising career as a professional boxer to work for local villain Davey Abbott, everyone thinks he’s made a huge mistake - collecting debts and working in strip clubs is no life for a young lad. A brutal fighter, Tommy quickly earns a reputation for himself and becomes Davey’s trusted right-hand man. But when Davey is murdered Tommy is shocked to learn that Davey has left his business empire to him - Tommy’s the boss now. No one believes Tommy will succeed. But there is only one rule Tommy lives by...always back the underdog.

Best friends Kyle and Sideeq are beginning their first year of college in West London. Sideeq, a talented aspiring artist, spends his time perfecting his artwork and hanging out with his friends while having to learn how to process the harrowing events of his past. Kyle's ambitions are to become a rapper and a successful businessman. Though the deep bond of friendship formed between Kyle and Sideeq puts them on a path to achieve their dreams, college soon brings with it serious teenage social politics and a bully that terrorises their friend group.

When Lieutenant James Bowman steps off the train in 1920s Salisbury, Rhodesia, he carries more than his kitbag—he bears the weight of war trauma and abandoned love. His encounter with Colonel Voss, an aging adventurer with tales of ancient civilisations and promises of glory, offers an escape from his haunted past. "The legend has it there was a great civilisation here when we in Europe were still climbing trees and living in caves," Voss claims, drawing Jim into a dangerous expedition into Africa's heartland.

Two young Lakota boys, ages eleven and six, huddle in a boxcar hurtling through the prairie night as they run from a government agent sent to take them to an Indian boarding school. But what begins as a pursuit soon becomes a complex human drama of intersecting lives as the boys make their way across the vast Dakota plains to the pipestone quarries of western Minnesota to replace their great-grandfather’s channunpa, or sacred pipe, that was broken by the government agent.

An atmospheric coming-of-age story about a young man's transformative year on his family’s struggling Icelandic cattle farm as he falls in love, discovers the purpose he’s been missing, and seeks to connect with his stoic father, who remains haunted by a tragic past. Growing up on his...

For a sheltered mama's boy like Demarcus, everything was coming up roses until a life-changing experience showed him that every rose has thorns. After a well-orchestrated set-up, Demarcus' plans to go to college are derailed by a trip to state prison. It is while in the belly of the beast that the mama's boy has to make the choice between being a man - or being a victim. Upon his release, Demarcus tries to get his life back on track, but his felony conviction causes door after door to be slammed in his face.

Fourteen-year-old Daniel and his friends enjoyed the best that childhood could offer during the summer of 1975 in a northern mining town until someone started brutally killing family pets. Daniel, who wants nothing more than be the hero from his books, convinces his friends to help search for the "sicko", but this only brings him to the attention of the killer. When evidence surfaces that points at Daniel as the killer and his two friends turn against him, he soon realizes that there is much more to being a hero than what he has read.

Seventeen-year-old Aiden can't wait for his upcoming camping trip. A week in the woods with his guy friends is the perfect escape from reality. Especially when all he's accomplished so far this summer is daydream about Susie, his neighbor and lifelong crush. Then his parents hire Susie to house sit while they jet to Paris for a romantic vacation. After an unfortunate accident cuts the camping trip short, Aiden is sure he finally has the chance to win over Susie's heart. But he returns home to total chaos. Susie fell in love - with a pillow-eating Rottweiler who has torn apart Aiden's house.

After years of moving from place to place, a young family finds shelter in an isolated house in the Irish countryside. Their father is missing, Mum is a healer and B a formidable big sister. In his strange new territory, a wild little boy gives voice to his experience. Jerry Drain, a local farmer, is stealing hay from the barn, someone is making nasty phone calls to the house at night and darkness is gathering at the edges of their lives. With his murderous imagination the boy will do everything in his power to protect his family. But Jerry will not go away.

Harry Cunningham often likened bad luck to “a starving dog that followed him everywhere, eager to lap up his misery”. He was correct. Since childhood he was dogged by bad, even disastrous luck. Unbeknownst to him, there were guardians posted along the treacherous road he travelled, from the peanut fields of Georgia, to the jungles of Colombia, to the Arabian gulf, Texas, Mexico, and to the vast prairie of Illinois.

What Jonathan Lethem did for Brooklyn, Matt Burgess does for Queens in this exuberant and brilliant debut novel about a young drug dealer having a very bad weekend. Alfredo Batista has some worries. Okay, a lot of worries. His older brother, Jose—sorry, Tariq—is returning from a stretch in...

Despite having narrowly escaped death's clutches, Christopher Barlow is grateful for nothing. His capacity to love has been crushed. He hates everyone and everything, completely unable to see past the gray stain of misery that coats his perception of the world. It's only after he involuntarily joins a band of depressed misfits who are struggling to overcome their own problems, does Christopher start to re-evaluate his lot in life.

Pete and his friends find a stray dog while hunting for lizards in their mountain desert town. How can he convince his father that the mangy, dusty, little dog is worth keeping? How can he let the poor thing remain in the desert where danger lurks? Please be advised that this audiobook includes some scary imagery that might be too intense for very young listeners, so adults are encouraged to listen to this to determine the appropriateness for a child in their care.