Hannah Edwards Secrets of Riverway

by Ashley Hards

Overview

This authentic ADHD reimagining of Hamlet is a fresh and unconventional take on a classic–that’s also a mystery! It’s Nancy Drew and Sammy Keyes mixed with Turtles All the Way Down and Honestly Elliott.

Cheer on Hannah Edwards in this exciting mystery and relatable coming-of-age story about ADHD, friendship, school, and family.
Hannah has a lot on her mind. Her father—the Canola King—is missing, and no one in her small town seems to care. With the support of her best friend Sam Castillo, and their sidekick Tim the Hall Monitor, Hannah embarks on a journey to solve the mystery of her father’s disappearance.
Along the way, she uncovers secrets that she records in her journal, confronts challenges in school due to her ADHD, talks to a ghost, and learns the true meaning of determination and friendship.

GREAT FOR READERS AGES 9-12
The novel’s blend of prose and inventive journal entries make it a compelling read for anyone looking for an engaging story with heart.

Perfect for School, Classroom, or Library!

• The book is a Contemporary Reimagining of Hamlet
• Interior font designed for increased reader accessibility

Complimentary Educator Guides:

• Neurodiversity Guide
• Common Core Language Arts Guide
• Tween Book Club with printable activities

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781944020910
Publisher:	Fabled Films Press
Publication date:	09/10/2024
Series:	Hannah Edwards
Pages:	268
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.00(h) x 1.00(d)
Lexile:	750L (what's this?)
Age Range:	9 - 12 Years

About the Author

Ashley Hards was declared to be “gifted” at age 8 and was diagnosed with ADHD at age 22. When forced to sit still in class, she finds books and writing to be the most engaging, especially Shakespeare. She received both her BA and MA in English Literature from McGill University where she now teaches writing and continues her research on Shakespeare and ritual. She grew up in Calgary, Canada.

Always the adrenaline lover, she enjoys skiing, mountain biking, and opera (hey, it’s exciting). She spent many weekends driving across Alberta and hanging out at a ski hill near Pincher Creek where the vision for Riverway developed over many dark, stormy nights.

Like Hannah, she enjoys journaling. Unlike Hannah, she has not solved any mysteries (yet).
This is her first book.

Editorial Reviews

06/24/2024

In sardonic first-person narration, Hannah Edwards, the tween protagonist of this speculative small-town caper, advises tourists to “drive right through” the titular town of Riverway. She goes on to say that visitors are “consistently disappointed” by Riverway’s natural water feature—a raging river that was once the community’s crown jewel “is now a trickling stream.” Things in her sleepy locale get progressively worse after her father, the Canola King, who was “basically the soul of this town,” disappears. Now, Hannah’s uncle Fergus is helping her mother manage the canola farm, but Uncle Fergus seems to create more problems for Hannah than he fixes. When Hannah’s best friend Sam claims to have seen her father’s ghost, the duo attempt to contact him, resulting in Hannah suddenly hearing his voice in math class. But Hannah refuses to believe it’s him; at least, not until she sees the ghost for herself. As she and Sam navigate the paranormal, Hannah also discovers that Uncle Fergus is not all that he seems. Through depictions of Hannah’s skepticism and can-do attitude, debut author Hards introduces a heroine who handily propels this familiar yet exciting supernatural mystery. The cover depicts Hannah with pale skin. Ages 9–12. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

A strong retelling that...captures the middle-grade spirit, this debut novel is perfect for fans of mysteries, ghost stories that feel rooted in the real world, and strong characters who make internal revelations as well as strides in their worlds.

Booklist

Children with ADHD will find solace in Hannah's struggles and admire her coping mechanisms. At the same time, neurotypical readers will gain a deeper understanding of their neurodiverse peers while thoroughly enjoying the plot as it unravels.

The Children's Book Review

Hannah’s voice speaks directly to readers which helps to draw them into the book... This book should appeal to lovers of ghosts and small-town mysteries and I recommend you give it a shot.

YA Book Central

2024-07-19
In the small prairie town of Riverway, sixth grader Hannah is troubled: Her beloved farmer dad, dubbed the Canola King, has been missing for four months.

Pushy uncle Fergus keeps coming over, giving unsolicited advice and cooking subpar meals. When Hannah’s best friend, Sam, claims to have seen a ghost that looked like her missing father, Hannah at first dismisses it—“My dad cannot be a ghost because he is alive.” She decides to investigate, recording her progress with the case in the grief journal her concerned mom gave her to help her cope. But Hannah discovers it’s hard to find clues when the trail has gone cold, especially with an invasive, cloyingly sweet school counselor getting into her business. Debut author Hards’ story is told through Hannah’s first-person narration, which tells more than it shows. The writing often fails to convey the depth of emotion a missing parent would be expected to evoke. One chapter is written in rhyming couplets that scan awkwardly and are organized into paragraphs of text: “Click! That’s the sound Tim’s key made as it slid into Ms. Grant’s door. Tim (previously known as Tim the Timid) was the Hall Monitor of lore!” Although she’s not given an explicit label, Hannah struggles with paying attention in class and is cued as neurodivergent; by the end of the book, she’s being evaluated and given support and validation. Hannah and her family present white; Sam is of Filipino descent.

Passable.(Mystery. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews