The Ahimsa Club

by Rebecca Burke

Overview

A shocking school assembly opens Valerie’s eyes to the horror of animal abuse. But what can a 14-year-old girl do to protect animals? Why even try to attack such a huge problem?

With others from her school, she forms the Ahimsa Club—“Ahimsa” an Indian word meaning “the avoidance of causing harm to other living things.”

As its first action, the Ahimsa Club spearheads a Pledge to Veg campaign at school, gaining enemies as well as an unexpected and powerful ally. Their Save the Strays campaign pits them against some of the town’s most powerful interests when they discover a connection between stray animals and local laboratories. Rumors—some vicious, some comical—spread like wildfire at school and around the community. Valerie risks losing her two best friends and starts to get frightening anonymous threats.

Help comes from an amazing source: fellow animal lover and ex-Beatle Paul McCartney, who is coming to town for a concert. Anti-animal rights groups plan to picket the concert, and a war of words takes over the local media. What will happen the night of the concert is anyone’s guess.

The Ahimsa Club explores many sides of this issue, but Valerie never wavers. Someone has to look out for the animals. And for her the choice is easy—“You cannot come down on the side of cruelty.”

Product Details

BN ID:	2940011527944
Publisher:	Rebecca Burke
Publication date:	09/20/2011
Sold by:	Smashwords
Format:	eBook
File size:	271 KB
Age Range:	12 Years

About the Author

The young women in my three Young Adult/crossover novels face tough tests with humor, intelligence, and a fierce heart. Of course, this is easier for fictional characters than real human beings!

When I was a teenager, I worked in fields and factories like Carmen, the main character in When I Am Singing to You. And like Valerie, in The Ahimsa Club, I've always been passionate about animals and wish they never had to suffer. But I've never gone on a cross-country road trip with my mother, like Piccolo in What If the Hokey Pokey Really Is What It's All About? Too bad--we would have laughed our way up and down the interstate, feasted on good food whenever possible, and stayed only with people we liked. We never would have adopted a stray Irish Setter because our family dog was a setter (the runway models of the dog world). We'd never make that mistake again.

Two and one-fifth of my books are set in Iowa, where I grew up and now live with my family--a husband, two teenagers, and another neurotic dog, a Yorkie named Smokey.

In between teaching and work as an editor and professional book reviewer, I've lived and sometimes taught in Mexico, England, Spain, and the Netherlands. I am always plotting the next trip.

*****

My novel When I Am Singing to You has won First Place, YA fiction ebook (English/Spanish) in the 2012 International Latino Book Awards! I am so honored.

When I Am Singing to You is also named one of the "16 Essential Latino Children's Books by ¿Qué Más?, the blog for MamasLatinas, the leading bilingual online site for Hispanic moms. This site has 780,000 unique visitors a month

*****

Listen to my latest interview with Bill Thompson, host of The Bookcast: http://www.thebookcast.com/ya/its-not-snooping-read-this-14-year-olds-hilarious-diary/

See my latest interview with Ben Wallace: http://benjaminwallacebooks.wordpress.com/

See my interview at Kindle Author with David Wisehart:
http://kindle-author.blogspot.com/2011/06/kindle-author-interview-rebecca-burke.html

When I Am Singing to You is featured at Kindle YA Authors. See excerpt plus my thoughts on writing Young Adult novels, especially one with a Latina teen. http://www.kindleyaauthors.com/2012/01/when-i-am-singing-to-you-by-rebecca.html