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    Outback
    Outback
    Outback
    Ebook76 pages47 minutes

    Outback

    By Robin Stevenson

    2.5/5

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    About this ebook

    Since his girlfriend dumped him, Jayden has been avoiding school-and life in general. When his eccentric uncle Mel invites him to help with his biology research at an Australian university, he figures he has nothing to lose. Once he arrives, he discovers Mel is obsessed with finding a new species of lizard and is determined to be the first to discover it. Unfortunately, this means an expedition into the scorching desert heat of the Australian outback...with the increasingly paranoid Mel and an unfriendly biology student named Natalie. Then disaster strikes, and Jayden and Nat find themselves many miles from civilization fighting for their survival.

    Also available in Spanish.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherOrca Book Publishers
    Release dateMar 1, 2011
    ISBN9781554699674
    Outback
    Author

    Robin Stevenson

    Robin Stevenson is an award-winning author of books for kids and teens. Her writing has been translated into several languages and published in more than ten countries. She lives with her family on the west coast of Canada.

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      Book preview

      Outback - Robin Stevenson

      Outback

      Robin Stevenson

      orca soundings

      ORCA BOOK PUBLISHERS

      Copyright © 2011 Robin Stevenson

      All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system now known or to be invented, without permission in writing from the publisher.

      Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication

      Stevenson, Robin, 1968-

      Outback / Robin Stevenson.

       (Orca soundings)

      Issued also in electronic format.

      ISBN 978-1-55469-420-4 (bound).--ISBN 978-1-55469-419-8 (pbk.)

      I. Title. II. Series: Orca soundings

      First published in the United States, 2011

      Library of Congress Control Number: 2010942084

      Summary: Jayden ends up in the unforgiving Australian outback, fighting for his life.

      Orca Book Publishers is dedicated to preserving the environment and has printed this book on paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.

      Orca Book Publishers gratefully acknowledges the support for its publishing programs provided by the following agencies: the Government of Canada through the Canada Book Fund and the Canada Council for the Arts, and the Province of British Columbia through the BC Arts Council and the Book Publishing Tax Credit.

      Cover design by Teresa Bubela

      Cover photography by Getty Images

      www.orcabook.com

      Printed and bound in Canada.

      14 13 12 11 • 4 3 2 1

      For Cheryl and Kai, my fabulous travel companions; and for Ilse and Giles, who first took me into the Australian outback.

      Love you all.

      Contents

      Chapter One

      Chapter Two

      Chapter Three

      Chapter Four

      Chapter Five

      Chapter Six

      Chapter Seven

      Chapter Eight

      Chapter Nine

      Chapter Ten

      Chapter Eleven

      Chapter Twelve

      Chapter Thirteen

      Chapter Fourteen

      Chapter Fifteen

      Chapter One

      My uncle Mel believes in learning through experience. When I was five, he threw me off his boat. He figured swimming was instinctive and thought he could save my mom the cost of lessons. Turned out he was wrong. I swallowed half the lake before he finally fished me back out. I guess his version of events was a little different from mine, because instead of being mad, Mom gave him the credit for saving my life.

      Mel has always taken an interest in my education. Still, I am surprised when Mom tells me that he has invited me to go to Australia with him. I am even more surprised that she thinks it is a good idea.

      Seriously? I stare at her. What about school? As soon as the words are out of my mouth, I regret having said them.

      Jayden, please. Mom’s forehead creases. You’ve skipped more classes than you’ve been to this year. And that’s not including the times you’ve been suspended.

      I look away from her, out the window. The sky is gray. Half-frozen rain is falling at a steep angle, tapping against the window like a thousand ghostly fingertips. I hate school. You read about stuff, you listen to people talk about stuff, you write about stuff…and you never actually get to do anything. I used to go just to see Anna, but since she dumped me, I couldn’t see the point in school.

      Actually, I couldn’t see the point in anything at all. It’s just so…

      Mom blows a stray lock of blond hair out of her eyes and tucks it behind her ear. I know. That’s why I thought this trip might be a good idea.

      I don’t care much either way. Going to Australia sounds like it would take more energy than I have. On the other hand, maybe Mom wants me out of her hair.

      It’ll be summer in Australia, Mom says. Sunshine. Beaches. No school.

      No having to watch Anna walking around with her friends and laughing, obviously doing fine without me. When’s Mel going? I ask.

      He’s already there. He’s been doing some research at the university in Adelaide for the last couple of months.

      I don’t know, I say.

      Come on, Jayden. Kangaroos. Koalas. Gum trees and blue skies. You could take your camera. Get some great wildlife shots.

      I guess. I haven’t taken any photographs for months.

      She sighs. Think about it, okay?

      You want to get rid of me, huh? It’s supposed to be a joke but it comes out sounding all wrong. Angry and bitter instead of funny.

      "Oh, Jay. Of course I don’t. I just… You’ve been moping around for months and you won’t go to school and you won’t see a doctor and you won’t even talk to me."

      I look at her and look away quickly. Her green eyes are shiny with tears. I feel a hot spreading sense of shame, like I’ve done something awful, messed something up, and I don’t even know what. Fine, I say. I’ll go then.

      Are you sure? She hesitates. I don’t mean to pressure you. I just thought maybe…well, maybe it would help.

      It seems like an awfully long shot to me, but it’s not like I have any better ideas. It’s fine, I say again. I’ll go.

      You’d have to fly down in the next couple of weeks. She sounds hesitant now, like she isn’t so sure of this idea after all. "Mel says

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