1016 Balmoral Road, Victoria, BC, Canada V8T 1A8

My Best Friend is Extinct

Ten-year-old Henry Springs is thrilled when the wintery resort town he and his mom recently moved to experiences a record-breaking snowfall. There are even rumors that the extreme weather could mark the beginning of a new ice age.

One day, while exploring one of the many tunnels running through the town’s snowbanks, Henry discovers a strange, prehistoric-like creature that is seriously injured. Henry immediately names him Yarp and hauls the wounded animal back to his house on a makeshift sled. There he builds a secret cave for Yarp and slowly nurses him back to health. But, as Henry soon discovers, Yarp is not the only unusual beast lurking in the neighborhood. Where did these creatures come from and how can Henry keep his new friend safe?

Written by: Rebecca Wood Barrett
Illustrated by: Cornelia Li
Middle Grade Fiction
Format: Paperback
Ages: 8-10
Pages: 240
Dimensions: Height 7.5 in, Width 5 in
Originally published in North America: Winter 2021
All rights available excluding North American English

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Author: Rebecca Wood Barrett

Rebecca Wood Barrett is an award-winning writer and filmmaker whose short fiction has been published in literary journals such as Room and the Antigonish Review. Her debut novel, My Best Friend is Extinct was shortlisted for the Red Cedar Book Award and won the Chocolate Lily Award. She has an MFA in creative writing from the University of British Columbia and lives in Whistler, British Columbia, where she teaches writing and filmmaking to kids of all ages.

Illustrator: Cornelia Li

Cornelia Li worked in storyboard and editorial illustration before diving into the world of children’s illustration. Her work has been recognized by the Society of Illustrators in NY and LA, the Association of Illustrators, American Illustration, Communication Arts, the Ontario Library Association and more. Originally from China, she now lives and works in Toronto.