Tracker's Canyon - by Pam Withers (Paperback)

About the Book

Tristan is one of the best climbers and trackers around. So when his father disappears, the teen decides to enter Swallow Canyon to search for traces of his dad -- only to realize that someone is out to get him. Who's stalking whom, and are his skills up to nasty games being played out in the deep, shadowy ravines?

Book Synopsis

Nominated for the 2019 Red Maple Fiction Award

When Tristan's dad disappears, he puts his tracking skills to the test to find him -- but will Tristan's talents save him if it turns out to be a trap?

Thanks to his dad's coaching, sixteen-year-old Tristan is one of the best climbers and trackers in his small town. He can read footprints and bushes like they're security-camera footage, and fearlessly descend rock faces and waterfalls. But when his father disappears, leaving his mother too grief-stricken to function, the young canyoneer's life goes into freefall.

Left in the hands of a well-meaning but incompetent uncle and a space-cadet housekeeper, Tristan finds life a struggle no matter how hard he works. When he nears the end of his rope at home, the teen decides to set off into Swallow Canyon in search of his father -- only to realize that someone may be out to get him. Now the question is who's stalking whom, and are Tristan's skills up to the dangerous game playing out in the deep, shadowy canyon?

Review Quotes

Tracker's Canyon is a story about truth, friendship, family and resilience. A good read.-- "Canadian Materials"

A great choice for filling the dearth of realistic adventure novels for the middle-school crowd, and a solid mystery.-- "School Library Journal"

An important message is conveyed to a young reader who is given a good sense of the profound relationship between a son and his father.-- "Resource Links"

Clues and revelations are well-plotted and the setting, cinematic. Descriptions of the extreme sport of canyoneering, a combination of rock climbing, cliff diving, and caving, are thrilling.-- "Kirkus Reviews"

I had difficulty putting the book down. It is a story about what is true, how families work, friendship and courage in the face of danger. Worth the read!-- "Sal's Fiction Addiction (Canada), review, June 18, 2018"

Middle and high school students will appreciate this fast-paced adventure tale for the action alone.-- "VOYA"

About the Author

Pam Withers is an award-winning author of seventeen teen adventure novels, including First Descent and Andreo's Race, and two nonfiction books. She is a former outdoor guide, journalist, and editor. Pam lives in Vancouver.