★ 02/15/2016
Johnston (A Thousand Nights) draws from Shakespeare's "The Winter's Tale," and perhaps as much from too-common present-day headlines, in the fearless story of a 17-year-old Ontario cheerleader getting a sense of her new normal after being drugged and raped at cheer camp. While Hermione's lack of specific memories of the assault offer a kind of protection, triggers surface (the smell of pine, the bass line of a song), and there's the awful reality that any of the six male members of her own team could have been involved. Hermione's relationship with her boyfriend collapses, and a pregnancy test comes back positive, but friends like her co-captain, Molly, are beyond steadfast—Johnston makes it abundantly clear what assets Hermione has in her own physical and mental discipline, as well as in the bedrock unity of her team. While Hermione is a victim, Johnson never portrays her as victimized, instead focusing on how Hermione reasserts control over her life with help from family, friends, and therapy, using her own decisions to push back against something in which she had no such choice. Ages 14–up. Agent: Josh Adams, Adams Literary. (Mar.)

Praise for Exit, Pursued by a Bear

"E.K. Johnston's latest gripping novel for young adults  . . . is both a well-plotted whodunit and a tightly woven examination of how we as a society respond to — and often judge — rape victims."—The Chicago Tribune

“Unflinching and powerful, and completely necessary” —Bustle
 
"A powerful rape survival story to make you believe in a better world."—The Rumpus

"While assault survivors, both in fact and in fiction, often find their lives narrowed to this one designation, Johnston refuses to flatten her heroine. Instead, she insists that Hermione's joy in being thrown into the air during cheer routines, and the strength of her best friendship with co-captain Polly are just as vital to our understanding of her as the facts of her assault."—Margaret H. Willison, NPR book critic

"A raw, powerful story that’ll stay with you long after it’s over.”—Buzzfeed

"E.K. Johnston has a seemingly limitless range. This is realistic fiction at its best."—The Globe & Mail

"Every girl who has ever been sexually assaulted or known someone who has, should read this book. So should every boy who has ever raped or known one who has. Every reader might try to be a friend like Polly. E.K. Johnston writes so well, showing a dark reality highlighted by compassion."—The News-Gazette

★ "Johnston’s clever—but never precious—update of Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale is unflinching but not at all graphic in its treatment of sexual violence.... Middle and high school readers will pass this powerful, engaging story around and around."—Kirkus Reviews, starred.

★ "Fierce and gorgeously drawn, this is a rape story that doesn’t focus on victimhood."—Booklist, starred.

★ “A beautifully written portrait of a young woman facing the unthinkable, this is a must-buy for high school collections.”—SLJ, starred.

★ "While Hermione is a victim, Johnson never portrays her as victimized, instead focusing on how Hermione reasserts control over her life with help from family, friends, and therapy, using her own decisions to push back against something in which she had no such choice." —PW, starred.

★ "The reader is kept engaged, and – like Hermione – hopeful, even in the darkest moments. [...] Exit, Pursued by a Bear is a story of triumph, not just survival."—Quill & Quire, starred.

★ "Johnston creates a strong female main character that will not be afraid, and refuses to be a cautionary tale or a pariah.” —SLC, starred 

"Exit, Pursued by a Bear is an important new novel comparable with Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson.”—VOYA
 
"...nothing short of epic." —The Horn Book Magazine

"Exit, Pursued by a Bear is both a tenderly written, heartfelt coming of age and an incisive, sensitive examination of trauma after an assault. Fresh, memorable, and thought-provoking."
—Courtney Summers, author of All the Rage

"A unflinching exploration of what it means to be a girl, what it means to be a friend, and what it means to be a survivor. A determined, transformative book that every teen girl should read." 
—Tess Sharpe, author of Far From You

“Gripping and devastating.” —Anne Ursu, author of The Real Boy

"Exit, Pursued by a Bear is a must-read. Bracing, intimate, tense, and delightful."—Martha Brockenbrough, author of The Game of Love and Death

“Exit, Pursued by a Bear is a story about a girl. A cautionary tale about someone who didn't want to be a cautionary tale. An important book for girls. For boys. For adults. For mothers and fathers and daughters and sons and girlfriends and boyfriends. An important book without being an 'Issue Book.' And I loved it.” —New York Times bestselling author Jessica Day George

"I WAS NOT WARNED THAT I WOULD CRY THIS MUCH."—New York Times bestselling author Rachel Hartman

"Should a young reader ever need guidance following an assault, she could do much worse than to emulate Hermione Winters."—Bookpage, Top Pick 

"Crisp, engaging writing, strong characterization and a steady hand distinguish this thought-provoking novel about coping and community."—Shelf Awareness


"Soberly triumphant."—Toronto Star

"This is a vital book about the importance of creating a strong system of support for victims of assault." —Bookish

A NPR Best Book of 2016

A Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2016 

A Booklist Best Book of 2016

A New York Public Library 2016 Top Ten Book for Teens

A Chicago Public Library Best Teen Fiction of 2016

A Globe & Mail Best Book of 2016 

A CBC Best Book of 2016

A Quill & Quire Best Book of 2016

A Bustle Top 30 YA Book of 2016

A Bookish Best Book of 2016

A finalist for Audible’s Best Young Adult Audiobook of 2016

A Nerdy Book Club Best YA of 2016

A Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year

A 2017 Ontario Library Association White Pine Honor Book

A 2017 Top Ten Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers

Winner of the 2017 Canadian Children's Book Centre's Amy Mathers Teen Book Award

★ 01/01/2016
Gr 9 Up—Palermo Heights is known for two things. One, its phenomenal cheerleading team, and two, a supposed streak every year that sees one student die and one student get pregnant. As team captain, Hermione Winters is determined to see that tradition broken. Yet after a sexual assault takes place at camp, she is forced to reconcile her goals with her new reality and decide what course her life will take. Competitive cheerleading provides a unique and compelling backdrop to this take on Shakespeare's A Winter's Tale. There are no caricatures, only well-drawn, strong female protagonists and caring but believably flawed adults. The repercussions that the incident have on her relationships are realistic but occasionally seem to provide a best-case scenario to how people interact with victims of rape. Most notably, the friendship between the main character and her fierce best friend is a constant source of strength and humor. Hermione's story traces her reactions to a sexual assault in a nuanced fashion that confronts the horror but doesn't dwell in its shadow. Throughout the book, the setting in a tiny Canadian town and the protagonist's hyper focus and dedication to her sport lend realism to the text. VERDICT A beautifully written portrait of a young woman facing the unthinkable, this is a must-buy for high school collections.—Erinn Black Salge, Saint Peter's Prep, Jersey City, NJ

Narrator Jorjeana Marie’s youthful voice is an excellent fit for this YA retelling of Shakespeare’s WINTER’S TALE. Along with her best friend, Polly, Hermione Winters is cocaptain of her school’s legendary cheerleading squad. Senior year looks to be perfect. But at cheer camp, Hermione is drugged, raped, and left half-submerged in the lake. The story that follows is an honest portrayal of a young woman’s recovery from trauma, including an abortion, and the community that rallies around her. Marie’s straightforward narration is well matched to the novel’s tone. Hermione is a character who is struggling emotionally, and there are scenes in which Marie’s voice breaks. But Hermione is also level headed, and Marie avoids histrionics while managing to convey her grief, anger, and ultimate triumph. E.C. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine

★ 2015-12-08
A driven cheerleader confronts life and relationships following her sexual assault. When Hermione Winters arrives at Camp Manitouwabing for the final pre-season cheer camp of her high school career, she's prepared for intense competition and exhausting practices. Working with her fierce best friend Polly as co-captain, Hermione anticipates athletic challenges and triumphs—not being drugged and raped at a camp dance. Because her rapist leaves her propped up on a rock in the camp's lake, there's little DNA evidence to be recovered, and Hermione has no memory of what happened to her. When a pregnancy test two weeks later yields a positive result, Hermione knows she has a second chance at justice. Johnston's clever—but never precious—update of Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale is unflinching but not at all graphic in its treatment of sexual violence and abortion and likewise honestly confronts the wider repercussions of rape culture and victim-blaming, particularly in small towns. Hermione's is one type of sexual-assault and trauma-survival story: she enjoys all the advantages of being popular and middle-class, and she gets the help she needs so she can continue to enjoy that life. This doesn't make Hermione's journey easy; her victories are earned. An author's note follows, explaining that Hermione's experience is a best-case scenario, providing links for both U.S. and Canadian resources, and offering encouragement to readers not so lucky as Hermione. Middle and high school readers will pass this powerful, engaging story around and around. Adults should be ready to join in the discussion that follows. (Fiction. 12-18)