After years of being passed around to various relatives, Cassandra Jovanovich has found a home where she feels she belongs. All she wants to do is forget her past and pursue her dream of becoming an actress. But her new friend, Leanna Mets, "the most annoying person she has ever met," wants to know how Cassandra became an orphan, and encourages her to write her story. Cassandra’s memories reveal how the death of her grandmother and the cruelty of the other adults in her life turned her into the distrustful, secretive twelve-year-old she is. But with friendship and the courage to continue her dream of acting, Cassandra might find a way to connect the dots in her life back together.

Sharon Jennings has been published for 27 years. She is the author of over 70 books for young people – board books, picture books, reluctant reads, novels – many of which have been nominated for numerous awards and even won a few! Her middle grade novel Home Free was nominated for the Governor General’s Literary Award, The Silver Birch Award, and the TD Award. Her latest books are Connecting Dots, a completely true work of fiction about a girl’s terrible, horrible life, and The Warning, a completely true collection of stories about the supernatural. Sharon is very involved with her community, serving as a Board Member of The Canadian Children’s Book Centre, and is a three term President of The Canadian Society of Children’s Authors, Illustrators and Performers (CANSCAIP).

Sharon Jennings' profile page

• Short-listed, Red Cedar Book Award

The plot [of Connecting Dots] is strong, honest, tough and clever, with many twists and turns. When you finish, you’ll want to cheer Cassandra for connecting the dots in her life.

Children's Books Heal

The continuing storyline of Cassie proves she is a 'Gutsy Girl'...

CM: Canadian Review of Materials

Spirited, inquisitive and quirky, “almost twelve-year old” Cassandra Jovanovich, exhibits such a fearlessness that despite all odds, the reader cannot help but admire...

Recently Read blog

Sharon Jennings holds nothing back in her depiction of Cassandra Jovanovich... Cassie is a convincingly resilient character.

Quill & Quire

... a well written book that keeps the reader engaged... Cassie’s character teaches empowerment through owning the experiences that have happened to her and making it into something she can use.

Resource Links