Last Sam's Cage

Last Sam?s Cage is the story of fifteen-year-old Eddie Slater. Already labeled as a young offender, Eddie runs away from his abusive step-father and takes up residence at the Calgary zoo, a place where he feels safe. There he meets Jack, a middle-aged man who has been coming to the zoo every day for thirty-two years to watch the children at the playground. Convinced that this man is either a pervert or just plain weird, Eddie follows him home one day, and eventually breaks into his house. Eddie discovers a bedroom wall covered with photos and newspaper clippings about a six-year-old girl who was abducted and murdered at the zoo, while in the care of her twelve-year-old brother, Jack. As Eddie struggles to survive on his own, he encounters the perils of street life and finds himself pursued by an enemy and trapped inside Last Sam?s Cage ? the zoo?s only reminder of the days when animals were kept in cages. When Jack comes to Eddie?s rescue, the incident allows both to reevaluate their choices, and to make some important decisions about the future. A brilliant achievement by a unique voice in young adult fiction.