Books

Moving to a new city is hard. Being the new kid is even harder.

When eleven-year-old Jay Noble moves to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, he quickly learns that fitting in won’t be easy. At his new school, he faces bullies who make every day feel like a challenge—including one teacher who seems determined to make his life miserable.

Everything begins to change the day Jay steps onto the ice.

As he learns to skate, Jay discovers a surprising gift: he’s incredibly fast. With the help of a new friend, determination, and his growing love for hockey, Jay finds the confidence to stand up for himself—on and off the rink.

But when Jay earns a spot on the Saskatoon Renegades, the pressure rises. The competition is fierce, the bullies aren’t gone, and the road to the Provincial Championship won’t be easy.

Will Jay’s speed, courage, and heart be enough to help his team win—and help him finally feel like he belongs?

A fast-paced, uplifting middle grade hockey story about perseverance, friendship, and finding your place—perfect for readers ages 9–12, hockey fans, and kids who love underdog stories.

Falls Into Place is the fifth poetry collection by Jesse A. Murray. This collection was written before and during a global pandemic between July 2nd, 2019 and November 19th, 2020. The writings in this collection reflect how life can change completely in an instant for everyone, yet people will react very differently. Nonetheless, it took a global pandemic for Jesse to learn that no matter what happens, no matter where your life takes you, everything always falls into place.

Back Home is the fourth poetry collection by Jesse A. Murray. When you want to follow your dreams, but you end up back home, it's hard to hold your head up high. But in time, you may realize that you wouldn't want to be anywhere else. The following poetry collection is from writings that were written from January 3rd, 2013 to August 11th, 2017. It's the last poetry collection compiled from the "hidden stacks" of material written before Jesse became a published author.

Not Here To Stay is the third poetry collection by Jesse A. Murray. This collection features material written between March 10th, 2011 to December 28th, 2012. During this period of Jesse’s life, he found himself in many different places, and he always knew that he wasn’t there to stay. But each place had an important influence on him and his writing. Nashville, Tennessee is one of those places. 

Never Found is the second poetry collection by Jesse A. Murray, and the follow-up to his debut collection I Will Never Break. It's Jesse's continuation of his exploration of different perspectives, thoughts, and ideas. The following collection is taken from material written between July 23rd, 2010 and March 6th, 2011, and just like his previous collection, these writings are in chronological order and unchanged. This raw and moving poetry collection shows Jesse's passion for the written word, and it acts as a reflection of his growth as a writer and as a person. 

If there was ever a prequel to Jesse A. Murray’s writing career, this would be it. I Will Never Break is a collection of poems written from the period 2007 to 2010 when the author, Jesse A. Murray, was between 18 and 22 years old. This poetry collection was collected unchanged and displayed in chronological order, and as a result, a natural story unfolds. In many ways, the reader will connect and relate to all the ups and downs that one experiences in life. Through this collection, it becomes clear, that when someone writes what they feel, it’s not hard to feel what they write. As a whole, it’s exciting to see the roots of a young author emerging, through these early writings found in this telling poetry collection. 

Growing up in Columbia, Missouri, Ozzie Shaw has only one dream: baseball.

With his father’s relentless guidance and a talent that sets him apart, Ozzie believes the Major Leagues are not a question of if, but when.

Then high school brings something he never planned for—love.

At graduation, Ozzie faces a life-altering choice: follow his heart or chase the dream he’s been trained his whole life to pursue. Influenced by his father’s chilling mantra—“No one can go where you’re headed”—Ozzie chooses baseball, leaving the girl he loves behind.

The gamble pays off. Ozzie rockets through the minor leagues, reaches the St. Louis Cardinals, and becomes Rookie of the Year. By every measure, he’s living the dream.

But success has a cost—and some choices can’t be undone.

Love or Baseball? is a compelling, emotional novel about ambition, sacrifice, and the question that lingers long after the crowd stops cheering: What if the dream costs you everything else?