Into the Rapids

Gr 5 Up–After a storm upends their world and leads to her father’s death, Addy and her mom learn to depend on each other, isolating themselves literally and figuratively from their rural Vermont community. Addy doesn’t mind; she loves her life building fires, chopping wood, and navigating rugged terrains, skills she has inherited from her nature-loving parents. Addy adores her mother, and the duo take pride in their ability to be self-sufficient. However, Addy’s mother struggles with grief, anxiety, and panic attacks, and Addy worries about dealing with those mental health issues alone. She looks at the townspeople’s connections with one another and wonders what it would be like if she were a part of their community. Addy’s emotional connection to the outdoors is expressed by her determination to attend Camp Survival, which encourages kids to hone their survival skills. Multiple traumatic events, including a superstorm reminiscent of the one that took her dad’s life, as well as an unexpected friendship with a childhood nemesis, encourage Abby to branch out as she learns to trust other people and accept them in her life. Addy is a likable character who readers will identify with and want to succeed. Her outdoor activities are presented in an exciting and interactive way that is utterly engaging. Friendships are genuine and relatable, and Braden powerfully expresses the importance of relationships and community. The depiction of mental health struggles will be helpful for young readers, and practical strategies are offered to understand and manage them.