The Water You’re Swimming In

Gr 4-8–Eighth grader Noah Cornell is very good at maintaining stellar grades, keeping his room neat, and competing in swimming at his town pool in Bible Hill, Canada. He struggles with making friends, fitting in at school, and expressing his feelings when things aren’t going well. When Noah’s older brother Jamie runs away to Halifax to make it big in music, Noah and his parents are devastated. Now his mom and dad spend their free time searching for Jamie and ­worrying about his safety. Noah is ­refused ­every time he offers to go along and help his parents search, so he develops a plan to win the town swimming ­competition—and the prize of a free trip to Halifax for four. But going against his parents’ wishes and facing his arch-nemesis Jessica, may be more than Noah bargained for. Staying focused on practicing and being the perfect son becomes even more challenging when a new girl, Alysha, moves in and wants to hang out. Trying to juggle his home life, a new friendship, and his desire to win his brother back means Noah will have to be on top of his game. Written from Noah’s perspective, the book offers front-row seats to the myriad emotions someone can experience when a loved one is struggling. Besides Noah’s parents, his grandma Aisling plays an important and supportive role in his life. All characters cued as white.