What We Did to Survive

Gr 8 Up–Hannah joins her best friend Emmy’s family for a trip to a resort in Mexico to celebrate their final spring break together before graduating high school and moving off to nursing school (Hannah) and traveling the world solo (Emmy). It will be the first time that Hannah will have spent with Emmy’s brother and lifelong crush, Jackson, after they shared a moment over winter break. When Ben, a cute boy whom Emmy meets at their resort, invites them on a sailing trip, all four set off on what should be the perfect end to their vacation. But when storms start brewing both onboard and in open water, will they be able to make it home in one piece? Lally (That’s Not My Name) hits it out of the park with this fast-paced survivalist thriller. Hannah is smart and capable, and the friendship she shares with Emmy provides a constant backdrop for the ever-increasing drama they find themselves in. While the characters aren’t particularly nuanced, the expert plotting more than makes up for it. All four main characters cue white.