Dryland

This debut reads like a journal of sophomore Julie Winter's quiet life in Portland, OR, in 1992. Her world is uncomplicated: browse the local craft fair and watch the skaters; go to school and cut insignificant captions for the yearbook; return home to avoid parental engagement; and try to forget her brother's absence. The only indication of her restlessness is an obsession with swim magazines at the local store. Until Alexis, the swim team captain, notices Julie's broad shoulders and connects her last name to her brother's legend. Finally, Julie moves from wallflower to social participant as she lands a spot on the swim team and begins to piece together her brother's history, starting with his childhood friend, Ben. The writing is simple, curious, and aloof, morphing with each new social expectation and teenage urge. Julie is a likable character whose story reads like half of the diary entries pulled from Julie's sophomore year as she struggles with understanding her sexuality, family dynamics, and her own identity. The book's incompleteness leaves readers to hope for Julie's happy ending in spite of ominous circumstances. Dryland is a special, realistic, and understated take on what it means to be a teenager in America.