In the Same Boat

Gr 7 Up–Taking on the Texas River Odyssey, a canoe endurance race of 265 miles that lasts more than 50 hours, is not for the faint of heart. Sadie’s family members are race fanatics, and when she partnered with her dad (who has completed 19 races) the previous year and didn’t finish the race because of an injury, her relationship with him was forever altered. This time, she is going with her older brother. When a fight breaks out the night before the race and several racers are disqualified, her brother joins a different team. Sadie is left to paddle with her best friend–turned–nemesis Cully, a racing novice. Their families had been intertwined for years but had a falling out. As the pair navigate the treacherous route around alligators, snakes, and submerged log jams, readers will learn about their past friendship. The narrative is action-packed, and Green paints a vivid picture of the relationships among the two paddlers, their families, and the two friends who serve as their bank crew for the race. The characters are presumed white.