Sink or Swim

Volume XXVII / Issue 38 - June 4 / 2021

Sink or Swim

Author: 
Tash McAdam
Series: 
Orca Soundings
Victoria, BC: Orca, August, 2021
95 pp., trade pbk., pdf & epub, $10.95 (pbk.)
ISBN: 
9781459828513 (pbk.)
9781459828520 (pdf)
9781459828537 (epub)
Grades: 
Grades 7-12
Ages: 
Ages 12-17
Review by: 
Review by Sarah Wethered (Reviewed from an Advanced Reading Copy)
3
Excerpt: 

It’s a beautiful day for a first date. The sky is a clear blue almost all the way to the horizon. Far in the distance, dark clouds cover the mountains. Past the shoreline waves, the ocean is as smooth as silk. Bass slips for the third time as his old sneakers hit a wet patch of seaweed. He skids and almost drops his end of the heavy boat he and Rosie are carrying. Cursing, he tries to ignore the view and concentrates on putting one foot in front of the other. Only ten yards to the water. He can make it, even if his fingers do feel like they’re about to be ripped off. Sweat runs down his face, stinging his eyes. His multicolored hair is plastered to his forehead. Bet I look great, he thinks sadly. On the bright side, it’s always windy on the coast, so Rosie already knows what he looks like on his head.

Sink or Swim is part of the “Orca Soundings” series for reluctant readers. In this short novel, Bass, a trans boy, and Rosie, who are on their first date, are taking an old boat out for a short trip. The weather, however, has other plans. A storm comes in and shipwrecks the pair. When experienced rock climber Rosie is seriously injured in a fall while trying to find help, Bass must overcome his fears and first care for Rosie and then swim for help.

Readers of Sink or Swim will want to find out whether the two teens are rescued and survive their ordeal. Readers will also want to know whether the budding romance between the shy, trans Bass and the confident Rosie will blossom into something more.

Sink or Swim is recommended to readers who enjoy realistic fiction. “Orca Soundings” are well-known for their fast-paced plot lines and authentic dialogue. LGBTQ+ students, especially those who identify as trans, may see themselves reflected in the characters.

Recommended
Reviewer: 

Sarah Wethered was a teacher-librarian at New Westminster Secondary School for 20 years, and is currently serving as president of the New Westminster Teachers’ Union. She currently lives in New Westminster, British Columbia.