Surfacing

Gr 9 Up—Maggie's sister, Leah, died when she was a child, and Maggie has never forgiven herself for not being able to save her from drowning. This event contributes to her low self-esteem, which leads her to engage in self-destructive behavior with an older boy who uses her for sex. Readers may be drawn in by the mystery surrounding Leah's death, but the shallow characterizations will put off those looking for a well-developed story. Water is used effectively as a metaphor, and Baskin is able to create a somber mood as anguish permeates the story. However, the third-person narration never allows readers to get close enough to Maggie, and Leah's interjections from beyond the grave can be jarring. Maggie's belief that she has a special power that forces others to confide in her also misses the mark in this story about grief and redemption. The sexual content is not graphic, but the lack of resolution by the novel's end is unsettling.—Carrie Shaurette, Dwight-Englewood School, Englewood, NJ