Tracker's Canyon

Gr 6–9—Tristan is a 16-year-old from the Pacific Northwest whose dad has disappeared in a canyoneering tragedy. His mom has suffered a collapse as a result, and Tristan is trying to keep the household together with a little help from his equally overwhelmed uncle. Though Tristan misses canyoneering, he has no time or money for his favorite activity that also served as his connection to his father—until a new guide in town enables him to join some of her expeditions. This novel traces the ways in which Tristan, who is a survivor by multiple definitions, remembers his dad's advice to "embrace calm" and finds a path forward for his mom and himself. The story that unfolds is a fusion of contemporary adventure, mystery, and detective fiction, with several dark possibilities close to the surface. This is not a novel for the faint of heart. Its realism makes for moments of palpable danger and doubt. But the story is grounded in the author's experience and research. The prose is easy and clear and the main character is thoughtful and likable. The book is heavier on plot than character development. Tristan's level of chill—his forgiveness of bad behavior—is a touch extreme, though the author does set that up as part of the tracker ethos. The mother is little more than a plot device. The conclusion that emerges is neither predictable nor outlandish, and while it ties up loose ends, it is not cloyingly tidy.