by Monte Burke
First published 2001
Jake Mitchell stands at the edge of the high school swimming pool, chlorine stinging his eyes as he watches his teammates practice. The regional championships loom ahead, and Jake knows this season will determine his future. His father pushes him toward a college scholarship while his coach demands total commitment to the sport that has defined his life since childhood. Jake struggles between his own dreams and the expectations weighing him down. When a new competitor arrives and threatens his position on the team, Jake must decide how far he will go to win. The pressure builds as Jake discovers that success in the pool might cost him everything outside of it. This story explores the price of athletic ambition and the moment when a young person must choose between pleasing others and finding his own path.
Genres: fiction, coming-of-age, contemporary, adolescence, sports, young-adult
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, thought-provoking
Tropes: coming-of-age, found-family, pressure
224 pages · Hardcover · Lyons Pr