Review | Where The Water Takes Us

Summary: Where The Water Takes Us

Ava’s mom is on bed rest about to have twins, so Ava’s been sent to her grandparents’ lake house. There, she witnesses the death of a bird, and after her Nonna unknowingly mentions that dead birds can signify a curse, Ava is convinced that something bad will happen to her mom unless she does a good deed of caring for two newly hatched chicks.

The Good

I listened to this one on audio, and the book is engaging in that format. It definitely reads like a classic and reminded me a bit of DiCamillo’s Raymie Nightingale, if a bit younger. Ava is shy and a bit afraid of everything. She doesn’t want to be away from her mother, and she sort of blames the new babies for the upheaval in her family and routine.

The lake house setting is very atmospheric, and Ava soon unwillingly befriends an outgoing boy named Cody, who goes along with her plans even without fully understanding her motives. The kids spend a lot of time on their own in the lakeside community, so readers who enjoy books with kids on their own will like this. It’s also a well-written (I don’t want to say “lyrical,” but that’s the best word, really) story overall. I hear there are occasional watercolor images in the text copy.

The Not-So-Good

This is a slower-paced, slice-of-life story with a protagonist who feels a bit closed off. It takes readers a while to understand Ava, and her actions become frustrating for the reader and even for her friend Cody after some time. I have a hard time believing that many kids will read this one from cover to cover on their own (although some adults will love it), but it may be easier to approach on audio.

Overall: Where The Water Takes Us

Where The Water Takes Us is a gentle, sensitive book, perfect for anxious kids desperate to control life’s many uncertainties. Kids experiencing life changes over which they have little control, such as parental illness or separation, the birth of new siblings, or even moving to a new place, will relate to Ava’s emotions and learn to focus on the things they can control instead of those outside their control.

My Rating

Content Notes

Here are some specifics to know about the content.

Content Warnings

• Death: A bird dies in front of a child

Diversity

• Ethnic: Ava is of Korean and Italian descent, Cody is cued white, Ava’s grandparents are Italian
• Sexual orientation: None

Recommended for ages: 8+

Good for kids who like:

• Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
• Kate DiCamillo books
• Stories featuring kids with anxiety
• Books about unlikely friendships

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