Book Description
for Dive by Adele Griffin
From Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)
Eleven-year-old Dan gets along well with Lyle, his solid, responsible stepfather, which is a good thing, because Dan’s mom has just left them both. That crisis is exacerbated by the reality that Lyle’s son, Dustin, prefers Dan’s mother as a parent to his own father. Dustin soon joins her after she leaves, and is then injured in a diving accident. Dan addresses his stepbrother, Dustin, throughout this unusual story, and he ponders how Dustin, an accomplished diver could make such a mistake - or series of mistakes. Griffin’s novel challenges readers with its second person narrative and its complex blending of two families. As readers agonize with Dan, they can also feel distressed for each of the individuals whose personal scenarios have come together, come apart and then reshaped themselves. (Ages 12-15)
CCBC Choices 2000. © Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 2000. Used with permission.