Breathless

And the thing about panicking when you're forty feet under the ocean's surface is that you can drown, and you know you can drown. In fact, you can't breathe without your regulator even if you're not panicking. You're also not supposed to hold your breath, because there's pressure underwater. That means if you're not breathing out bubbles while the regulator is out, your chest might expand until it explodes. Beverly is in Hawaii, helping her uncle at his dive shop, learning how to dive and trying to lose weight and get a boyfriend. When Garth, an accomplished diver, shows an interest in her, Beverly is ecstatic, until it turns out Garth is only interested in one thing. Struggling with failing strength from her self-imposed starvation diet, Beverly finds herself in deep trouble when she has to fight Garth off underwater. Pam Withers is the author of Camp Wild, an Orca Currents novel for middle-school readers and the Take it to the Xtreme series of teen novels.

Teri S. Lesesne - VOYA

Beverly is pleased to be spending a week with her uncle in Hawaii. She will have the chance to do some diving and escape the Canadian winter in Winnipeg at the same time. Because she is a little self-conscious about her body, which she terms "pudgy," Beverly decides that she will try to drop ten pounds during her stay. Dieting and diving do not mix, which is a lesson that Beverly learns the tough way. The cute dive master, Garth, however, does not seem to mind that Beverly needs some extra attention. The main attraction of the Orca Soundings series of books is that they are quick and interesting reads especially for struggling readers. High interest, low readability novels that deal with a variety of different characters and issues are the hallmark of this series, an essential one for motivating reluctant readers. VOYA CODES: 3Q 4P M J (Readable without serious defects; Broad general YA appeal; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9). 2005, Orca, 101p., Trade pb. Ages 11 to 15.