Teen Fiction

Head above Water

Name: Head above Water
Author: S. L. Rottman
ISBN: 9781561452385

by S. L. Rottman

Available on Bookshop Write a review

Books.org participates in affiliate programs including Bookshop.org and the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through links on this page, at no additional cost to you.

Overview

Skye, a high school junior, tries to find the time for both family obligations and personal interests, which include caring for her brother who has Down's Syndrome, dating her first boyfriend, and swimming competitively.

Synopsis

Paula Rohrlick - KLIATT

To quote from the review of the hardcover in KLIATT, November 1999: Skye, a high school junior, is trying to juggle school, swim team, and the responsibility of looking out for her older brother, Sunny, who has Down's Syndrome, while their single-parent mother works two jobs to support them. Skye has been working hard to qualify for the state swim championships, hoping for a scholarship to college. When Mike, a handsome, popular senior, asks her out, she is thrilled, but it's hard to make room in her busy schedule for dating. Skye is torn between her family and swim team obligations and her desire for more free time. Meanwhile, Sunny is eager to swim too, but although Skye's mother pays her to teach him, Skye instead enrolls Sunny in a group class to make time to see Mike. This subterfuge eventually backfires, of course, and dating Mike turns out to be less than idyllic. Mike pressures Skye to have sex trying by force, at one point, until Skye knees him and runs off. This incident scares her badly, and the rumors Mike starts about her afterward hurt her. Events come to a head at the prom, when Sky strikes back (literally), and though as a result Skye can't make her big swim meet, she does manage to be there to cheer Sunny on in the Special Olympics. This is an involving and often suspenseful read. Skye is doing her best to keep afloat, trying to balance her desires and her obligations, and readers will empathize with her conflicts. Her tumultuous relationship with Sunny, a mixture of love, irritation, pride and guilt, is believably depicted, and so are her reactions to Mike. The swimming scenes are also realistically described; the author is a high school swim coach and English teacher,and she conveys well the hard work and excitement of the sport. KLIATT Codes: JS Recommended for junior and senior high school students. 2003 (orig. 1999), Peachtree, 262p.,

Reviews

There are no reviews yet. Log in to write one.

Editorials

KLIATT

To quote from the review of the hardcover in KLIATT, November 1999: Skye, a high school junior, is trying to juggle school, swim team, and the responsibility of looking out for her older brother, Sunny, who has Down's Syndrome, while their single-parent mother works two jobs to support them. Skye has been working hard to qualify for the state swim championships, hoping for a scholarship to college. When Mike, a handsome, popular senior, asks her out, she is thrilled, but it's hard to make room in her busy schedule for dating. Skye is torn between her family and swim team obligations and her desire for more free time. Meanwhile, Sunny is eager to swim too, but although Skye's mother pays her to teach him, Skye instead enrolls Sunny in a group class to make time to see Mike. This subterfuge eventually backfires, of course, and dating Mike turns out to be less than idyllic. Mike pressures Skye to have sex—trying by force, at one point, until Skye knees him and runs off. This incident scares her badly, and the rumors Mike starts about her afterward hurt her. Events come to a head at the prom, when Sky strikes back (literally), and though as a result Skye can't make her big swim meet, she does manage to be there to cheer Sunny on in the Special Olympics. This is an involving and often suspenseful read. Skye is doing her best to keep afloat, trying to balance her desires and her obligations, and readers will empathize with her conflicts. Her tumultuous relationship with Sunny, a mixture of love, irritation, pride and guilt, is believably depicted, and so are her reactions to Mike. The swimming scenes are also realistically described; the author is a high school swim coach and English teacher,and she conveys well the hard work and excitement of the sport. KLIATT Codes: JS—Recommended for junior and senior high school students. 2003 (orig. 1999), Peachtree, 262p.,
— Paula Rohrlick

Library Journal

Gr 9 Up-Skye, a high school junior from a single-parent home, is largely responsible for the care of her older brother Sunny, who has Down's syndrome. She strives to maintain a straight-A average in her schoolwork and is determined to qualify for "States," the statewide swim competition. When the school's football star, Mike Banner, deems her worthy to date, Skye's already complex world becomes almost overwhelming. Responding to pressure from him to spend more time together, she ditches her brother and uses her newfound freedom to meet with her boyfriend. Predictably, he pressures her into sex and finally forces himself on her. She narrowly escapes, but the angry boyfriend continues to badger her and the confrontation between the two ultimately costs her the opportunity to go to States. In the end, Skye begins to mature and to think for herself. Unfortunately, the conclusion is a little too neat. Although the protagonist faces myriad problems, they are all resolved happily. Still, this is a realistic portrayal of dating and of a teenager with Down's syndrome.-Joanne K. Cecere, Highland High School, NY Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.