Rough Waters

Kaya Jacolev

Rough Waters is a suspenseful tale. This highly readable book may be of special help to such young people as well as their parents.
— Napra Review

KLIATT

To quote KLIATT's May 1998 review of the hardcover edition: When an accident takes the lives of their parents, Scott (15) and his older brother Greg (17) are sent to live with an uncle they've never met, who lives in Buena Vista, Colorado. When the brothers arrive, they find an abrupt man who is obsessed with the success of his river rafting company, which takes tourists for rides on the rapids. Uncle Rocky, without asking them, arranges for the boys to work for him, learning how to be river guides. Greg is resentful, even though soon he loves the excitement of the river and befriends the other staff members. Scott, too, finds the new life has many good things to offer. Still, the boys are grieving, and they blame their uncle for his emotional distance and near-neglect of them. Scott tells the story. He is intelligent and understanding, well beyond his years, and his older brother resents him. He befriends a local girl, gets along with the staff, finds a way to relate to his uncle, and settles into the new life, although he is filled with dismay at Greg's reckless behavior, his bad attitude, his poor choice of friends, his drinking and drug-taking. Greg's rebelliousness explodes into a disastrous rafting trip, the effects of which will change Greg forever. Rottman gets the details of the river trips just right, and this aspect of the story will appeal to any YA reader who likes excitement and adventure. The emotional journeys of the brothers and their uncle are also well described and will be of great interest to readers. There is a certain rawness in many of the scenes, but they sound exactly right. This will surely have a wide YA readership. It reminds me of another river raftnovel, Will Hobbs' Downriver. An ALA Quick Pick for YAs. KLIATT Codes: JS—Recommended for junior and senior high school students. 1997, Penguin/Puffin, 248p, 18cm, 99-27767, $5.99. Ages 13 to 18. Reviewer: Claire Rosser; July 2000 (Vol. 34 No. 4)

VOYA - Debbie Earl

Gregg and Scott are teenage brothers whose lives are turned upside down when their parents are killed in an automobile accident. When their parents' will is read, the brothers are shocked to discover their new guardian is Uncle Dave, their father's brother. The boys never knew their father had a brother, so they are upset and disconcerted to find they will have to leave their home in Chicago and travel to the Colorado Rockies to live. Uncle Dave runs a white-water rafting company, and in order to become guides, the brothers must learn to navigate rafts down the local river. Scott begins to adjust to his new home and finds a girlfriend, but Gregg internalizes his grief and stops communicating. It takes an accident on the water to test the brothers' survival skills and give them an opportunity to grow closer again. Reminiscent of Gary Paulsen's Hatchet (Bradbury Press, 1987/VOYA February 1988) or The River (Delacorte, 1991/VOYA August 1991), this quick-paced adventure will be enjoyed by "river rats" and those interested in the outdoors. The cover art shows a raft madly careening downriver and effectively catches even the most reluctant eye. Rottman has written one other book for young adults, titled Hero (Peachtree, 1997/VOYA December 1997), about an abused teen who straightens out his life when forced to give community service at a farm owned by an old man. VOYA Codes: 4Q 4P S (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses, Broad general YA appeal, Senior High-defined as grades 10 to 12).

Children's Literature - Karen Porter

When Scott's parents are killed suddenly in a car accident, he and his brother Gregg are sent against their will to live with an unknown uncle. The California teens are both drawn into their uncle's rafting business in Colorado. Scott finds himself torn between his loyalty to his older brother and his growing affection for his uncle. Scott's maturity and intelligence make him the favorite of adults, while Gregg resists adults' control over his life and rebels against their uncle. Rottman has clearly researched his topic. His descriptions of Colorado river rafting are vivid and adventurous. His use of mild profanity is appropriate to the story. The book's climax, a dangerous trip down the river for Scott and Gregg, is suspenseful and exciting. The end of the book is too quick. The conflicts which have been carefully crafted throughout the novel are resolved too easily, and the conclusion is neither believable nor satisfying. It is a disappointing end to an otherwise enticing story.

School Library Journal

Gr 7 Up-Scott, 15, and his older brother Gregg are sent to live with their Uncle Rocky, whom they never knew existed, after their parents are killed in an automobile accident. Gregg plans to begin college soon and does not want to move from Los Angeles to rural Colorado. He is angry, rude, and uncommunicative. To make matters worse, Rocky is struggling to make a success of his river-rafting company and insists that his nephews work for him. Both boys come to enjoy the rafting experience. Scott tries hard to have a good attitude, but Gregg becomes increasingly difficult, making the wrong kinds of friends and drinking too much. He resents his uncle, and Scott is placed in the middle of their serious arguments. When Gregg makes an irresponsible and life-threatening choice, he comes to realize that the way he deals with his unhappiness affects both his brother and his uncle. Scott, the first-person narrator, is a well-developed character with intelligence and independence and just a touch of rebellion. The other characters are also believable, although Gregg's behavior often seems slightly exaggerated. Packed with details about rafting, Rough Waters will excite some readers and perhaps bore others. However, much of the information is needed in order to understand the dangers of this sport and the plot. With the thrill of the rapids, realistic family dynamics, a little romance, and likable characters, this book is a great read.-Elisabeth Palmer Abarbanel, Brentwood School, Los Angeles