Skip to main content

Water Steps

By

Water Steps
by A. LaFaye
188 pages
age 9-12
Minneapolis : Milkweed Editions, 2009

Kyna was a little girl when her family's ship was wrecked at sea. She alone survived and was lucky enough to be rescued by a loving couple who ended up adopting her. Kyna loves her adoptive parents and has a happy life despite her debilitating fear of water. Terror grips her when confronted with a bathtub or even a glass of water. Kyna is therefore stunned when Mem and Pep tell her they have rented a summer house at "magical" Lake Champlain. Nothing she says or does can convince them to change their mind. Once they arrive, she avoids the lake at all costs, exploring the forest and hillside instead. Of course, this can't last forever. A new friend enlists her help in proving that there are silkies in the lake. Can she overcome her fears to keep a friend? And could this be the reason her parents say the lake is magical?
The author deals with her character's fear in a realistic way. Although most readers will not have such crippling phobias or such tragic stories behind their fears, they will gain some insight on how to cope with the fears they do have. A great blend of fantasy and realistic fiction.
Labels:

Comments

A. LaFaye said…
Thank you so much for this thoughtful review of my new book. If any young readers have questions about the book, they can contact me via my website at www.alafaye.com I'm also available to do school visits and library talks. Thank you again. Alexandria LaFaye
August 27, 2009 at 9:40 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Review: Faker

By
Faker By Gordon Korman New York: Scholastic Press, 2024. Fiction. 214 pages. 12-year-old Trey is used to starting over at a new school -- he has the routine perfectly memorized: make new friends, introduce his dad to the wealthy parents of his new friends, and "Houdini" themselves out of there before they get caught running their latest scam. Trey's dad is a master con artist, and Trey has just been promoted to full-partner. Their new scheme for the next big score brings them to the affluent suburb of Boxelder, TN where Trey's dad has cooked up a fake electric car company for investors to buy into. The only problem is that Trey is starting to grow tired of moving around and never putting down roots, especially after forming a fast friendship with Logan and developing a crush on Kaylee, a socially conscious girl in his class. As Trey longs for a normal life, is there any way he can convince his dad to get out of the family business? Gordon Korman is a perennial favorit...
Post a Comment
Read more

Review: Fresh Start

By
Fresh Start By Gale Galligan New York: Graphix, 2025. Graphic novel. 270 pages. Ollie Herisson is only in 7th grade, but she has already lived all over the world. Her father is an American diplomat, whose job has taken their family to France, Singapore, Thailand (where her mom is from), and now to Chestnut Falls, Virginia. Ollie loves that her family doesn't stay in one place very long, it allows her to have a fresh start and hide from any embarrassing moments each time they move. But Ollie's parents have big news -- they've decided to buy a house in Virginia and put down roots. Now, Ollie and her younger sister Cat have to figure out how to build lasting friendships which means resolving conflict rather than running away when things get hard.  Loosely based on the author's own childhood experiences, this graphic novel is sure to be popular with readers who like coming of age stories. Watching Ollie learn to think of others as she advocates for her sister Cat, and navig...
Post a Comment
Read more

Review: Will's Race for Home

By
  Willl's Race for Home  By Jewell Parker Rhodes Little Brown & Company, 2025. Fiction. 256 pages.    Will is a young man whose father and family are working the land as sharecroppers in Texas. When Will's father comes home with the news that there is land available in Oklahoma to those who can stake and settle it, Will's father expresses his deep desire to go and claim land for their family. Will begs to be included, but his mother is reluctant to let him go. After input from the entire family, they decide that Will is ready for the responsibility. Along the way Will and his father develop a deeper appreciation for each other, form deep friendship, discover hidden enemies, and encounter many challenges which force them to make difficult decisions. Will's father has to rely heavily on him, especially as they get closer to their final destination. Will's bravery is inspiring and commendable.  This book is full of many amazing elements: suspense, adventure, fr...
Post a Comment
Read more