Deep Water: A Story of Survival

Key (Hideout) offers plenty of nail-biting suspense in this survival tale about a deep-sea dive off the Alabama coast that goes horribly wrong. When scuba dive guide Gibson Sims falls ill on his boat, his 12-year-old daughter, Julie, leads two particularly obnoxious clients—Hank Jordan and his son, Shane—into the water. Problems start underwater, and the trio resurfaces to discover that the boat carrying Julie’s father has disappeared. With land nowhere in sight, Julie and *the Jordans have no choice but to float, hoping to be rescued. Based on a perilous situation Key found himself in at age 16, the story traces how the stranded victims fight for their lives over the course of days, then weeks, as they drift farther and farther from shore. Readers may need to look up some scuba and nautical terms in order to visualize the action, but the story meticulously details the steps that quick-thinking Julie takes to stay alive. Julie’s troubled family history and her changing relationship with Shane are also examined, intensifying the book’s emotional impact. Ages 10–14. Agent: Lisa Erbach Vance, Aaron M. Priest Literary. (Apr.)