How to Lose Yourself Completely

Bognanni (This Book Is Not Yet Rated) presents a taut survival story set against the stark beauty of Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Seventeen-year-old Case is reluctantly participating in an “adventure therapy” trip for teens with anxiety disorders, an undertaking made worse by his grief over the death of his older brother, Sean. Case’s unease deepens when he discovers that Diana, Sean’s ex-girlfriend, is also on the trip. What begins as a structured wilderness excursion spirals into peril when the trip leader vanishes along with everyone’s medications. Stranded and desperate, Case and Diana, who both read as white, and their three fellow teens rely on one another to navigate the unforgiving terrain, locate supplies, and endure mounting environmental threats. As the group confronts physical danger, compassionate prose carves out space for quieter reckonings, particularly between Case and Diana, whose shared grief over Sean shifts from cold silence to tentative understanding. Moments of action are anchored by layered depictions of anxiety and resilience, and watching the characters forge bonds and push beyond their perceived limits is both gripping and deeply affecting. It coalesces into a blend of wilderness adventure and emotional healing bolstered by hard-won connection. Ages 14–up. Agent: Kirby Kim, Janklow & Nesbit. (June)