3.75 stars

As an incoming fan of Sumner's work, I was really excited to see how the verse worked out here. While this isn't my favorite installment in this author's stellar collection, it'll undeniably be a useful and meaningful overview for many young readers.

This is a short book that moves quickly, and Sumner uses the backdrop of a very lengthy swim to feature young Tully, the m.c., and the ways in which she's dealing with her mom's somewhat recent departure from the family home. As the multi-hour swim continues, readers get more insight into Tully's mom's depression, other times when she's left, Tully's relationship with her dad, and the deeper meaning of the swim itself. Like so many kids, Tully is dealing with problems that even adults struggle with at a very young age, and while her dad has done a great job of getting her into therapy to make sense of this, the struggle is very real.

Some of the highlights of this one include the packaging (it's nice to have some shorter reads available for this audience), the focus on depression, and every second of Arch, Tully's best buddy. I wanted to see more, though, when it came to Tully's mom's backstory, Tully's experiences since her mom left, and especially Tully's and Arch's relationship. That bond seems so strong and special, and the swim and brief snapshots from the past left me wanting to know additional details.

For me, Jamie Sumner is a tried-and-true writer, and the characters always deliver more reality than the often too rosy view depicted in other novels for this audience. Tully is a good example of this unfiltered reality, and my only wish for her story is simply to have gotten to know her even better.

As usual, I look forward to whatever Jamie Sumner has in store next for readers of all ages!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-ARC of this novel in verse.

I've long liked Jamie Sumner's books. She doesn't shy away from hard things, and this book is no exception. I can't wait for students to get their hands on this one.

In this novel-in-verse, Tully wants to be the youngest person to finish the famous Godfather swim of 12.1 miles. Her best friend Arch is filming her swim. Tully thinks if she breaks the record, her mom will come back because she’s been gone for a few months since she went off her meds. As Tully swims, she hears thunder. She keeps thinking of her mom telling her you can do hard things. She’s too close to quit and keeps swimming. Arch wants her to stop swimming when it begins to lightning. Is Tully able to complete her swim?

Jamie Sumner has done it again, expertly tackling a tough subject, this time in a novel in verse. The short length will appeal to my students. Tully’s mom left her husband and only child to find herself and has never returned. Tully is convinced that if she completes a marathon swimming event, that she’ll get her attention. She tells only her best friend, Arch, and the two set off on a dangerous adventure. This book is filled with emotions and will give kids insight into life with a severely depressed parent.