Kass has started at a new school and hopes to make new friends now that she’s on the dive team. One day she meets Miles who’s dumpster diving and realizes one shouldn’t make assumption about someone. As they get to know each other, Kass can tell Miles is struggling. Kass slowly makes friends with Amber on the swim team and tells her when I push myself I feel powerful. Kass realizes that there are things she can’t control, but she has diving to do the way she wants. When Kass helps Miles with his dad, her dad tells her she has a big heart which will push her to do things that matter. A great coming-of-age story showing courage and how to take chances.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC of this novel. All opinions are my own.

Dive follows Kass as she adjusts to life in a new school, away from her longtime friends, a situation that I also went through when I was about her age, and I could easily relate to her worries and struggles. The book also touches on dumpster diving, which I don’t have much experience with, but these scenes were written with enough detail that I could easily imagine Kass’s and Miles’s adventures.

This is a poignant story highlighting the emotional, social, and familial struggles of modern day students. I can see many of my students relating to one or another character or situation from this book.

Heart. This book had plenty of it.

No, not the romantic variety. Instead, it’s the familial one (fathers to their daughters, sons to their fathers), the friendship one created and strengthened( with former friends and new ones),and the humanistic one (to animals and strangers).

It was the book’s cover that caught my eye. But it was the book’s synopsis of the parallel dives that cemented my decision to read it. Kass’ actual voice as well her emotions are felt (by the reader (prime example-her unwise second visit to the Professor).

While it’s wholly Kass’ story, the characters that orbit around her from her parents, friends,the Professor, Miles, and even the cat, Knox propel, this story to a realistic, satisfying conclusion.Though wouldn’t mind a sequel featuring Miles and Kass’ a few years from now (a YA version, if you will).

#Dive #NetGalley

This ARC was provided by the publisher, HarperCollins Children’s Book, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.