Flying Over Water by N.H. Senzai, Shannon Hitchcock
Published by Scholastic Press on October 20, 2020
ISBN: 1338617664
Pages: 272
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads

What if you were a refugee who finally arrived safely in Tampa, Florida, but your best friend drowned during her trip? What if you’re a champion swimmer who suddenly panics during a meet? What if these two middle school girls’ lives connect and they help each other be brave? Then you’d have a successful book about friendship and courage like “Flying Over Water”.

This chapter book, told in alternate voices of the two girls, intertwines refugee history, current events (such as the 2017 mosque arson in Tampa) and challenges in a sensitive but not too political manner.  Author notes are as interesting as the book for background info, which may invite readers to find out more about any of the possible threads that hold this fictional account together. The ending acknowledges that there will always be challenges, but hope and determination, especially among friends, will help one deal with whatever tomorrow or next week or next year will bring.

Reviewed by Lynn Mayer, Retired Librarian, Old Town Elementary School, Old Town