Water Baby by Ross Campbell

Campbell, R. (2008). Water Baby. Minx. 176 pages.

ISBN: 140121147X

Classification: graphic novel, fiction

Genre: realistic fiction

Age Level: 11th-12th grade

Subjects: friends, graphic novel, identity, prejudice, scary

Reader's Annotation: Seeking distraction from her injuries from a shark attack, Brody takes off on a road trip with her friends.

Summary: Brody is a top notch surfer on top of her life when a shark consumes one of her legs. She's just getting back to her regular life when her ex-boyfriend takes up residence on her couch. Confused about her life and plagued by nightmares, Brody and her friend Louisa drag Jake out of their home and on a road trip to get him back where he belongs. Throughout the story Brody struggles to move past her accident and find a way to be normal in a world where people often stare at her injury or remember her from the press coverage of her accident.

Reviews / Awards:

Comicmix Review

Author Info:
Ross Campbell's website

Potential Hotspots:

shark attack, graphic nightmare violence, teens smoking, language, lesbian relationships

Readalikes:

• Burnout by Rebecca Donner
  
• Clubbing by Andi Watson
  

Why it belongs in a YA collection:
There is plenty of realism in this story, ranging from friends crashing on your sofa and not paying for the food they eat up to a shark biting off a surfer's leg. The characters are rough and often unkind to each other, but there is a kind of loyalty, particularly between Brody and Louisa. A good story about overcoming the odds, even if not always gracefully.

Other:

I found this a hard read at times, with the graphic drawings, and the characters always headed in a bad direction. I'd recommend it to those who are okay with a gritty storyline.

Evaluation:

3 stars