While this was a quick and entertaining read, it didn't live up to some of Braden's other works. I found this to be a bit slow and unrealistic in certain ways. The plot and circumstances read as very contrived and forced into existence. Worth reading but not a favorite and would have to find specific students to recommend to.

12-year-old Addy’s father recently passed away in a flash flood. To honor her father’s memory, she talks her mom into letting her go to survival camp. Her plans quickly change when the bridge in and out of town gets washed out. To her surprise, her long-shunned classmate, Caleb, offers to help her find a way to get to survival camp and help her get past her grief and trauma. Will Addy get to her survival camp, or will she find another way to honor her father? Can she find a friend and inclusion in her town?

The plot is well written and endearing. The characters are authentic, well developed, and easy to relate to. Themes of grief, trauma, death, and depression are a bit heavy handed at times and may turn off some readers. Readers who like realistic fiction, dealing with grief, friendship fiction, and survival fiction will want to pick this one up. Recommended for most library collections. Grades 4 to 7, 4 stars.

In one week, twelve-year-old Addy gets to attend Survival Camp, the same place where her parents met when they themselves were twelve. She has been diligently practicing all the skills she will need to pass the class, but when a tropical storm causes the power to go out and destroys the roads leading to camp, Addy’s dreams begin to evaporate. However, as the child of wilderness survivors—one of whom died tragically when she was a baby—Addy is more tenacious than most when it comes to achieving her goals. And with each new obstacle she faces, Addy finds herself learning to survive in ways she never expected. This nostalgic middle grade story examines one girl’s experience with grief and loss in a novel and inspiring way. The grief Addy and especially her mother experience on a daily basis nearly a decade after her father’s passing is palpable, and it appears in many forms. Brief chapters guide the narrative, which is told from Addy’s perspective, and while the scenes themselves are not long, they are deep with emotion and storytelling. Throughout the story, the isolation Addy and her mother have experienced in their small town becomes increasingly more obvious as moments that have otherwise united the town have occurred without their participation. Unexpected interactions and forced proximity friendships, though initially uncomfortable, end up guiding the story in an important and cathartic direction. Contemplative and emotionally rich, this is a memorable addition to library collections for confident middle grade readers.

Fans of adventure and survival stories will enjoy this book. Addy has been looking forward to attending the same survival camp as her parents for years. But a bad storm knocks out the towns power and the flooded river collapses the only bridge out of town. Now Addy finds her own adventure and survival camp tasks as she tries to make her own way to camp by canoe.

Read a likes:
* Hatchet
* Alone
* Away

Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group for the advance digital review copy in exchange for my honest review.

“Find out what you’re capable of.”
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Addy has been looking forward to survival camp ever since hearing how her dad dominated when he went, but when a super-storm takes out their mountain town’s bridge she worries she won’t be able to make it. To make matters worse her mother is going through a depressive episode because the storm is taking her back to when they lost Addy’s dad when she was a baby. Addy tries to get in touch with her mom’s therapist on the hill above her house where there’s cell service and it’s there she meets Caleb, who is frantic about not being able to find a neighbor who has gone missing. They end up both helping each other when Addy supports Caleb’s panic attacks and Caleb devises a plan to get Addy to that survival camp, no matter what.
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I adore @annbradenbooks books and this was no exception. She writes with such heart and has us loving these flawed, but lovable characters. This novel deals with heavy issues such as grief, death, mental health struggles, and anxiety in a safe way for our kids to explore those themes in a title where everything seems to work out. Thanks for writing kidlit MG books like these. Into the Rapids releases May 13.

CW: panic attacks (on page), death, parental death, anxiety, depression, drowning, storm

Great book about a girl facing her trauma head on and helping her mom deal with her depression. I really liked how this was written and all of the characters. Reminds me a little of Simon Sort of Says.

As Addy is going last minute preparation for the Survival Camp she's been waiting her whole life to attend, the electricity suddenly goes out. She soon learns that the storm that knocked out the power has also swelled the river and taken out the bridge. Thankfully her mom has spent her whole life being prepared for anything. They have plenty of water and supplies stored away. But will she be able to get out in order to make it to camp on time?

I enjoyed reading about this mother/daughter pair who were working together to take care of each other and overcome the grief of losing Addy's father in a tragic accident. I really like the developing relationship between Addy and Caleb. Caleb challenged Addy to think differently about her life and what it means to live in a community. Addy helped Caleb work through his panic attacks and fear of death and dying. It was a lovely friendship that resulted in growth for both of them.

A tightly woven but brief story about Addy's quest to get to Survival Camp after a raging storm sweeps away the bridge that gets them from their small town in Vermont to everywhere else.

But in addition to sweeping away the bridge and her ability to get to this camp, it sweeps up a whole slurry of emotions, namely the death of her father and the life her and her mother have had since that incident. And the storm also brings Addy and Caleb together-- a kid who nicknamed her Batty Addy when they were younger. Needless to say, they're not fans of each other until the storm brings them together and Addy lends her help to Caleb's burgeoning panic attacks while Caleb is trying to find a way to get Addy to her survival camp.

This is lovingly done and when you read the author's note at the end feels even more connected to the intricacies of life. Addy and Caleb reminded me a little of Tully and Arch from [book:Deep Water|176443368].

A quick, heartfelt little story with moments of genuine profoundness. Ann Braden's language is utterly immersive, and I fell quickly in love with Addy, Caleb, and their remote, washed-out mountain world. INTO THE RAPIDS is a love letter to nature, and to the healing power of connection; it's about bravery, grief, survival, and the different forms these things can take. I inhaled it in a single sitting!

Addy has longed to go to Survival Camp for as long as she can remember. It's where her parents met and she is desperate to sign her name on the ceiling beside theirs. Addy's dad died after his car plunged into a river and she is determined to make him proud. Addy's mum saved her but the impact of losing her husband in this way has affected every aspect of their lives and, as such, they are outsiders in their community. When flooding forces Addy to get to know Caleb, a neighbour in her year at school, but someone she has avoided ever since he called her Batty Addy, she learns that he isn't so bad and that maybe they could help each other out.

This is a pacy and engaging read that jumps straight into the action and doesn't really stop until the end.

My only slight issue with the story was the idea that, despite her mother's debilitating depression and a significant natural disaster affecting the community, Addy still prioritised going to camp and I'm not sure how realistic this would be. I'm also not convinced that the camp would still be running after such a catastrophic event. Other aspects of the story were clearly intended to be realistic but this just seemed a bit unlikely.

Overall, a good story with plenty of action, without being to long or wordy and with some nice characters.

Decent middle-grade storytelling. Not my fave, but it did keep me interested. I would def recommend to adventure-seeking young readers.

There is a lot to love about this book, especially for middle graders. The length, the survival story, the characters, the lessons, the writing….

Addy is determined to make it to survival camp, even though the power is out, the bridge is washed away, and she has major worries weighing on her. Can she trust her classmate Caleb to help her? Can she help him, too? Kids will eat up this adventure story. So relatable!

Thanks to NetGalley, Ann Braden and Penguin for the advance reading copy.

Trigger warnings: death of a loved one, drowning.

Ann has done it again! Another gem of a book confronting the lived experiences of children of depressed parents and providing hope.in a real, meaningful way. Addy is an infant when her dad dies and she is determined to make him proud by following in his footsteps as a survivalist at camp. When a rainstorm, power outage and flood threaten Addy's plan for camp, she reluctanly turns go her neighbor Caleb. Together, they face the rapids of the local river and their own lives becoming friends along the way. Students will love the suspense within the book and recognize pieces of themselves in both Addy and Caleb. Bravo, Ann!

I have read Ann Braden's books, and this was one was solid. I enjoyed seeing Addy face her fears and learn to express her agency in different situations. It was also sweet to see her try to help her mom cope with the loss of her dad.

I felt like the book was a little shallow and I wanted to see more depth from the characters or at least another 50 pages where we could see the full course of their growth. The didacticism in the book was also a little off putting - it seemed like every other chapter ended with a moral lesson on how to be a good person, not be a bully, etc. While that's not always a bad thing, it did get old after a while.

I think kids will enjoy the adventure aspect of the book, and it was definitely giving me Hatchet vibes. I just wanted a little bit more though.

One of my favorite books growing up was Hatchet by Gary Paulson. I’d like to think that it was partly responsible for shaping my drive for experiencing adventures out in the wild world, as the story has stuck with me to adulthood.
Into the Rapids feels like a modern nod to many of the same themes as Hatchet, in a very approachable way. The main character (Addy) is not only pushed to stretch her physical limits, but to also bump against the boundaries of her emotional and interpersonal borders too.
This book reads in a way that will be easier for kids today to connect with, and would be an excellent introduction to the “person vs. nature” and “person vs. self” concepts.
I can’t wait for this to be published! I’ll be recommending that my local library purchase it, as well as writing a review for my local bookstore to display when I ask them to stock it as well. When I get a physical copy I will be using it as part of our homeschooling curriculum this summer!

When river flooding cuts off friendless Addy and her town, also taking out the power, Addy is worried she won't be able to make it to a survival camp for 12-year-olds she's been preparing to attend for years. The flooding is not the only problem though, as her mother is fighting depression after Addy's father was killed in a river/car accident when Addy was very young--which Addy barely survived--and her neighbor Caleb begins having panic attacks thinking about death and attending a new school. As Addy works to help both her mother and Caleb, she starts coming out of her shell, realizing she's also been "hiding out" from being part of a bigger community the same as her mother does, Soon, Addy and Caleb make a plan to get Addy to camp despite the closed roads, which evolves into using a canoe in the river. But when Addy tries to go it alone on the rapids, she faces challenges she must overcome, finally learning that life is about more than just reaching one goal. Younger middle grade readers who prefer nature-themed adventures will enjoy this title.

As a tempestuous storm descends upon Addy's isolated mountain village, severing the bridge and isolating her home from the main thoroughfare, trepidation grips her heart. The survival camp she has eagerly anticipated now seems an unattainable dream. This camp, a sacred ground where her parents once forged their bond, represents not just an adventure but a chance for Addy to refine her abilities and pay tribute to their legacy. Yet, as the tempest roars, the power flickers out, mirroring the shadow that has fallen over her mother, who is haunted by the memories of the past—memories of Addy's father lost to a similar calamity. Stranded in their solitude, they realize the price of their isolation, having neglected to cultivate relationships with their neighbors. The storm has unearthed a whirlwind of uncertainties, compelling Addy to confront the necessity of taking leaps of faith. Her decision to embark on a canoe journey with Caleb ignites a series of extraordinary events, testing her survival instincts like never before. More profoundly, it leads Addy to a revelation: she is not alone in this grand adventure of life, and perhaps that is the greatest gift of all.

Set against a backdrop of mountain and river, the story follows Addy, a character caught in the current of personal and external conflicts. As the title suggests, the narrative plunges the reader straight into the deep waters of storms, grief, depression, death, identity, where the character must navigate not just external obstacles, but the emotional turmoil brewing within. The book takes readers on a whirlwind journey through survival, making friendship, believing in yourself and asking for help when needed, with the rapids symbolising the unpredictability of life itself.

Into the Rapids is a beautifully written exploration of the complexities of human experience, packed with moments of introspection and revelation. With its rich character development, profound themes, and skillful prose, this novel is a must read for anyone who enjoys thought-provoking, emotionally resonant realistic fiction. Whether you’re drawn to its symbolic use of nature, the personal struggles of its characters, or the immersive world the author has created, this novel will leave a lasting impression.

When flooding washes out the bridge by Addy's house, she must find a way to get to Survival Camp. Addy has planned to attend Survival Camp for a long time; it's where her parents met. With the help of her neighbor, Caleb, Addy finds out how to take risks and trust others to help her.

For fans of survival books like hatchet. The book hits many deep topics in a well written way. Readers will relate to the characters in the story making it more real. Loved the length. Easy to recommend

A huge storm knocks out the bridge to middle schooler Addy's town, and with it Addy's chances to get to Survival Camp. In the meantime, her mom's depression, the search for a missing elderly neighbor, and navigating an unexpected new friendship weigh on Addy. When the time comes to make the trip to camp, Addy wants to test her limits - both at trusting others and taking care of herself.
This is a quick and plotty read that will be a great match for kids who love survival stories. Addy has undeniable strengths, but her places to grow will keep her relatable to young readers.
As an adult, my biggest quip with this title is that in some ways it moved too quickly for the character growth to make sense. Addy and her mom are both largely healing from their complex emotional traumas by the end of the book. However, I don't think kid readers will bothered by that aspect - and action lovers will appreciate Addy's exciting but also fraught journey down the river.