Adrift

by Paul Griffin, Paul Ronstant (Illustrator)

Overview

From critically acclaimed writer Paul Griffin comes a fast-paced young adult novel about five very different teens lost at sea with no one to count on but each other.

Matt and John are best friends working out in Montauk for the summer. When Driana, JoJo and Stef invite the boys to their Hamptons mansion, Matt and John find themselves in a sticky situation where temptation rivals sensibility. The newfound friends head out into the Atlantic after midnight in a stolen boat. None of them come back whole, and not all of them come back.Worlds collide when the group ventures out to sea aboard an antique ship that Stef sneaks out from her dad's dock. As the waves rise and the fragile vessel weakens, things go horribly wrong. Adrift at sea for days, who will have what it takes to survive?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780545709415
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	07/28/2015
Sold by:	Scholastic, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Pages:	240
File size:	41 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

Paul Griffin is the critically acclaimed author of many novels, including Ten Mile River, The Orange Houses, Stay with Me, Burning Blue, Adrift, as well as the middle grade novels When Friendship Followed Me Home and Saving Marty. Paul lives in Manhattan with his family, along with several maniac dogs. He can be found online at paulgriffinstories.com.

Read an Excerpt

We muscled the boat over the sand, down to Dri. John sized up the ocean and the boat. "It isn't made for this kind of water," he said."Yes it is," Dri said. "It's built to get out over the waves. It's a ship to shore boat. You use it to ferry people to and from their yachts." "It doesn't even have a light on it," John said. "No radio either. I'm telling you, call the cops." "I did, okay?" Dri said. "It'll be twenty minutes before they get a car out here." She climbed into the boat. JoJo followed. "Guys, one last favor. Can you push us out as far as you can? I want to be sure the propeller clears the sand." John and I shouldered the boat into chest high water. I pulled myself into the boat."No way, Matt," John said."Matthew, really, stay here," Dri said. "We'll be right back.""You might need help," I said."With what?" John said. "This isn't your problem."JoJo started the engine. "Matt, get out. We're losing her.""Then let's go," I said. JoJo revved the throttle. John grabbed the side of the boat and climbed in. The boat punched head on into a wave, and we were airborne. Five of us went out on the water that night. None of us cameback whole, and not all of us came back.

Editorial Reviews

"In a terrifying survival story in which past traumas are as visceral and intense as present circumstances, five teenagers try to stay alive after becoming lost off the Atlantic coast... Profound moments such as when Matt realizes that the “cruel” sun “was just being what it was. A mindless, merciless star that would shine on whatever got in its way” will haunt readers as much as the lethal injuries, worsening weather, class friction, and psychological instability the teenagers face." — Booklist starred review

From the Publisher

2015-03-25
Two buddies who have been through trauma together before find themselves with three relative strangers out on the open Atlantic, where survival becomes extremely uncertain. Matt and John work at a state park, where they meet the three, and are working-class in a way that the others don't understand. Stolid John is mechanically minded and still suffers from the death of his father years earlier. Matt is determined to get into Yale and puts his energy toward saving and studying with that goal in mind. Dark, dreadlocked Driana is visiting the park with her cousin Estefania and Stef's boyfriend, João. The latter two are from Rio de Janiero and have a carefree aura of entitlement—though Stef was adopted from the favelas by Driana's uncle after her mother was gunned down in front of her. Griffin explores their individual psychologies and interactions with nuance. Stef has a reckless streak, and her sudden jaunt on a windsurfer leads the others into danger as they go to her aid with a small, open boat. With no radio or gear for the open sea, the craft offers little help for survival as hours, then days pass, the pressures mounting on each in ways designed to test their limits. While the danger is real, the book's at its most riveting as the characters interact and implode. This fast-paced survival adventure makes an excellent crucible for Griffin's examination of class. (Adventure. 12-16)

Kirkus Reviews