Surrounded By Sharks

by Michael Northrop

Overview

A thrilling survival story from Michael Northrop, the acclaimed author of TRAPPED.

He couldn't sleep. That's how it all started. When Davey wakes, just as the sun is rising, he can't wait to slip out of the crammed hotel room he's sharing with his family. Leave it to his parents and kid brother to waste an entire day of vacation sleeping in! Davey heads straight for the beach, book and glasses in hand, not bothering to leave a note. As the sparkling ocean entices him, he decides to test the water, never mind that "No Swimming" sign. But as the waves pull him farther from shore, Davey finds himself surrounded by water -- and something else, too. Something circling below the surface, watching, waiting. It's just a matter of time.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780545615471
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	05/27/2014
Sold by:	Scholastic, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Pages:	224
File size:	13 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	9 - 12 Years

About the Author

Michael Northrop is the New York Times bestselling author of the middle-grade adventure series TombQuest. He is also the author of On Thin Ice; Trapped, an Indie Next List selection; Plunked, a New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing selection and an NPR Backseat Book Club pick; and other titles. An editor at Sports Illustrated Kids for many years, he now writes full-time from his home in New York City. Learn more at michaelnorthrop.net.

Read an Excerpt

From SURROUNDED BY SHARKSPanic turned to desperation and Davey turned that into effort. He was cranking out more effort than he ever had. Swimming had been a mistake -- this whole thing had been a mistake. But here he was, and swimming was all he had now. He just needed to try harder, to get back to where his feet could touch. But desperation is a fast-burning fuel. His muscles ached as he threw them forward. His lungs screamed for more oxygen. His rhythm fell apart. He turned his head to the side to breathe, but he got greedy. He was still sucking in air as his head turned back down. He sucked in bitter saltwater and coughed face down in the sea. More water slipped in. He spit out as much as he could and kept going. He was no quitter. He never had been. He could read an entire book in one sitting. A lot of people have probably done that, but for Davey, the book might be 400 pages and the sitting six hours. He'd won races in gym by being kind of fast for longer than his classmates could be really fast. And then there was this: Davey was pretty sure that if he stopped trying now, he would die. Keep trying or die. It wasn't even a question.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for TRAPPEDA 2012 ALA/YALSA Readers' Choice List selectionA 2012 ALA/YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant ReadersA Spring 2011 Indie Next List selection"The pages turn like wildfire." —BOOKLIST"For readers of all ages. . . . The book buries you." —NPR, ALL THINGS CONSIDERED"A gripping disaster story." —PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

From the Publisher

10/01/2014
Gr 5–7—Stuck in a hotel room with his parent and younger brother, Davey decides anywhere on the tropical island resort his parents brought him to is better than his room. He sets off to find a quiet place to read, until his family is up and moving. Deciding the lure of the water is too strong, he wades in too far and gets sucked out into the ocean by a riptide. Hoping for a rescue, Davey clings to a water cooler bottle to stay afloat, only to find himself in the company of sharks. The climax steadily builds as readers are pulled through the narrative via multiple points of view, including that of Davey; a tiger shark; and Brando, his adventurous younger brother. Overall, this story strikes a balance of suspense and action, all while interweaving intriguing facts about sharks. Of special interest for reluctant readers and fans of survival stories.—Stephanie Charlefour, Wixom Public Library, MI

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