Fama, Elizabeth. Overboard.

FAMA, Elizabeth. Overboard. Random House, Dell Laurel-Leaf. 158p. c2002. 0-55349436-8. $5.50. J *

TO quote the review of the hardcover in KLIATT, July 2002: Fourteen-year-old Emily is living in Sumatra, Indonesia, where her pediatrician parents are working. Emily helps out with the sick children at the clinic too, but she resents the amount of time her parents spend there, and she wishes she could return home to Boston with her uncle, who is visiting the nearby island of Weh. Upset by a child's death at the clinic, Emily impulsively dashes off to take the ferry to meet up with her uncle--but halfway through the crossing the ferry sinks. She finds herself in the deep, shark-infested ocean waters amid hundreds of panicking people, without a life vest. Emily is strong and determined, however, and she does her best to swim toward land, far off though it may be. As night falls and her strength flags, she meets a fellow survivor bobbing along in the ocean, nine-year-old Isman, a devout Muslim. Emily's strength and brains along with Isman's faith help them to survive their ordeal.

This exciting and moving tale is based on a true story, as an Author's Note at the end explains. In this gripping first novel, the exotic locale and Emily's homesickness are both convincingly portrayed, and Emily's courage as she fights fatigue and fear and struggles to save herself and Isman is nothing short of heroic. Readers will be caught up in Emily's plight and impressed by her bravery, and her new appreciation for Isman's culture and beliefs will be communicated, too. Paula Rohrlick, KLIATT

J--Recommended for junior high school students. The contents are of particular interest to young adolescents and their teachers.

*--The asterisk highlights exceptional books.