From Kirkus Reviews
PLB 0-06-027843-9 In an unusually weak story from the prolific Bunting, a teenager wavers between staying silent and confessing his responsibility for a half-serious prank that results in two deaths. Offended at finding a girl on whom he had pinned some summer dreams making out with another boy, Brodie sneaks up to startle them, then watches in horror as they fall into the river and are swept away. His desperate effort to save them makes him an instant local celebrity. Injured, half drowned himself and sedated by the doctor, he has no chance to set the record straight at first, and as time goes by, the prospect of telling the truth becomes harder to contemplate. In the meantime, Alex, a visiting cousin who knows the truth, trumpets Brodie's heroism for reasons of his own, while there is evidence of a mysterious witness to the tragedy. With the support of a loyal friend and loving parents, Brodie finds the strength to come clean, but since he has been presented as a stable, right-thinking character, his decision is never really in doubt. While Bunting hints at the price Brodie will have to pay for holding back, the story ends before the boom actually falls. Ingrid Tomey makes the horns of a similar dilemma much sharper in Nobody Else Has To Know (p. 890), while Marion Dane Bauer, of course, charted a more subtle route in On My Honor (1986). (Fiction. 10-12) -- Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
About the Author
Eve Bunting is the winner of the Golden Kite Award and the three-time recipient of the Best Work of Fiction Award of the Southern CaliforniaCouncil on Literature for Children and Young People. She has written more than one hundred books for young readers, including is Anybody There ?;Our Sixth-Grade Sugar Babies, a Best Book of 1990 (School Library Journal); Sharing Susan; and Coffin on a Case, winner of the Edgar Award for Best Juvenile Mystery, given by the Mystery Writers of America.
Ms. Bunting was born in Ireland and now lives in southern California.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Review
"When most people hear 'large-print book,' they immediately think senior citizen. But large-print editions of popular children's books -- from the powerhouse Harry Potter series to timeless classics like The Adventures of Tom Sawyer -- are now making their way onto the shelves of the Children's Department at the Canton Library. . . . Although large-print editions are targeted to the visually-impaired or dyslexic child, they can also be used by standard-vision readers. So Kershner [Children's librarian at the Canton Public Library] has decided against creating a special section in the Children's Department (as exists in the Adult Department) opting instead to intersperse large-print books on the shelves with the regular print versions of the same titles."
-- The Observer and Eccentric (October 2000) (The Observer and Eccentric 20001001)
"Thorndike Press has helped me not only find books I want to read, but they also look like regular books. That's important when you're a kid and you can only read Large Print, you want your book to look like all the other books. I'm reading a lot more now that we have found Thorndike Press."
-- Jim Bernardin, Islamorada, FL
"Everyone loves to read, there's nothing like curling up with a good book. We're a reading family, so when our son was diagnosed with Stargardt's Disease and only able to read Large Print, it was particularly difficult. Books on tape are wonderful but they don't fill the void of actually reading a good story. Large Print books have been around a long time for older people, but to find a good novel for a young person in Large Print began to feel nearly impossible. The books that Thorndike Press publishes have truly made a difference in my son's reading life. He can enjoy current novels as well as some of the classics that he missed reading when it became too difficult with regular print."
-- Sara Bernardin, Islamorada, FL --This text refers to the hardcover edition. From the Back Cover
Thirteen-year-old Brodie Lynch was ready for the perfect summer of adventure along the awesome Blackwater River. That was before everything changed forever. When a harmless prank goes too far, the unthinkable happens. Brodie's lies make him a hero, but inside, his guilt tears at him like the treacherous current of the Blackwater itself, which has become a horrifying reminder of his part in the tragedy. In this gripping new coming-of-age novel, a young boy is faced with a choice between right and wrong and ultimately learns that truth can offer hope in even the darkest moments.
01-02 Golden Sower Award Masterlist (YA Cat.)
2000 Quick Picks for Young Adults (Recomm. Books for Reluctant Young Readers)
--This text refers to the paperback edition. Summer stretches lazily before 13-year-old Brodie Lynch as he contemplates a canoe trip with his buddies and a possible date with Pauline. Then, with one early morning, during a swimming event in the Blackwater River, Brodie's life spirals out of control. To live with himself afterwards, Brodie must find the courage to face the consequences of his action. As with many of her books, Eve Bunting challenges the reader with an issue full of heartbreak and consequence. Jeff Woodman's narration complements Bunting's story. His tempered pace is both thoughtful and thought-provoking as he captures the voices of youth. Woodman invites the listener to consider the actions of each character in this tragedy. Be sure young listeners have someone to talk to when the tape is over. A.R. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the cassette edition. From the Inside Flap
Thirteen-year-old Brodie Lynch was ready for the perfect summer of adventure along the awesome Blackwater River. That was before everything changed forever. When a harmless prank goes too far, the unthinkable happens. Brodie's lies make him a hero, but inside, his guilt tears at him like the treacherous current of the Blackwater itself, which has become a horrifying reminder of his part in the tragedy. In this gripping new coming-of-age novel, a young boy is faced with a choice between right and wrong and ultimately learns that truth can offer hope in even the darkest moments.
01-02 Golden Sower Award Masterlist (YA Cat.)
2000 Quick Picks for Young Adults (Recomm. Books for Reluctant Young Readers)
--Publishers Weekly (starred review) --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition. 
![Blackwater (Harper Trophy Books (Paperback)) by [Eve Bunting]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51cMLwNbsfL._SY346_.jpg)
