Theresa “Tee” Stanford is excited about the after-graduation canoe trip she plans to take with her father, Mel, but the trip is quashed when he is hit by a drunk driver. The aftershocks of the accident run deep in the Stanford family. Mel is left with the mind of a five-year-old and Theresa feels that she has lost the parent who embodied stability, reliability, support, and strength in her life. While Mel is convalescing, Theresa’s estranged mother tries to reconnect. Theresa is overwhelmed, dealing with her grief over the accident while working through her life-long anger towards her mother. Just when she believes she can’t handle any additional challenges, she is faced with still more, including the loss of her aunt, and falling for a boy who already has a girlfriend. The social issues of teenage love, divorce, disability, and death are tackled without overwhelming or bombarding readers. In addition, Waldorf’s experience as a social worker lends the book credibility and authenticity, and her passion for the outdoors comes through strongly. The theme of water is reflected in the book’s language and design. Waldorf employs water-related metaphors, while chapters open with water-themed quotes imposed on black-and-white double-page photographs of aquatic scenes. This author’s debut work is a highly commendable effort and the first Young Adult novel to be published by Lobster Press. mRb