Adrift

Guerrero, Tanya. Adrift

September 6th 2022 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Cousins Isa and Coral are very close. Their mothers, who are from the Phillipines, are sisters, and their fathers are brothers! The families spend a lot of time together, although this will change when Coral and her parents set off on a sailing journey around Indonesia. Isa returns with her parents to the bakery they run in Pebble Beach, New York, and plans on writing frequently. When there is news that the family's boat is missing after a tsunami, Isa is devastated. She hopes that her cousin is okay, but as the months pass, this seems unlikely. In alternating chapters, though, we see that Coral has survived, and is scraping together an existence on a deserted island. She is befriended by a dog, and manages to use the skills her parents taught her to find food, water, and to build shelter. She worries that her parents are dead, and that she herself may never be rescued. It's a difficult time for both cousins; will they ever be reunited?

Strengths: Most of the middle grade survival books are set in US forests, so it was interesting to see Coral navigate a tropical island. She was able to grab an emergency pack from the boat, which was interesting, and she had lots of skills that were helpful. The inclusion of a dog is always good. I enjoyed the close knit family and the bakery, and wish we had seen more of Coral's family back in Pebble Beach before their sailing trip. 

Weaknesses: At one point, Isa calls a customer a "Karen", and I wish that this manner of stereotyping wasn't used in middle grade literature against any group.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoy survival tales like Behren's Disaster Days, Freeman's Alone, or Greenslade's Red Fox Road. I would have liked it better if it were all from Coral's perspective.