A good book with an interesting plot, but definitely some down sides and some bad language.
Plot
Sarah is the new girl at school and just can't seem to fit in. So on a field trip to the Florida Everglades, when a boy who lives there, Andy, invites her to sneak away from her class for a boat ride, Sarah gladly excepts. Soon they find themselves ten miles from the camp with a sunken boat, lost in the Everglades where no one will find them.
Morality
Sarah lies to her teacher and classmates about being sick in order to escape to the boat ride, which she later feels guilty about. Prejudice is a major theme, as the situation in which Sarah and Andy find themselves forces them to reevaluate their opinions of one another.
Spiritual Content
None that I remember.
Violence
While trekking through the Everglades, they witness some animals fighting each other. A bird flies into a window, but survives. Sarah also accidentally runs over a duck with a boat and it dies.
Drug and Alcohol Content
Sarah asks Andy if he's ever smoked and he says he's tried a couple times. Sarah says a girl at school offered her a cigarette but she refused. Andy also says his parents did drugs.
Sexual Content
Andy and Sarah like each other and kiss once. Andy also calls a snake a "her" and Sarah asks how he knows, but Andy answers that he doesn't know her well enough to answer that.
Crude or Profane Language or Content
The words a** and h*** are used. God's name is taken in vain. Some talk about bodily development.
Conclusion
This is a really good book: I enjoyed the survival theme and found myself reading eagerly to find out what was next. But I don't think the bad words or the part about smoking was really necessary. Another warning about this book is that during a fight Andy says "Go to H***." Sarah repeats this back at him. Other than those flaws, though, I recommend this book to those who like to read about wild animals and survival in the wild.
This review is brought to you by GollumGirl.
