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From Horn Book

July 1, 2024
Open-water marathon swimming (any continuous swim over ten kilometers) is not for the faint of heart and is typically done with meticulous planning, careful consideration for the weather and water conditions, and a skilled kayaker and other safety supports in place. But when her mother abruptly leaves and doesn't come back, Tully impulsively decides to swim the 12.1-mile Lake Tahoe Marathon, a.k.a. "the Godfather swim." At twelve, she will be the youngest person to complete the swim, and she is doing so in risky weather conditions, with an inexperienced kayaker, and without her father's knowledge. Tully's mom, an endurance athlete, was her daughter's swim coach whose obsessive exercise kept her depression at bay, and Tully believes that "this swim [is] going to bring my mother back." Written in verse, including occasional concrete poems, the book is organized in chapters by the hours into the swim (Hour One, Hour Two); as Tully gets further along, there is a peeling-of-the-onion effect, where with each passing hour more is revealed about her mother's mental health and the lies Tully told herself to mask more painful truths. This touching and deeply affecting novel takes on difficult topics such as maternal abandonment and codependency and gives readers a peek into the feelings and thoughts that underpin childhood trauma. Julie Hakim Azzam

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

From Booklist

April 15, 2024
Grades 5-7 *Starred Review* A competitive swimmer tackles deep waters both physical and emotional in this novel in poems. Framed in free verses with occasional shaped entries, 12-year-old Tully's monologue chronicles journeys both inner and outer as, in a desperate bid to make contact with her vanished mother, she undertakes a record-breaking solo swim across Lake Tahoe that they had planned together. Along with giving lovers of metaphor plenty of grist--there's even a climactic thunderstorm, which brings the physical hazard to a high pitch even as Tully contemplates letting the waters take her--Sumner sensitively maps a troubled relationship between an eager-to-please daughter and a demanding parent whose clinical depression manifests as restless, impulsive behavior exacerbated by an aversion to medication and therapy. The author vividly renders the extreme efforts required to finish the long swim, giving Tully's inner progress like length and depth; though her mother remains absent by the end, she has the satisfaction of making good on her boast "I can do HARD THINGS" and of not only working through her own (inevitable) guilt but weighing her feelings of abandonment against the steadfast love and loyalty shown by both her unathletic best friend, who nerved himself to accompany her in a small boat, and her steady, taciturn, undemonstrative dad. Readers will be swept up in the currents and undercurrents.

COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

From Kirkus

March 1, 2024
Sometimes you must risk everything to find out who matters. Tully has her mother's nose and auburn hair--and even her mother's maiden name as her given name. Tully is also athletic and competitive like her mother. She's been swimming competitively since she was 6, and now, at 12, she's encouraged by her mother to be the youngest person ever to swim across Lake Tahoe. But then Mom stops taking her meds, begins exercising obsessively, and suddenly leaves without saying goodbye. Seeing Dad "swallowed up / in the glow of his computer screen," Tully decides that if she succeeds in swimming across Lake Tahoe, her mother will come back, "Because I am a winner / and I can do HARD THINGS." Tully trains in secret, and early one July morning, she sets out across the lake with her best friend, Arch, kayaking alongside her. Laid out in parts titled "Hour One," "Hour Two," and so on, this accessible but sometimes overly obvious story pulls readers into the heart of a grueling 12.1-mile swim. As Tully struggles mentally with the confusion and guilt brought on by her mother's departure and she thrashes her way across a suddenly stormy lake while Arch yells at her to quit, she comes to an honest assessment of herself--and her mother. The varied and creative layout of the text adds an interesting component to the free-verse, present-tense narrative, told from Tully's first-person point of view. Characters read white. Packs a powerful punch. (Verse fiction. 9-12)

COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

From School Library Journal

February 1, 2024

Gr 3-7-Twelve-year-old Tully is set to make history as the youngest person to swim the challenging 12-mile "Godfather Swim" in Lake Tahoe. But her motivation isn't just about the athletic feat. She's hoping this achievement will catch her depressed mother's attention, coaxing her to return home after leaving the family. Tully's been training in secret, hidden from her father with the support of her best friend, Arch. Now, poised for the swim, the question looms: Will she complete it or will fate intervene? Told through verse, this quick read captures the emotional turmoil of a young girl grappling with her mother's abandonment. As Tully pushes ahead in the water, she reflects on the past, trying to understand what might have driven her mother away. Each mile not only propels the race forward but delves deeper into Tully's life story, drawing readers into her struggles and emotions. VERDICT A wonderful read that will resonate with athletes, those navigating family challenges, and even reluctant readers; a strong addition to all middle grade library collections.-Kate Rao

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

From Publisher's Weekly

January 15, 2024
Twelve-year-old Tully Birch attempts to set a record as the youngest swimmer to complete the Godfather swim, a 12.1-mile trek across Lake Tahoe, in this carefully crafted verse novel by Sumner (Maid for It). Though the endeavor was originally Tully's mother's idea, she abandons the family months before the planned swim. Tully hopes Mom will return to celebrate once Tully completes her clandestine swim, which her best friend Arch Novak plans to post online. Arch also serves as navigator, kayaking beside Tully to pace, monitor, and encourage her, as well as intercept increasingly worried texts from both their parents. If all goes as planned, the duo will be safely across the lake by lunchtime. But a lot can happen during a six-hour expedition. Sumner compassionately examines the effects that living with a parent managing mental health challenges can have on a child ("The mind is the biggest/ danger of all./ My mother taught me that"). The spare text deftly mirrors the push-and-pull rhythm of a swimmer in open water, while lengthier poems emphasize memories and harsh realities. Tully and Arch cue as white. Ages 10—up.

From Kirkus

Narrator Cailin Kelly establishes a youthful voice for 12-year-old Tully, who is determined to complete a marathon swim on Lake Tahoe. Kelly captures Tully's tumultuous emotions as she reflects on her past relationship with her mom, also a swimmer, who left her. Now she must learn to face the truth that her mom may not return and appreciate the support that she has from her father and her best friend, Arch. Listeners and fans of novels in verse will find a deep connection with Tully as she comes to terms with the loss of her mom and finds herself on a long and dangerous journey through open water. M.D. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine