Blackwater

By Eve Bunting

Book Overview

"A novel that will long flicker in readers' memories." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review) Fans of S. E. Hinton and Jerry Spinelli will devour this thrilling story about a harmless prank that goes too far. Thirteen-year-old Brodie Lynch was ready for the perfect summer of adventure along the awesome Blackwater River. That was before everything changed forever. One act of mischief leads to a tragic death and even though Brodie was involved, the lies he tells to cover his tracks actually turn him into a hero. Guilt tears at him like the treacherous current of the Blackwater itself, but when mysterious notes are left at his door, his guilt transforms into fear. Someone saw what really happened. Will Brodie decide to tell the truth before the witness turns him in? Fast paced and suspenseful to the very last page. Reognized by the Golden Sower Award Masterlist and as a Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0064408906
• ISBN13: 9780064408905
• Release Date: August 2000
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 0.29 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.4" x 7.5"
• Age Range: 8 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 7

Customer Reviews

Blackwater to read or not to read ...

Blackwater is an exciting book. It has scary and sad parts in it. It is like a roller coaster of scary feelings! When you read this book it will bring sadness to your all your hearts. So if you like books that are so thrilling you can not put them down for a second, you should by this book!!!!

Brodie- Think Before You Act

The story of teenager Brodie Lynch is a troubling tale. He's not a bad kid, but like most teenagers, he doesn't think before he acts. This time it has its consequences and Brodie struggles with them throughtout the book.Yes, Brodie is repetitive as he debates what he should do: tell the truth, or run with the lie. I find this to be true to the male mindset. After witnessing (and causing) this tragedy, Brodie would have very little else to think of.Holden Caulfield, from J.D. Salinger's Catcher in the Rye, was compared to Brodie Lynch. The two are not comparable. Holden Caulfield's demons are a mental problem; Brodie Lynch's stem directly from his own actions.I said it before and I'll say it again. Brodie is a good kid, but he doesn't think before he acts. This is how many kids, especially boys (I know, I used to be one- still am maybe), wander through life. "Nothing bad will happen." I can almost hear Brodie thinking it, but this time something bad does happen and Brodie must deal with it. Holden Caulfield only wishes he would have caused the trouble Brodie did.There are two troubling sides of this story. It ends like a Tennessee Williams play: abruptly. We are left hanging on many issues, but this is an important idea kids have to learn: sometimes we never know the whole story.The second thing that bothered me was the spelling of Brodie's name. It looks so femimine with the "ie." I've only ever seen it spelt "Brody," but I'm being petty now.If you're looking for a chilling story with a couple tear-jerking scenes that only add to the wonder of this book, please read Blackwater.If you're a parent or gaurdian looking for a story that could evoke thoughts of thinking before you act, again this is a great story to read with your child. It's a moral that I can't stress enough as I work with kids. That's why this book is a favorite of mine

A Suspenseful,Mystery Book

This book is about a teenager named Brodie Lynch. Brodie and his friend John were planning a camping trip for about a year but they could not go because Brodie's 12 year old cousin Alex is staying at his house for the summer. So Brodie,John,and this girl Brodie asked out, Pauline Genero went to the beach. Brodie pulled a harmless prank which sent them down the blackwater .He tried to save them but it did not work. Now the teens were lost. His cousin Alex saw what really happened. Everyone called him a hero about trying to save them. One day he found a note at the front door that said TELL. So that means that someone else saw what really happend. If you like suspense and mystery it is a good book to get.

Compelling and Absorbing

Brodie's summer isn't turning out at all the way he wanted. The arrival of his cousin Alex has put an end to his plans for a camping trip and a date with Pauline, a girl he likes. Even so, Brodie is determined to make an effort to be nice, which is why he decides to teach Alex to swim.In a sheltered pond that lies beside the awesome Blackwater River, Brodie and Alex come across Pauline and another boy, Otis. Angry and hurt, Brodie decides to play a practical joke on them - a joke that goes disastrously wrong. When Pauline and Otis are swept away by the formidable Blackwater currents, Brodie is torn between telling the truth and his fear of the consequences if he does. His attempts to rescue the two kids have made him a local hero and Brodie is sure that only he and Alex know the truth. However, it soon appears that there was another witness to the crime when Brodie receives a note on which is written simply the word "Tell"."Blackwater" is a book that is full of suspense and will keep you reading right until the end. This was a compelling, absorbing read that shows the consequences of lying to cover the truth. The plot races along at the same rate as the Blackwater River itself and the characters are well drawn and believable. "Blackwater" shows how one boy's life was changed forever by a seemingly harmless prank and how a guilty conscience can be worse than the truth itself.

Wonderful

Thrilling! I loved every page of it! It was awesome! It is a story about a practical joke that went too far and the concequences that came of it. It shows that the truth is ALWAYS better, no matter what. Because sometimes a guily concience can be bad enough...