Sink or Swim

Lorraine Douglas is the youth services co-ordinator at the Winnipeg
Public Library.

Twelve-year-old Dario Cavalito has his summer all planned, but then his
mother sends him to Camp Skookum for two weeks. The camp specializes in
water sports—swimming, canoeing, kayaking, and sailing. But Dario
can’t even dog-paddle and he is teased by the other boys, especially
Lindsay. With the help of a friend, Dario overcomes his fear of water,
learns to swim, and becomes a dolphin-level swimmer. After that success,
he learns the rudiments of sailing, then enters the regatta to try and
beat Lindsay.

This satisfying story is fast-paced and easy to read. Dario’s
experiences at camp are both authentic and entertaining. The appeal of
the book is in the author’s approach to resolving differences and in
the underlying theme of always trying to do your personal best.
Recommended.