Float

In this lighthearted middle grade romp, kids with super powers enjoy a fun-filled summer at a camp designed to accommodate their special needs. Twelve-year-old Emerson’s ability to float marks him as a RISK—a reoccurring incident of the strange kind—forced to wear weighted shoes and a vest just to stay on the ground. At Camp Outlier, he’s surrounded by people just like him, cursed with powers they can’t control, such as the accidentally invisible Hank, the spontaneously combusting Anthony, and the time-traveling Murphy. As members of the Red Maple cabin, they bond through hazing rituals, pranks, and the usual camp-sponsored activities. However, when they discover an unsettling secret involving Murphy’s intermittent trips through time, Emerson and the others must find a way to change his fate. While there’s an underlying tension involving the unknown tragedy in Murphy’s future, the real heart of the story is in the idyllic satisfaction Emerson feels as he makes friends and lives life to the fullest, eschewing electronic devices for adventures in the great outdoors. Drawing from her father’s stories of childhood escapades, Martin (Code Name Flood) conjures a sense of wonder and whimsy, even as she reminds readers that her characters’ powers are as much a blessing as they are a curse. Ages 8–12. [em](May) [/em]