Breath Like Water

Jarzab’s contemplative story questions how far athletes should go for a shot at the rings. Two years ago, Illinois swimmer Susannah Ramos was named world champion. Since then, weighed down by shoulder problems and a sudden growth spurt, the 16-year-old Latina athlete hasn’t been winning races. Her chance of making the USA Olympic team remains slim until her coach’s new assistant, Beth, changes training strategies, focusing on the sport’s mental components. Under Beth’s guidance, Susannah feels herself grow stronger and faster as the Olympic trials draw near, but she is distracted by a new romance with teammate Harry. Forbidden by her coaches to see him, Susannah is forced to take a hard look at the sacrifices she and her family have made for her sport. Former competitive swimmer Jarzab (Red Dirt) paints a realistic picture of elite sports, emphasizing the financial, physical, and psychological burdens placed on participants. Using a first-person narrative, she offers an up-close examination of a swimmer looking beyond her dreams of victory to her place in the world outside the pool. If young athletes don’t agree with all the decisions she makes, they will relate to her dilemmas. Ages 13–up. [em]Agent: Joanna Volpe, New Leaf Literary. (May) [/em]