Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Lost in the River of Grass

3.84 of 5 stars 3.84 · rating details · 529 ratings · 153 reviews

Lost in a River of Grass is in the tradition of survival stories like Hatchet or On My Side of the Mountain, where the young protagonist finds herself as she struggles to survive in an unforgiving wilderness. In this case, the setting is the Everglades, and Sarah, the 13-year-old narrator, sneaks away from an overnight school field trip for what was supposed to be a quick...more

Hardcover, 255 pages

Published February 9th 2011 by Carolrhoda Books (first published August 1st 2010)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Best books of March, 2011

21st out of 45 books — 93 voters

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird by Christopher Sergel

YA Books With Minorities

107th out of 164 books — 96 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 1,252)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Aug 30, 2011 Cara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, realistic-fiction

I'm having a bit of a guilty conscious thinking of why I read this book, and no it's not the cover (I actually don't have too many qualms about reading a book because of that, yeah I know I'm scandalously shameless). I read it because the page count was relatively low and I really need to bring up my book count fast so I'm not so utterly behind on the book challenge. Well, luckily for me the book packs a good amount of storytelling and I appreciate a well told story.

Sarah is a freshman at Glades...more I'm having a bit of a guilty conscious thinking of why I read this book, and no it's not the cover (I actually don't have too many qualms about reading a book because of that, yeah I know I'm scandalously shameless). I read it because the page count was relatively low and I really need to bring up my book count fast so I'm not so utterly behind on the book challenge. Well, luckily for me the book packs a good amount of storytelling and I appreciate a well told story.

Sarah is a freshman at Glades Academy and in an uncharacteristic move decides to take a science class trip to the Everglades. She is a scholarship kid and because of it feels like she doesn't fit in and is a bit ostracized by the other girls. On this field trip she will also do something she usually doesn't do, break the rules. While at the field trip she decides to take a boat ride with a guy who works at the Everglades. But it isn't picture perfect as it should have been because one careless mistake will leave them stranded where nobody will find them for days. They'll have to venture out in the dangerous world of the Everglades where not many make it out unscathed.

The characters are important to the story but I think the "character" that who steals the show is the Everglades itself. It acts as teacher to Sarah and Andy, and I can tell the author has a respectful love for this environment and that showed through the pages. You could feel the heat, tension, and weird fascination of this harsh environment. I'm so glad this book didn't take a typical route of having the book central around Sarah and Andy being lovey dovey (there is a little of that), but the book concentrates on how they want to survive and how they both pull out strength they thought they didn't have to move forward even when it seems like they won't get through this.

Sarah's voice felt realistic, and even though in the beginning I thought she complained a lot and she bickered too much with Andy it's probably what would happen. You are going to feel a bit ticked off when you are in a dire life and death situation. It was interesting to witness the unfolding of the two main characters background. Sarah doesn't come from a privileged family but Andy assumes she does. On the other hand Sarah assumes Andy is confident and has everything together, but in reality he doesn't have real direction and feels like he's been handed the short end of the stick when it comes to life. They kind of counter-balance each other, and fit together because they both want to do better in their own way.

After reading this book I feel like I need to brush up on my survival skills because they are seriously lacking. Goodness, what am I saying?!?! I need a major overhaul.

Sidenote:I just have to say I think a may be a teeny bit heartless because most of the time I was on Andy side when it came to their little companion Teapot. But I have to say he came in handy on more than one occasion.
(less)

8 likes · like · see review

Feb 22, 2011 Claudette rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-galley, young-adult, read-in-2011

"Well, quit thinking everything is an alligator. They are more afraid of you than you are of them."
"Maybe that's true for you, but I can promise it's not so for me."

I've been reading so many good books lately that I can't help but feel lucky. Lost in the River of Grass was no exception: it kept me occupied for two days. I even forgot about the huge amount of study I was supposed to be doing. (Whoops.)

The book is about the adventure that two kids, Andy and Sarah, are forced to face when the boat...more

4 likes · like · see review

Mar 12, 2011 Mara rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, 2011, netgalley, contemporary

Sarah is a scholarship kid at a prestigious private school, where she doesn't quite feel accepted due to her scholarship status and her race. On a field trip to the everglades, Sarah feels extra isolated until a local boy, Andy, asks her if she wants to go out on an air boat ride. Just them. Seeing a chance to escape her classmates for a day, Sarah eagerly says yes.

As it turns out, that was a pretty big mistake. While they're exploring an everglades cabin with a duckling Sarah has adopted on the...more Sarah is a scholarship kid at a prestigious private school, where she doesn't quite feel accepted due to her scholarship status and her race. On a field trip to the everglades, Sarah feels extra isolated until a local boy, Andy, asks her if she wants to go out on an air boat ride. Just them. Seeing a chance to escape her classmates for a day, Sarah eagerly says yes.

As it turns out, that was a pretty big mistake. While they're exploring an everglades cabin with a duckling Sarah has adopted on the way, the air boat sinks to the bottom of the everglades and sticks Andy and Sarah in an awful situation: either sit around and hope someone will find them, or walk out of the everglades.

They choose the latter. They do this with one can of bug spray, one can of spam, a Swiss Army Knife, half a bottle of Gatorade, and a backpack to stick it all in. Andy seems to think they can reach civilization in three days, if they're lucky. Sarah is more than a little freaked out, but she follows him into the dark swamp water with an alligator floating ten yards away.

Ginny Rorby fully describes the everglades, and everything in it that might kill you. Sarah is lucky to have Andy, whom she describes as a redneck in a fit of stressed out anger, since she's a city person who begins the book scared of every little movement. And wouldn't you be? They're walking through water and might step on an alligator. Or get bitten by a cottonmouth. Or killed by a wild boar. Or eaten alive by ants. It's nonstop. Andy seems to take this all in stride, but just when you think he's the most awesome fifteen-year-old boy in the history of YA literature, he does act his age. They both make mistakes and have to fight for their own survival, learning how to support each other and support themselves if they want to reach civilization.

The whole thing is given some comic relief with Teapot, the duckling. Because they are carrying a duckling through the everglades also.

I am impressed with this author, and after having read The Outside of a Horse, I was expecting good things from Lost in the River of Grass. This book did find a nice balance about the plight of the everglades that I think The Outside of a Horse lacked in terms of describing horse abuse. This showed the issues in the everglades without being preachy about them...from accidental human meddling to the ignorant release of pet pythons into the ecosystem. The description was spot on, and survival story kept me engaged throughout.

I received this book through NetGalley and no money was exchanged.(less)

4 likes · like · see review

Nov 13, 2011 Valerie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: realistic-fiction

Interesting, I always thought when I was a kid I could live on my own in the wilderness. Just rub some sticks together and start a fire. Of course I'd need a knife to kill predators off too. Well I soon got in touch with reality and discovered that it wasn't that easy. And nature and me are not really that well acquainted, we interact on a need to know basis, but now reading about bugs crawling all over the protagonist has made these interactions even less desirable. Reading this was somewhat ed...more

3 likes · like · see review

Dec 29, 2010 Laura Kreitzer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: from-publisher, not-a-series

This book truly surprised me. I honestly thought I’d be up late at night jumping whenever I heard a strange sound while reading. (It’s all Ginny’s fault for saying “I hope you like snakes” before I read it . . .) Luckily enough for my heart (and nerves) this wasn’t the case. Ginny Rorby must have magic fingertips that float across her keyboard for her to show us such a beautiful, stunning, and intriguing story. Really, there is no other explanation. Want proof? Read Lost in the River Grass. This...more This book truly surprised me. I honestly thought I’d be up late at night jumping whenever I heard a strange sound while reading. (It’s all Ginny’s fault for saying “I hope you like snakes” before I read it . . .) Luckily enough for my heart (and nerves) this wasn’t the case. Ginny Rorby must have magic fingertips that float across her keyboard for her to show us such a beautiful, stunning, and intriguing story. Really, there is no other explanation. Want proof? Read Lost in the River Grass. This is a story of survival after the two main characters, Sarah and Andy, are left stranded in the middle of the Everglades with ten miles separating them from civilization. This may not seem like a lot, but when all you see is marshes, alligators, snakes, and muddy water, you might reconsider.

One of my favorite things about this novel was the way Ginny focused less on the useless details and more on the important (and interesting) parts. You see, Sarah is an outsider at her school where her mother works in the cafeteria. She’s stranded on a field trip with a bunch of girls that loathe her just because she isn’t rich, and the only thing she’s able to look forward to is an airboat ride that Andy offers her. When the airboat sinks due to Andy’s mistake of forgetting to put the plug in, everything in Sarah’s life—school, the mean girls there, the fact that she’s black with a southerner whose father sports the confederate flag—disappears to be replaced with the primal instinct to survive. What would one do to save their life? In this situation, you’d either rise to the occasion or sink below waters to be swallowed whole by a ‘gator hole. (Or by a ‘gator . . . or snake . . . ekkkk!)

This is a powerful story that shows a young girl rising above it all, with no knowledge of how to live in the Everglades, and stepping out alive. Though Andy shows little to no fear and helps guide Sarah, it’s Sarah that actually becomes the brave one, facing truly magnificent—and deadly—scenarios in nature. At first with spine-chilling fear, and later with awe and amazement. When all the odds are against her, Sarah pushes through her uncomfortable boundaries to be the victor. I truly applaud Ginny for providing us with this brilliant novel. (Cue the clapping!)(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Feb 12, 2013 Courtney rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: action-adventure, friendship, realistic-fiction, survival, teen-fiction, truman-award-nominees

Sarah didn't really want to go on the weekend field trip to the Everglades, but her parents genuinely believe that she'll get something out of it, so she goes anyway. Taunted by the other girls on the trip and ignored by the boys, Sarah attempts to keep to herself. She meets the boy whose parents own the camp, Andy, and agrees to go on an airboat ride with him. She pretends to be sick to avoid the next day's outing and then takes off with Andy. The ride is awesome, even if there are tons of mosq...more

like · see review

Jan 07, 2013 Kate rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-challenge

This is a great book. I almost said "this is a great middle grade book" since I specifically picked this book up as I was looking for books for my library (6-8), but then I caught myself. It's a great book regardless of your age or grade. Sarah is the perfect center for this story about getting lost in the Everglades. She's smart and funny, but she's also a total outsider. The poor girl on scholarship at the fancy school- personally I liked that she was on an athletic scholarship (for swimming)...more

like · see review

Jul 06, 2012 Lisa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-2011, tag-2012-13, young-adult

Good action/adventure survival story with plausible raison d'etre. The female protagonist shows lots of growth throughout the novel. Light romance adds to the tension. A teeny tiny bit draggy in a couple of parts but overall entertaining and thought provoking. I was surprised and a little perplexed to discover something about Sarah, the main character at the end of the book, which I won't give away, but that seemed a bit unnecessary to me as if it was thrown in for a shock factor. I was confused...more

1 like · like · see review

Jun 30, 2012 Zabet The Dark Empress of Dark Chocolate rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-books, survival

This and other reviews can be found on Reading Between Classes

Cover Impressions: Not a huge fan of the cover. Don't get me wrong, the alligator on a whole new level of scary, but there is something with the title and the font that makes this feel like a homemade job.

The Gist: Feeling like an outcast on a school trip to the Everglades, Sarah fakes sick in order to explore the swamp with Andy, a local boy. When a simple mistake leaves them stranded, they begin the harrowing trek back to civilizati...more

1 like · like · see review

Jun 28, 2012 Michelle Rocha rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, environmental-awareness, relationships, smart-girls, survival

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. What I really love about this book is the picture it paints of the Everglades. Rorby's descriptions are vivid and detailed so if you've never been to the Everglades, the descriptions are better at capturing it than most photos I've seen. I also love how Sarah moves from seeing it as a wasteland to appreciating its natural beauty. Sarah is strong and smart but she finds herself in unfamiliar and downright frightening environment. It's great to see her suck it up and stare down her fear. It's an a...more What I really love about this book is the picture it paints of the Everglades. Rorby's descriptions are vivid and detailed so if you've never been to the Everglades, the descriptions are better at capturing it than most photos I've seen. I also love how Sarah moves from seeing it as a wasteland to appreciating its natural beauty. Sarah is strong and smart but she finds herself in unfamiliar and downright frightening environment. It's great to see her suck it up and stare down her fear. It's an awesome adventure for both boys and girls.

Here's the spoiler: I don't exactly know how I feel about Rorby revealing that Sarah is Black until the end of the book. I think that if I had known that I would have had a better understanding about her feelings of alienation. I'm sure Rorby wants us to just identify with her without complicating it with racial issues but when I discovered that she was Black at the end, it made me want to go back to the beginning to reread those first few chapters with that knowledge. Also, the character Andy isn't developed enough for me to buy that, being raised by a racist foster-father and a usually absent foster-mother, isolated in the back country of the Everglades, without television or much contact with the outside world except school, he would be enlightened enough to transcend the views he was raised to embrace. But again, I'm sure Rorby wants us to see Andy and Sarah relate as just two teens, dependent on each other for survival without the "noise" of racial and cultural differences. It does come out though, when Sarah calls Andy a redneck in anger. I think that would have been a better moment to reveal that Sarah is Black. To me, that scene is where, in her desperation, she reveals that she has prejudices of her own that she has to come to terms with. Rorby hints at Sarah being "different" but doesn't give us the full picture. All that said, it's the kind of twist that excites kids so when they discover that at the end, they'll love it. It's my adult sensibilities that make me question withholding that information in terms of plot and character development. (less)

like · see review

Jun 23, 2012 Teresa Malone rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wonderfully written! As a native Floridian, it really offered a lovely stroll through the Everglades. Rorby's words simply made the pages come to life while I was transformed into a piece of each experience. My visualizations, connections, and questions were textbook perfect....my inferencing and synthesis would have made any classroom reading teacher proud...However......there was one little part that completely caught me off guard regarding a reference to the confederate flag. I won't expose m...more

like · see review

Feb 22, 2012 Arthur Pengerbil rated it 4 of 5 stars

Reading Level: Grade 6-8

13-year-old Sarah, a new scholarship student at the exclusive Glades Academy, is miserable. In a school where kids judge each other by the amount of money and things their parents have, Sarah the daughter of the lunch lady doesn't stand a chance.

Teachers are no help. Sarah wouldn't even be on this stupid overnight field trip if Mr. Vickers hadn't insisted the trip would help her make friends. Surprise, surprise...the four other girls on the trip spend their time snubbing...more

1 like · like · see review

Jul 04, 2011 Camila rated it 3 of 5 stars

Sarah is an average girl who is accepted to an expensive privet school called the glades. Her mother is a cook there. Her father is a roofer. She is on scolorship for her swimming abilities. She has no friends, and wants badly to be accepted by her classmates. On a class field trip to the Everglades, she meets a boy, Andy, who offers to take her on a ride in the glades on his airboat (she is still thirteen and he is fifteen). So she agrees and pretends to be sick in front of her teacher and snea...more

like · see review

Jun 18, 2011 Lashay w. rated it 5 of 5 stars

"OH MY GOD" what's over there all you hear is a slapsh have you ever been so scared that you dont know if you should stay or go.have you ever been to the ponit where you think you might not make it.The book Lost In The River Grass by Ginny Rorrby is like this.Sarah was on a fild trip and the kids really didnt like her.One day on a walk with the class the 4 girls that hate sarah the most hits her in the face with a plant sarah ran back to the cambins and cry thats until a kid named Andy had asked...more

like · see review

Mrs. McLeod Lashay:

You've brought another interesting book to our attention here! And, you know I love that it is set in Florida! Nice find!

I want to address the...more
updated Jul 16, 2011 10:42am

Mrs. McLeod PS: Please include your start and finish dates for this book in your review (refer to the handout for directions on how to do this).

Reply to this pos...more
updated Jul 16, 2011 10:57am

Apr 08, 2011 Dena rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: juvenile-fiction

I found this in the new section of Young Adult lit in our library. I think it's geared more towards young teens being the main character is a 13 year old girl. Sarah is attending a new school she earned a scholarship to. She hasn't made any friends yet so she is encouraged by her science teacher to go on a weekend field trip to the Everglades to get to know students a little at a time. She goes, but once she gets there she realizes the girls who went don't like her and she doesn't want to be fri...more

like · see review

Mar 04, 2011 Brigita rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book is about growing up, friendship, love, adventure, love of nature, discovering one's potential and much more.

The plot and setting work together in creating a gripping story right from the start. The reader is at first slowly and gently introduced to the Everglades through the school trip, but then, once Sarah and Andy land at the camp, we are thrown right in with the gators and water moccasins. Descriptions of this wild, dangerous but beautiful nature are incredibly well done. It shows...more

like · see review

Jan 08, 2011 Andrea rated it 4 of 5 stars

Lost in the River of Grass is simply one of those good ole' survival stories. Nothing fancy, nothing paranormal, just two kids trying to make it out of the everglades alive. It reminded me of Hatchet, just in a very different setting.

What I liked most about the book is that it's realistic. Sarah and Andy, the two main characters, act their ages and react as you would expect them to in such a bad situation. Sure Sarah freaks out quite a lot and does her fair share of whining, but wouldn't you if...more

1 like · like · see review

Jul 15, 2011 Mary Chrapliwy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Every so often, a book hits all the emotions of the reader and makes you sigh as you turn the last page. This was one of those books.

Ginny Rorby creates two kids who are just outside the margins of society - Alex lives an isolated life off the beaten path and Sarah who is scorned and taunted by a small group of popular girls on a weekend field trip (who hasn't been taunted like that?) We immediately identify with the main character, Sarah, and feel her pain and isolation in the midst of a group...more

1 like · like · see review

Mar 10, 2011 Brandi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Lost in the River of Grass was not something I would usually read, but I’m glad I did. This book was based on a true story, as Ginny Rorby states on her website. “Lost in the River of Grass is based on the true story of my husband’s ill-fated trip to the Everglades with his then girlfriend in his airboat. While they were ‘visiting’ one of the hunting camps in the Everglades, the airboat sank. It took them three days to walk out. I wrote the original story of that ordeal for Fort Lauderdale’s Gul...more

like · see review

Jul 06, 2012 bjneary rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, kindle, realistic-fiction, ya

I read this for July Goodreads book club for YA Reads for Teachers (and any other adults)---join us if you'd like. I read Ginny Rorby's other book

a few years back for PSLA and I just love this author, what she writes about, her characters and the depth of feeling that comes across in her novels. In this book Sarah is 14 years old and has a swimming scholarship to a prep school where she is not accepted, except by one teacher, Mr. Wethers. It is while on a weekend trip with science class that S...more

like · see review

Apr 22, 2011 Cassandra Moore rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book was a little different from most YA novels I read. The plot focuses around Sarah and Andy in their struggle to survive trapped out in the Florida Everglades. They are ten miles away from the levee which can lead them home with a can of Spam and a bottle of Gatorade. No one knew they were leaving and no one knows where they were headed. It's broke up into days rather than chapters, and the pacing goes pretty well with this guideline despite some slow parts. The story was enthralling, es...more

like · see review

Sep 16, 2011 Serena rated it 1 of 5 stars

This book is full of really good descriptive writing and Mrs. Rorby does a fine job immersing her readers into the Everglades and the traits of her characters. I laughed when she said in her author's note that she failed high school English. The quality of writing in this book does not reflect that at all.

The same cannot be saide for the quality of the plot though. I felt like Mrs. Rorby chose the wrong character to base her novel around. Sarah's story has been told multiple times in various for...more

like · see review

Jan 05, 2011 Michelle, the Bookshelf Stalker rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wow. I have to admit something. I did not think I would like this book. One, it is a YA book. I have not been the biggest supporter of the YA market as of late. It seems everyone is writing a YA book. Two, I thought the plot summary sounded crazy. How much can you write about regarding trying to survive in the Everglades? In my head, it is you are going to be eaten by gator or not. That’s it.

I was wrong!

I’m not going to go over how Sarah ended up in the Everglades with Andy since that seems minu...more Wow. I have to admit something. I did not think I would like this book. One, it is a YA book. I have not been the biggest supporter of the YA market as of late. It seems everyone is writing a YA book. Two, I thought the plot summary sounded crazy. How much can you write about regarding trying to survive in the Everglades? In my head, it is you are going to be eaten by gator or not. That’s it.

I was wrong!

I’m not going to go over how Sarah ended up in the Everglades with Andy since that seems minuscule in comparison to the adventure of Sarah and Andy getting out of the Everglades. Sarah and Andy are stuck in the Everglades. They are not stuck on a boat in the Everglades, not stuck in a cabin in the Everglades, but stuck in the actual physical swampy water with snakes, alligators, and other various creatures. They are not stuck for a few hours but for days. Think about this? Let me repeat this- stuck in the physical water with alligators, snakes and other various creatures. VERY bad things can and do happen.

Now for the two characters- Sarah and Andy.

Andy-

This is what I loved so much about this book. Andy lives in the Everglades. He knows about the swamps, the snakes, the alligators. He knows about “the circle of life,” and how animals kill animals, and possibly people too. Therefore, you think “big strong Alpha hero” right. Wrong. He is a very typical teenage boy. I love that he is flawed and he makes serious errors and Sarah, even with Andy’s good intentions, cannot fully count on him to get them out of the Everglades.

Sarah-

She is very typical teenage girl at the beginning. She is unsure, insecure, and scared of everything that someone not being raised in the Everglades would be scared of. However, you quickly realize she has a heart of gold and endless compassion for the life around her. Her relationship with Teacup is one of my favorite parts of the book. I will not even tell you who Teacup is. It is too precious to learn on your own.

Overall, this is a gem of a book. I’m giving it 4.5 stars out of 5. It would be 5 stars except the book is too short for the overall price of the book.
(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Sep 29, 2012 Veronica rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Veronica by: Elisabeth Augustine

Shelves: 2012, ya-books, favorites

This book is simultaneously a beautifully touching and wildly exciting adventure through the mind of a girl who is on an adventure of her own, going through some of the toughest things she may ever experience: being an adolescent on the fringe of popularity and traversing the untouched wilderness of the Florida Everglades. As a native Floridian, I found much of this book to be reminiscent of my childhood; however, even if you've never stepped foot in the swamp, the author makes it possible for a...more

like · see review

May 07, 2011 Karen Ball rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-challenge

Review copy from Lerner Publishing/Carolrhoda Books
Survival in the Florida Everglades! Sarah is a scholarship student at a high-priced private school, and she is on a weekend biology field trip into the Everglades. She doesn't fit in with the wealthy, snobby "swamp Barbies" on the trip, and manages to stay back from an excursion for one morning. When she meets Andy, who is normal and kind to her, she agrees to go for an airboat ride with him, thinking they will be back before her school group re...more

like · see review

Dec 31, 2010 Tim rated it 5 of 5 stars

I am NOT a fan of survival fiction ("Hatchet" annoyed the crud out of me). I am, however, a big fan of Rorby's fictions. "Hurt Go Happy" is one of my favorite books of all time & I quite enjoyed "Outside of a Horse" and "Dolphin Sky." This is just great.

The spoiler-free synopsis is: Sarah, a city girl, scholarship student at a private high school is on a field trip with her snooty fellow students when she meets Andy, a cute boy who lives in the glades (instead of going to a school named aft...more

2 likes · like · see review

Nov 27, 2010 Morgan F rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, 2011, young-adult, read-2010, its-a-girl, not-yet-released, medium-sized, survival, realistic, adventure, e-book

Sarah feels like an outcast at her new school, a feeling only exemplified when her science class goes on a field trip to the Everglades. So when a local boy named Andy offers her an unauthorized airboat ride, she jumps at the chance to get away from her snarky classmates, and pretends to be sick so she can sneak off. Andy takes her to the heart of the swamp, but once there a horrible accident occurs. Their boat sinks. Now stranded in the middle of the Everglades, surrounded by gators, poisonous...more Sarah feels like an outcast at her new school, a feeling only exemplified when her science class goes on a field trip to the Everglades. So when a local boy named Andy offers her an unauthorized airboat ride, she jumps at the chance to get away from her snarky classmates, and pretends to be sick so she can sneak off. Andy takes her to the heart of the swamp, but once there a horrible accident occurs. Their boat sinks. Now stranded in the middle of the Everglades, surrounded by gators, poisonous snakes, and miles of swamp, these two teenagers will have to wade across the river of grass if they want to survive.

This book taught me a few things:
1. I would not last five minutes in the Everglades
2. Spam isn't all that bad when you are starving
3. Don't let the boy hold the gatorade
4. I'm a cold-hearted person because I would have let that little duck die
5. The difference between the kingsnake and coral snake
6. Gators dig holes
7. 13 yr old girls are dumb

This whole book is because of a pretty poor decision. No, not the one made by Andy, because he forgot to do something to the boat which caused it to sink, but the one made by Sarah. Now, in what universe is it okay to go off with a boy you don't know in the middle of the wilderness without telling anyone else where you are going? Hmmmm? Even aliens ain't that stupid. But she is only 13, and lonely, and she was kind of smart the rest of the time, so I'll let this one slide. But let this serve as a warning. Go off alone with a boy and you will get eaten alive by mosquitos.

Anyway, this was a quick read, and a refreshing one. It was a good ol' fashioned book about survival, and not one about surviving the end of the world, or something like that. This book is a good one for people looking to get away from the vapid drama of most YA novels. These kids here got some real problems.

There were a few other little things that annoyed me besides the blatant mistake of the narrator. First off, Livestrong bracelets? Soooo 2005. Second off, the short (thank heavens) conversation about smoking pot was painful to read about. I think the author should stick to writing adventure novels and never foray into contemporary YA lit. And lastly, I had no idea the main character was black. Was this mentioned in the beginning of the novel and I missed it? I was imagining Sarah as some fair-skinned, blonde girl, but nope. In the last chapters she was all like "I'm black!!" It just threw me off that the picture I made through out the entire book was wrong.

Overall, not something I would usually pick up, so it was different. it reminded me off all the survival books I had to read in sixth grade (Julie of the Wolves, Hatchet, My Side of the Mountain), and its nice to see the genre isn't dead.

Thank you Netgalley for letting me view a copy!(less)

8 likes · like · see review

Aug 08, 2012 Marilyn rated it 3 of 5 stars

Lost... depicts realistic dangers Sarah and Andy, the protagonists, face in the Everglades after the airboat sinks into the swampy water. Both characters rely and resent each other throughout their dangerous trek to safety, giving the story a sense of realism. However, the declaration of Sarah's race at the end does not add the intended twist. I assume the author does so to explain the taunts Sarah endures from her classmates, but it is not needed. Young readers of any ethnicity, economic backgr...more

like · see review

Jul 23, 2012 Heidi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-books-blogged, childrens-geography, great-teaching-books, middle-grade-adventure, ya-contemporary, survival

I'm a big fan of survival stories and at its heart that's what this book is, a survival story. But it addresses two different kinds of survival. The first kind of survival is physical survival. Can Sarah and Andy make it out of the Everglades alive? The second kind of survival is emotional/social survival. Sarah, at the beginning of the book, is struggling in her new school. She doesn't have any friends and she feels like an outcast because her family is not well off and she's has a scholarship...more I'm a big fan of survival stories and at its heart that's what this book is, a survival story. But it addresses two different kinds of survival. The first kind of survival is physical survival. Can Sarah and Andy make it out of the Everglades alive? The second kind of survival is emotional/social survival. Sarah, at the beginning of the book, is struggling in her new school. She doesn't have any friends and she feels like an outcast because her family is not well off and she's has a scholarship. Interestingly in learning to survive in the Everglades, Sarah is also learning how to survive at school. Andy on the other hand, is also facing two kinds of survival, survival in the Everglades, and survival at home. I found it fascinating to watch the two teenagers struggle with both the physical challenges (alligators, lack of food and water, etc.) and the emotional challenges.

I thought the way the characters interacted was quite realistic under the circumstances. Andy strives to protect Sarah because he knows its his fault they get stuck in the first place. Sarah is both angry and afraid. The stress of the situation as well as inner turmoil leads both Sarah and Andy to make mistakes. They have several fights and occasions when their desperation leads them to do things that hurt the other. That seemed like real behavior to me.

The setting was superbly presented. I could almost feel the mosquitoes and see the alligator holes. The author really places the reader in the environment. The scene with the snake and the alligator felt especially creepy.

Plotwise, the story moves along well. I felt like the author did a good job of presenting Sarah at the beginning, which makes sense, since Sarah is telling the story. Andy slowly becomes more understandable as Sarah gets to know him better. Once the two teenagers are stuck, the story really picks up in terms of tension goes. It doesn't really let up until the end.

Overall, I'd recommend this book to those who like survival stories with a nice dash of character development. NOTE: there is a moderate amount of swearing and profanity in the book, plus some really intense action as well.(less)

like · see review

May 26, 2012 Laura W. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: truman-prelims-2012, 2012-overall

I'm generally not big on the survival in the wild genre, but this one had just enough of other things in it to keep me hooked. I think this book would be great for middle grade readers, and even as a gateway to this genre to readers who would probably not pick it on their own.

I was a little confused with the author suddenly deciding to mention that Sarah is black at the very end of the story, after everything's been established. But it could also be that I missed some more subtle comments toward...more

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 41 42 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
RAP READING: What would you do?	2	6	Jan 05, 2013 10:30am
YA Reads for Teac...: * July 2012 - Lost in the River of Grass by Ginny Rorby	171	50	Aug 06, 2012 09:15am
YA Reads for Teac...: June 2012 Book Giveaway - Lost in the River of Grass by Ginny Rorby	89	270	Jul 31, 2012 07:00am

combine
Other Editions (4)

Genres

Young Adult

44 users

Adventure > Survival

16 users

Realistic Fiction

14 users

Adventure

13 users

Contemporary

9 users

Childrens > Middle Grade

5 users

Animals

4 users

Young Adult > Teen

4 users

Action

3 users

Relationships

2 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Ginny Rorby

Ginny Rorby was raised in Winter Park, Florida, and lived in Miami during her career as a Pan American flight attendant. Midway through that career, she enrolled in the University of Miami to pursue an undergraduate degree in biology, graduated and changed direction again. She went on to receive an MFA in Creative Writing from Florida International University. Her goal, after wrapping up her flyin...more

More about Ginny Rorby...

Books by Ginny Rorby

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Lost in the River...

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

title link	preview: Lost in the River of Grass
avg rating	preview: Lost in the River of Grass Goodreads rating: 3.84 (529 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9460907-lost-in-the-river-of-grass?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1294255843l/9460907.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9460907-lost-in-the-river-of-grass?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Lost in the River of Grass by Ginny Rorby[/url]

Lost in the River of Grass

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website