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The First Day of September
Maybe Sarah shouldn't have taken that dare. Maybe she shouldn't have bragged that she could swim across the lake. None of that mattered now. She was drowning.
When twelve-year-old Sarah Oakley and her family visit their friends, the Harpers, at Sweetwater Lake, she doesn't hold out much hope for the vacation. She expects her brother, Will, and the two Harper boys to ignore her as usual. She expects to spend most of her time alone. She expects any adventure to happen within her imagination.
What she doesn't expect is to be the keeper of a dangerous secret and to accept a dare that might endanger her life. But soon, the lush nature of the mountains and the comforting spirit of the lake work their magic on her. After facing a capsized boat, a snake, a dying hawk, and a hurricane, she begins to earn her brother's respect, and her own. But just when she thinks her world is falling into place, everything around her starts to crumble. A friendship of the most unlikely kind just might help Sarah find her true worth. If only she can stay afloat.
When twelve-year-old Sarah Oakley and her family visit their friends, the Harpers, at Sweetwater Lake, she doesn't hold out much hope for the vacation. She expects her brother, Will, and the two Harper boys to ignore her as usual. She expects to spend most of her time alone. She expects any adventure to happen within her imagination.
What she doesn't expect is to be the keeper of a dangerous secret and to accept a dare that might endanger her life. But soon, the lush nature of the mountains and the comforting spirit of the lake work their magic on her. After facing a capsized boat, a snake, a dying hawk, and a hurricane, she begins to earn her brother's respect, and her own. But just when she thinks her world is falling into place, everything around her starts to crumble. A friendship of the most unlikely kind just might help Sarah find her true worth. If only she can stay afloat.
80 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 16, 2014
183 people want to read
About the author
Kristin Walker
12 books280 followersKristin Walker grew up in the Pennsylvania countryside, finally landing at Penn State where she earned a BA in Theatre Arts. In addition to being an actor, Kristin worked at many things on her way to becoming an author. She was a lifeguard, a nanny, a beginning ballroom dance instructor, a library circulation clerk, and very nearly a nurse. She's the author of the young adult novels, A MATCH MADE IN HIGH SCHOOL and 7 CLUES TO WINNING YOU. She also has written a middle grade novel, THE FIRST DAY OF SEPTEMBER. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in LADYBUG, WEE ONES, and two CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL books. Kristin lives in a Philadelphia suburb with her husband and three sons.
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October 24, 2014
This is the kind of book I'd like my {currently non-existent} children to read when they're coming of age because it's full of great life lessons. This book drives home the importance of not judging someone based on their outward appearance, believing in yourself, doing things that fulfill you because YOU want to do them, not because you're out to impress other people, and just generally being open-minded and kind. I found it to be a positive and refreshing read.
A few of my favorite quotes from the book:
“A positive attitude is one of the few things I’ve got left. I value it greatly. It improves life tremendously, it doesn’t cost a dime, and no one can steal it from you.”
"That trilobite never tried to prove himself to anyone. He never worried about who liked him or not. All he did was live his life, and then lie down and die on the ocean floor. But he still left a mark. He never could have guessed that three hundred million years in the future, two people would be looking at the impression he made on the earth and appreciating his existence. But here we are doing just that"
A few of my favorite quotes from the book:
“A positive attitude is one of the few things I’ve got left. I value it greatly. It improves life tremendously, it doesn’t cost a dime, and no one can steal it from you.”
"That trilobite never tried to prove himself to anyone. He never worried about who liked him or not. All he did was live his life, and then lie down and die on the ocean floor. But he still left a mark. He never could have guessed that three hundred million years in the future, two people would be looking at the impression he made on the earth and appreciating his existence. But here we are doing just that"
Displaying 1 of 1 review