Where the Water Takes Us

In Alan Barillaro's debut, 'Where the Water Takes Us,' readers meet Ava, a young girl consumed by worry as her mother faces a high-risk twin pregnancy. Sent to her grandparents' lake cabin, Ava feels isolated and anxious, convinced that a bird's death is a sign of a curse on her family. To break it, she undertakes a heartfelt mission to protect two orphaned bird eggs, believing their survival is tied to her family's safety. This stirring chapter book explores themes of anxiety, responsibility, family love, and finding courage amidst uncertainty, making it ideal for children aged 7-11 navigating big emotions or family changes.

Debut author Alan Barillaro delivers a stirring story about a sensitive, shaken young girl who must face that growing up means coming to terms with the things you cannot change—and taking responsibility for the things you can. Ava’s mom is about to have twins, and the pregnancy isn’t going well. All Ava wants to do is stay by her mother’s side, but instead, she is sent away to stay with her grandparents. Normally, spending time at the lake with Nonna and Nonno is wonderful. But everything is different now. While her mom’s hospital visits are getting serious back home, Ava grapples with anxiety. As summer storms rock the island, electricity goes out at the cabin, and an annoyingly cheerful boy named Cody seems determined to pop up everywhere she goes. Ava can’t be distracted from the feeling that something terrible, something irrevocable, is going to happen to her mom while she is gone. When a bird dies in front of her, Ava is sure it is a sign that she is cursed—the last thing she, or her family, needs. But if a curse has been placed on her, there must a way to break it. So Ava makes a deal: If she can take care of two orphaned bird eggs, she will have paid off her debt, and her family will be alright. With everyone she loves on the line, Ava will do everything in her power to make sure that her mom, her twin baby brothers, her birds, and even Cody all come through the summer safely.