Rough Waters [Hardcover]

S. L. Rottman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1998

When their parents are killed in a car accident, Scott and Gregg are sent to live with an uncle they never even knew they had. Hurt, angry, and confused by the sudden death of their parents, they leave a comfortable life in the California suburbs for the remote Colorado Rockies, where their uncle Rocky runs a white water rafting company. The story is told from the point of view of Scott, a thoughtful 15 year-old determined to give his uncle and his new life a fair chance. Gregg, his 17 year-old brother, refuses to reach out to either Scott or his uncle for help in company to terms with the grief he's buried deep within himself. He quickly befriends Roger, a reckless river guide for Rocky's company, who helps steer Gregg further away from his brother and uncle. Only a crisis on the river can bring Gregg to his senses and save him from losing tthe only family he has left.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 7 Up-Scott, 15, and his older brother Gregg are sent to live with their Uncle Rocky, whom they never knew existed, after their parents are killed in an automobile accident. Gregg plans to begin college soon and does not want to move from Los Angeles to rural Colorado. He is angry, rude, and uncommunicative. To make matters worse, Rocky is struggling to make a success of his river-rafting company and insists that his nephews work for him. Both boys come to enjoy the rafting experience. Scott tries hard to have a good attitude, but Gregg becomes increasingly difficult, making the wrong kinds of friends and drinking too much. He resents his uncle, and Scott is placed in the middle of their serious arguments. When Gregg makes an irresponsible and life-threatening choice, he comes to realize that the way he deals with his unhappiness affects both his brother and his uncle. Scott, the first-person narrator, is a well-developed character with intelligence and independence and just a touch of rebellion. The other characters are also believable, although Gregg's behavior often seems slightly exaggerated. Packed with details about rafting, Rough Waters will excite some readers and perhaps bore others. However, much of the information is needed in order to understand the dangers of this sport and the plot. With the thrill of the rapids, realistic family dynamics, a little romance, and likable characters, this book is a great read.
Elisabeth Palmer Abarbanel, Brentwood School, Los Angeles
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 7^-12. The trauma of facing their parents' deaths is only compounded for Gregg and Scott when they're forced to move in with their estranged uncle, whom they know only as a painful memory from their father's past. Desperate for stability, 15-year-old Scott struggles to work through his grief and make the best of life in Colorado, where their uncle Rocky has the boys help with his white-water rafting business. Unfortunately, Gregg, 17, adds only resentment to his grief, making life miserable for all three and eventually triggering a tragic mishap on the rapids. Driven mostly by dialogue, the plot moves briskly, snaking its way through various subplots that include young love, drug abuse, and criminal misconduct. Amid the continuously unfolding drama emerges the story of Rocky's tumultuous past with his late brother, finally providing Scott the key to accepting his loss and finding hope for a future with the only family he has left. Roger Leslie

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Peachtree Publishers; 1st edition (March 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 156145172X
• ISBN-13: 978-1561451722
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,519,775 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

In first grade, I made my mother very nervous when I told her that I was never going to learn to read because reading was stupid! Fortunately for me, my mother was determined to change my mind. She took the time to read with me every night until she got me addicted. By the time I was in fourth grade, I was the kid in the back of the class, trying to hide my book under the table so I could read instead of listening to the teacher! I believe that anyone can become an avid reader; it just takes the right book at the right time to light that fire.

Although I was born in Georgia, my parents moved back to CO when I was two, so I don't remember much about Georgia and I consider myself a Coloradan. I attended Colorado State University, and earned an English degree with teaching certification. I taught for seven years before taking time off to stay home with my children. My first novel, Hero, was written specifically for my students who hated reading. I love spending time with teens, and that's why I write for and about them. To an extent, I'm technologically challenged, which makes writing for teens harder each year--I haven't figured out how to text and the IM slang still sometimes messes me up. But I try! This year, I added teaching internet classes and virtual classroom visits to my list of activities. Rafting, skiing, reading, swimming, throwing pots, watching movies, and camping are just a few of my other interests.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fast Exciting Read, July 10, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Rough Waters (Hardcover)

Rough Waters was an exciting, fast, entertaining and enjoyable read. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves adventures. I especially enjoyed the setting of Buena Vista because I used to drive through Buena Vista when I went to college. If you like Gary Paulsens books, you'll love Rough Waters. High interest/low level readers would enjoy this book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific Read!, June 22, 2001

By 

diane "flexiblenature" (Black Forest, Colorado USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rough Waters (Hardcover)

I teach middle school L.A. and plan to use this as a read-aloud next year...IF my students haven't all read it! Have a reluctant reader at home? Hand them ANY of Rottman's books! The rafting scenes have you riding along with the crew. Have fun! Terrific read!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A review of Rough Waters by Kevin Rosenhagen, July 12, 2000

By 

Christian Kozlowski - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rough Waters (Mass Market Paperback)

I recommend this book to ages seven and up. It is very interesting about the rafting experience . "Paddle right "said this when they were on the run on the river . Latter in this book after the midnight run ,Scott says, "Wasn't there a cop ?" This was when he stole the raft and ended up in the hospital . Its very exciting and if you like adventure, this book is for you .