Rock River by Bill Maynard

"What is brave?" is the question Rock River deals with. Young Luke (almost 12) spends the summer with his family at their cabin on the river. He and his friends roam all over the countryside, exploring and having good kid fun. Luke, whose family is still dealing with his older brother's death on the river, navigates dangerous waters as he tries to figure out if he is brave or not.

This novel, aimed at the middle-school reader, is not a book that reaches out and grabs you. In fact, I struggled to get into it at first. However, once the plot gets moving, it's not so bad. While not a literary classic, it's worth a read for the boy who's hungry for the outdoors and adventure. The messages about bravery, friendship, and family are decent, too. I probably wouldn't recommend that you search out this book, but if it falls in your boy's lap, let him give it a try.