The Water You’re Swimming In

Noah is used to being a straight-A student, swim champ and all-around easy kid. 

But things haven’t been the same since Noah’s older brother Jamie ran away to Halifax, leaving only a note behind. His parents spend every free second on the phone or driving to Halifax to try to find Jamie, and Noah is left trying to mask his anxiety and grief by pretending to be the perfect son who does everything right. But inside he feels like crying and gets a knot in his stomach whenever he thinks of Jamie. 

Some warmth returns to their home when Grandma Aisling comes to stay, bringing her fiddle and her genius for making chocolate cake with her. At school, funny and kind Alysha joins his class, and Noah has a new friend to distract him from his worries. When a swim competition is announced with the grand prize being a trip to Halifax, Noah knows he has to win it so he can go to Halifax himself and get Jamie back. 

Noah’s family dynamics are complicated, and his brother running away makes life even more difficult. His parents are so worried about Jamie that Noah thinks he has to be perfect so he doesn’t add more stress to their lives. To make matters worse, Noah doesn’t have any friends or a trusted adult he can confide in. While readers may not relate to Noah’s specific situation, they will understand his desire to have friends and be loved. The theme is strengthened as Noah shares his fears during each hardship, allowing readers to sympathize with him.  

Throughout the story, Noah’s parents and grandmother appear infrequently. They are so focused on Jamie that Noah feels invisible. However, after Noah goes to look for Jamie on his own, this shakes everyone and finally forces them, including Jamie, to examine the family dynamics and seek professional help. The story highlights that even loving parents don’t always make the right decisions. Additionally, the book explores sibling relationships and the difficulties that are caused by misconceptions and family expectations.  

The beginning of the book describes the conflict between the Christian school kids and the public-school kids at length. This section of the book feels rather odd, especially since there is only one scene in which the students interact: a water-balloon fight. The thread adds nothing to the story and breaks the flow.  

The Water You’re Swimming In blends Noah’s personal struggles at home and at school, which keeps the book interesting. Even though the swim competition is an important part of Noah’s plan to bring Jamie home, he spends little time in the pool and starts skipping practice to spend more time with his new friend, Alysha. While the story builds up the importance of the competition, there is little suspense when it finally arrives because the event isn’t described in much detail. Despite this, the book has many positive aspects, including a likable protagonist, an imperfect but loving family, and realistic conflicts. The Water You’re Swimming In encourages readers to express their feelings and not make assumptions about others. Readers who enjoy stories about friendship, family, and swimming should also read Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas, Deep Water by Jamie Sumner, and Live and Let Dive by Jake Maddox.  

Sexual Content  

• Jamie’s friend, Alysha, breaks up with her girlfriend and finds a new one. 

Violence  

• None 

Drugs and Alcohol  

• During dinner, the adults have a glass of wine.  

• Noah’s grandma is an herbalist and uses plants to heal people. 

• One evening, Noah’s parents drink wine. Jamie is given a sip of wine. His grandma drinks beer.  

• Noah tells his new friend that some kids smoke cigarettes at the park. 

• Noah goes into a bar to look for his brother. Two old men were drinking “large glasses of beer.” 

Language  

• Heck is used five times. 

• Darn is used once. 

• Damn is used twice.  

• Noah explains his family dynamics, saying, “Mom sometimes calls me her genius child, which I know secretly pisses Jamie off.” 

• Oh my lord and OMG are each used as exclamations once. 

• Noah gets sick after going to bed with wet hair. His grandma says, “Sleeping with a cold, wet head hat, what kind of fool are you? My God, you’re as hot as hellfire.” 

• The kids at school call Noah a “nerd” and “teacher’s pet.” 

• Jamie thinks he is an idiot. 

• When a classmate is mean to Jamie, his friend asks, “Jeez, what’s up her butt?” 

• Noah skips school to go look for his brother. Afterward, his mom asks, “What in dickens are you thinking, Noah?” 

Supernatural 

• None 

Spiritual Content  

• None