ABOUT THIS BOOK

Fourteen-year-old Emily boards an over-crowded ferry in Sumatra. When the boat sinks, she’s trapped by hundreds of panicked people. She finds Isman, a terrified young Muslim boy, floating in a life vest. Together, with Emily’s physical strength and Isman’s quiet faith, they swim for their lives.

“Fama conveys the elemental struggle and shows how Emily finds strength she didn’t know she had.”—Booklist

“Each moment brings. . . new problems—cold, hunger, sharks, a whirlpool, fear—and actively holds readers’ interest. An author’s note describes the inspiration for this unique book—a real ferry accident off the coast of Sumatra in 1996 when only 40 of the 400 passengers survived.”—School Library Journal

An ALA Best Book for Young Adults


AWARDS

WINNER 2003 - ALA Best Books for Young Adults
NOMINEE 2005 - Illinois Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Award



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