To download the newly updated, 33-page FREE teacher's guide to Dark Water by Erica Rand Silverman and Sharon Kennedy, visit their website. This incredibly detailed and creative guide conforms to Common Core Standards and offers suggestions for supplemental materials, interdisciplinary activities, essay prompts, creative writing responses, and much more.
Reviews
"With beautiful prose that draws us into the rhythms of a landscape that, like adolescence itself, is both fertile and harsh, Laura McNeal accomplishes a difficult feat: evoking compassion for a young woman whose search for love and independence leads to the ultimate tragedy. As Pearl makes the painful transition into adulthood, she gains self-knowledge and autonomy, but not without profound cost. This is coming of age in the truest sense."
--the National Book Foundation
"Notable for well-drawn characters, an engaging plot and, especially, hauntingly beautiful language, this is an outstanding book."
--Kirkus (starred review)
"a gorgeous, graceful story of love and loss, of pathos and sweet innocence. . . a beautiful example of a crossover novel, one that appeals to teenagers and adults." --the North County Times
"In 30 years at California newspapers, I've read, edited and even reported fire stories – the dangers, the heroics, the losses. But I'm hard-pressed to recall one written from the point of view of a teenager. Is there ever an age when we are more impulsive, more driven by feeling than thinking? Whether it takes the National Book Award or not, Dark Water is a winner." --the Sacramento Bee
"a masterful young adult novel centered on
15-year-old Pearl DeWitt, a complex and thoroughly likable teen who
follows her heart to grave
consequences."
--the San Diego Union-Tribune
"...Dark Water is not so much a look at serious issues through the
lens of teen love, but rather a look at teen love through the lens of
serious issues."
--Genevieve Wood, Spellbinder Books
(Lone Pine, CA independent book store)
". . . criminally underappreciated . . . Any relationship between Pearl and Amiel is not only taboo it is
outright forbidden. Culturally it just cannot be done. This is a fact
that Pearl brazenly ignores but Amiel never forgets. Amiel's resolve is
yet another way in which McNeal keeps "Dark Water" from becoming a
typical tale of young romance. Through their friendship the true goal of
the book is realized. We see a discussion of the working immigrant life
in the US. The workers are both desperately needed and ultimately
disdained. This is a hugely important topic, and to see it tackled with
such grace and wrapped in such a nice prose package is wonderful. I
would love to see this novel discussed; especially in a classroom
setting."--Michelle Cavalier, Cavalier House Books
(Denham Springs, Louisiana, independent book store)"This coming of age/young love story is a departure from the usual young
adult fare. It utilizes the elemental forces of fire and water to help
tell the story, enriching it for the reader by the multiple layers of
meaning in the text. There is so much in this book to stimulate the mind
of readers: the symbolism of the life-giving role of water, and of the
dual nature of fire that simultaneously connotes death but also the
opportunity for clear-cutting renewal . . ."
Jill Broderick, Rhapsody in Books
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Posted By:
anonymous?
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i loved this book but i really want there to be a sequel!!!!!PLEASE
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Posted By:
Natasha
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I really do feel bad for pearl mainly beacuse Robby won't talk to her and the fact that she has to go through life knowing tjat she killed her uncle.
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Posted By:
Jordan Cooper
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man this book was sooooo good,i loved everything about it. i hope there will be a sequel since amiel and pearl deserve a happy ending!!!!
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Posted By:
Valeria Moreno
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I loved the book sooo much that i finished it within three days! It's an amazing book! i realy hope there is a sequel! i mean i loved everything about it but Pearl deserves a happy ending with Amiel. i love your work :D
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Posted By:
Darci
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I just finished this book today, and i loved it.i came on here just to see if you have a sequel.im dying to know what happens with pearl and amiel in their future.i feel as tho the story kinda left off without the genuine happy ending i yearned for while reading it, so hope you make another, PLEASE!!:) i would love to know that they live happily ever after with children, and maybe pearl recconects with her cousin. anything, really just please make a sequel!
thanks, darci
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Posted By:
Beela A.
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Seriously, books like this inspire people to read. I couldn't let go of it and so finished it within a few hours(of course, I had to hide and read it as my mom was getting furious that I wouldn't come out of my room!:)
I really hope you can make a sequel to this book. It was truly genuine.
Thanks!
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Posted By:
Natalie Quiles
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I just finished reading this book and all I can say is wow, a thousand times wow. I work at Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Va. and there was this little book that sounded entirely different than all the other things I'd been reading. So I yanked it out and read 1/2 way through it by the end of my shift. I know to some this may be hard to believe but this book is on the same level as Atonement for me. It's heart wrenching and wonderful. I'm a little hurt it's in the young adults section because there's lessons to be learn by parents in there as well. Thank you for writing an amazing book that hit so close to home on do many levels for me. You've truly blessed every reader that gets this one in their hands. Now I'm off to stop crying.
A new fan,
Nat
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Posted By:
Tesereta
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I really want to read this book! Just from what I've read about it so far, I know that I could relate to it! It sounds really awesome!
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Posted By:
Alora
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Mrs. Mcneal is an amazing author, and has a talent for writing.
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Posted By:
Camille D
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I'm a big fan of the McNeal's books (have read all save for "Decoding of Lana Morris" which I plan to read soon). Although they're geared toward "young adults", they write their characters with such maturity that any audience will enjoy. I am definitely looking forward to this one. From what I can see, it's hugely different from the others. I cannot wait!
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Posted By:
Brie
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I read Crooked and I absolutely loved it. I'm so excited for this book to come out! I read up top and I can't wait to read more! I can't wait to buy this book this fall.
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Posted By:
MakaylaB
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If only I could read more! It's so interesting! I can't wait to buy the book next year!
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Posted By:
mary dupuy
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It's remarkable that just one page of this book can be so thoroughly engaging, and show such beautiful and delicate writing. It will be hard to wait until next fall to find out where the author takes this story!
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