Struggling with his dad who seems distracted and his bossy older sister, Rusty turns to sailing to fill his time. It gradually transpires that she has been suffering from depression and has gone to a clinic for treatment, but how long she will be away for, no-one knows. First off, he failed fifth grade which means that he has to attend summer school and secondly, his mom is in a hospital on the mainland. It’s the start of the summer holidays which should mean a great few weeks stretching ahead of him but Rusty’s summer is not turning out like he’d planned. I was NOT required to write a positive review. You'll love the characters as much or more like I did. This story is heartwarming and the characters will leave you thinking about them long after the story is done. I did shed some tears in certain scenes but there were others I truly delighted in. It's why I appreciate this story so much! I can relate to Rusty in more ways than one. In my opinion the cover of this book tells it all and I had to laugh!

I must say that I learned a lot from this book that is geared towards the young adult in the sail boat scenes. I loved their respect for each other and the way they were there for one another. It reminded me of the friendship that I had with an elderly woman. I think this is what I loved best about this book. Opinions are my own.Ī well written novel with an unlikely friendship. Thanks to Net Galley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I highly recommend this book, but have tissues at the ready as you get to the end. William Loizeaux’s writing takes you right along with his relaxed and fun to read style. I loved learning about sailing terms (definitions included in the back), and the relationship between Rusty and Hazel is so delightful to watch as it develops all the way to the end. Not one to pass on watermelon, Rusty accepts the invitation and soon finds a friend who understands his love of sailing, encourages him in his studies, and helps him rise to the challenge in many areas of his life. Rusty brushes her off, but a few days later Hazel sees him in town and she asks him if he’d like to come to her house for lunch with watermelon for dessert. When he’s bailing out his little catboat, an old lady in a wheelchair asks if he will take her sailing. It tells the story of Rusty, an almost 6th grader who has to go to summer school to catch up on math, and his mother has gone some place that will help her not be so sad anymore. Into the Wind, by William Loizeaux is a book you will not want to miss.

Into the Wind by William Loizeaux