Where the Water Takes Us
Alan Barillaro
Candlewick
July 11, 2023
Ages 8 to 12

Award-winning filmmaker Alan Barillaro makes his debut as an author with Where the Water Takes Us. Eleven-year-old Ava is sent to spend the summer on her grandparents’ island when her mother experiences unexpected pregnancy issues while carrying twins. Ava struggles with anxiety away from her parents, which only increases when a bird dies in front of her, which according to her Nonna, is a curse. She believes she is the reason her mother is in the hospital. She tries to reverse the curse by taking care of two abandoned robin eggs with a friend she meets from across the lake, Cody. 

Barillaro uses Ava in third-person prose to explore the challenges faced when transitioning from childhood to adolescence. Multigenerational relationships and strong characters are woven together with enchanting nature descriptions to create an engaging story. Ava poorly hides her worries while trying to balance reversing the curse and having a normal summer. Instead of swimming, which is one of her favorite pastimes, she asks Nonna consistently to call her parents or is hyper fixated on caring for the birds. Cody is introduced as a cheerful yet annoying young boy. He is the perfect companion for Ava, he is able to distract her from her intrusive thoughts. Nonno and Nonna, Ava’s grandparents, assist their granddaughter in caring for the robin eggs and saving her from harm’s way as she makes difficult decisions while growing up. This debut book reveals confrontation with the unknown and acceptance of change at a young age.