Last year, working together on a school project on Hurricane Katrina, three sixth-grade classmates in New Orleans formed a strong bond of friendship. Now they're in seventh grade, and Greer blames herself for a road accident that has left her younger sister physically disabled. Hoping to end Greer's "year-long funk," Kiki proposes that they enter the Junior Team Relay Triathlon. The others agree. Greer, a former track team member, will run. Joya Mia plans to do the cycling on a rusty bike. Kiki, who can't swim yet, agrees to take the aquatic section. During the many months of training, each girl runs into predictable difficulties and unexpected joys. And each challenges herself not to let the others down. Holt's involving third-person narrative shifts focus, chapter by chapter, from one girl to the next and portrays their family relationships as well as the intricately interwoven thoughts, emotions, and memories that bind them together. While some readers may be drawn to one girl in particular, most will find themselves rooting for all three main characters in this engaging novel.

During their first year attending middle school in New Orleans, Greer, Joya Mia, and Kiki become inseparable friends when they collaborate on a project interviewing neighbors and family members about the impact of Hurricane Katrina. A year later, that friendship appears to fade as Greer withdraws, blaming herself for her sister's disabling accident; the girls "were like a tricycle with one loose wheel." Kiki, ever the one with the big (but often haphazard) ideas, decides that to rebuild the friendship the three should participate in a local relay triathlon, even though they are ill-equipped to compete: Joya Mia, the designated cyclist, rides a rusty old two-wheeler; Kiki, the swimmer, needs to learn how; and Greer, the track star, has given up running. Although the race, and preparations for it, provide the novel's main arc, it is the girls' slowly deepening understanding of themselves that gives this book its heart. Like their rebuilt city, this friendship cannot reconstitute as an exact replica of what they had before. The simple passage of time generates new circumstances; family relationships mature and new friends expand the boundaries of their once-exclusive group, resulting in thoughtful self-examination. Holt takes time developing these characters, allowing readers to see both their individual and collective growth in this appealing and sensitive novel.

Three New Orleans friends born in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina confront emotional challenges as they train for a triathlon.Greer, Kiki, and Joya Mia have been inseparable ever since a sixth grade project on Hurricane Katrina brought them together. But a year later, their trio is drifting apart. After Darby, Greer's 7-year-old sister, was hit by a truck eight months ago and lost the use of her legs, aspiring track star Greer has been distant. Greer blames herself for the accident leading to Darby's paralysis-and she's convinced her mom blames her too. Joya Mia and Kiki think joining an upcoming team triathlon might help Greer heal, but roadblocks abound. Greer can't bring herself to run again. Kiki has trouble keeping commitments, and swimming makes her self-conscious about her weight. Joya Mia enjoys cycling, but her family's money troubles make it difficult to obtain the proper equipment. In alternating third-person perspectives, the girls realistically discover strengths and confront fears as they struggle to stay a team. Greer's experience forms the core of the plot: Holt poignantly explores the accident's impact on Greer and her parents, and Greer's counseling sessions are particularly well depicted. But Darby herself feels underdeveloped, and her mom's framing of one story element risks positioning Darby in readers' minds as contributing a life lesson for nondisabled people. Joya Mia is Mexican American; Greer and Kiki are cued white.An uplifting portrait of friendship and healing. (author's note) (Fiction. 9-12)

Interpersonal conflicts threaten the friendship of three New Orleans seventh graders in this slice-of-life novel by Holt (The Ambassador of Nowhere Texas). Because she went for a run instead of minding her younger sister, Greer believes that the traffic accident that resulted in her sibling needing a wheelchair is her fault. To lift Greer’s spirits, best friend Kiki proposes that she, Greer, and their other friend Joya Mia—who dubbed themselves the Hurricane Girls after their collaboration on a school project about Hurricane Katrina—compete in a relay triathlon. But the race’s events present problems for the trio: Kiki cannot swim despite attempting to learn in the pool her father had installed before he abandoned their family, Joya Mia shares her rusted old bike with her financially struggling household, and Greer doesn’t want to run at all following her sister’s accident. Myriad growing pains surrounding school, money, body image, and the future further imperil their bond. Nuanced relationship dynamics paired with complex characterizations drive this grounded look at the ways in which the aftermath of tragedy can reverberate long after the event and how community and connection can pave a path toward healing. Greer and Kiki read as white; Joya Mia is Mexican American. Ages 8–12. Agent: Amy Berkower, Writers House. (Aug.)