Inspired by Joan of Arc, a girl builds and pilots a submarine to prove just what girls can do in Mary Underwater, a masterful middle-grade debut from Shannon Doleski.
Mary Murphy feels like she’ s drowning. Her violent father is home from prison, and the social worker is suspicious of her new bruises. An aunt she’ s never met keeps calling. And if she can’ t get a good grade on her science project, she’ ll fail her favorite class.
But Mary doesn’ t want to be a victim anymore. She has a plan: Build a real submarine, like the model she’ s been making with Kip Dwyer, the secretly sweet class clown. Gaining courage from her heroine, Joan of Arc, Mary vows to pilot a sub across the Chesapeake Bay, risking her life in a modern crusade to save herself.
Mary Underwater is an empowering tale of persistence, heroism, and hope from a luminous new voice in middle-grade fiction.
“ This is perfect for readers not quite ready for Laurie Halse Anderson and anyone who needs a reminder that there’ s always hope. ” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’ s Books (Starred Review)
