Sole Survivor

Ollestad (French Girl with Mother, for adults) and Kiely (Tradition) team up to deliver a wrenching novel based on Ollestad’s own childhood survival experience. In 1979, 11-year-old Ollestad wins a ski championship in Big Bear, Calif. Accompanied by his father and his father’s girlfriend, Sandra, the youth travels six hours back to the Palisades so he can participate in a hockey game. The next morning, Ollestad’s father charters a plane to return to Big Bear for the championship’s closing ceremonies. En route, a blizzard slams the plane into the San Gabriel Mountains, killing the pilot and Ollestad’s father and gravely injuring Sandra. Dazed and hurt, Ollestad must make his way down the mountain to seek help or risk spending the night exposed in the frigid landscape. As Ollestad descends, he ruminates on his mother’s abusive boyfriend, his having to take on a caregiver role to save Sandra, and the resentment he feels toward his fractured family: “They were my parents, but not always my protectors. I had to save myself.” Throughout this tale of resilience and finding the strength to weather terrifying and uncertain situations, Ollestad draws on skills he learned from skiing and surfing to survive, which the authors depict using technical sports jargon. Ages 10–14. Agent: Rob Weisbach, Rob Weisbach Creative Management. (Oct.)