Sisters Eliza and Avery love living on the coast of Louisiana with their parents. The birds, turtles and swamp wildlife is always fascinating to watch and they both look forward to joining their parents in their shrimp fishing business.

They are also best friends, but Eliza has a secret. She’s not sure about a future in shrimping anymore, and can’t find a way to tell her little sister. They’ve been planning it their whole lives.

Eliza pushes it to the back of her mind as Avery tells her a secret of her own – she’s found footprints. Footprints too large for a man, and not made by any animals they know of. Could it be the fabled loup garou?

Avery is excited about the discovery. Their land is slowly being swallowed by the sea, with their houses already on stilts. Nobody seems to be doing anything about it, except for the nearby mining company who has offered to buy their land, so they can move. Avery believes if they find a loup-garou, the government will help by safe-guarding the habitat and that in turn, will enable them to stay in the place they love. The girls ask their friends Grace and Huy to help them.

Their love of their home drives them to keep looking for the wolf-like creature, and it’s not only the quicksand, alligators and swamp holes putting their lives at risk. A hurricane is on its way.

Swimming Against the Storm is a story of sisterhood, environment, action, friendship, corporate greed and the fallout from it. It’s an adventure from start to finish, with characters who won’t give up on what they believe in, and not only fight for their lives, but their whole community. Great read.

Author – Jess Butterworth

Age – 8+

(Environment, Animals, Swamp, Louisiana, Wildlife, Sisters, Siblings, Secrets, Mining)