Crossing the Pressure Line
by Laura Anne Bird
GENRE: middle grade literary fiction
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/01/2022
DESCRIPTION:
Twelve-year-old Clare Burch has just lost the person she loves most in the world, and she wonders if her feelings of sorrow and self-blame over her grandfather’s death will ever go away.
Out of the blue, a special request sends Clare on a journey from her home in Chicago to the Northwoods of Wisconsin. She knows that she must honor Grandpa Anthony’s last wishes, even though they completely upend her summertime plans.
Clare heads to rural Alwyn with her little blind dog and a duffel bag full of worries. What will she do without her best friends and swim team? Who will take her fishing and spoil her with candy now that her grandfather is gone? And most important, is she strong enough to let him go, forever?
During her summer up north, Clare stumbles upon the answers to her many questions. As she makes peace with why she couldn’t save Grandpa Anthony, she ends up rescuing someone else from danger.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
A Wisconsin native, Laura Anne Bird graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a degree in English. She lives in Madison with her husband, three teenagers, and little dog.
When she’s not reading, writing, or reviewing books, she loves to exercise and explore the outdoors. Crossing the Pressure Line is her first novel. You can find her on Instagram @laura_at_the_library.
REVIEWS:
A young girl finds purpose in life after losing a loved one in Bird's debut middle-grade novel... Bird craftily balances the family's story with beautiful descriptions of Wisconsin landscapes while focusing on Clare's emotions and realizations as she learns to believe in herself and to accept the loss of a loved one. The characters are relatable and sometimes quite funny, and Clare's ruminations are thoughtful yet appropriate for a girl her age... An evocative story about recovering from grief for readers of any age.
Kirkus Reviews
COMPARATIVE FILM/BOOK:
Because of Winn-Dixie, based on the middle grade novel by Kate DiCamillo
CASTING:
In a perfect world, Clare would be played by Abby Ryder Fortson, Grandma Lulu would be played by Catherine O'Hara, and Clare's mom, Helen, would be played by Mackenzie Foy.
PRIMARY VENUES/LOCATIONS WITHIN THE BOOK:
Chicago, IL and the Northwoods of Wisconsin (rural, lake-filled, beautiful)
BOOK EXCERPT:
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