Rising Water

Rising Water: the story of the Thai Cave Rescue
Marc Aronson
Atheneum, 2019 148 pages
Grades 5-8
Non-Fiction

Last summer the world watched as twelve young student soccer players became trapped in a cave in Thailand. The rainy season started and it seemed as if there was no way they could get out, let alone survive. The Thai government put their best soldiers/Navy Seals on the job, but cave diving is a very specific activity and the job was too complex for them alone. Since children and teenagers were involved, the media grabbed hold of the story and it went viral. Cave divers from around the world raced to Thailand to assist in the rescue efforts, amassing into a super-cave diving team, representing a variety of nationalities and crossing many political barriers. The super-team first had to determine if the boys were still alive and then get them much needed food and supplies. Next came the complicated and dangerous rescue effort. The results were miraculous and joyful-yet not without significant costs. The aftermath of the rescue is also explored and how the experience changed the lives of the boys involved. The book concludes with extensive notes, bibliography, and index, as well as a comprehensive description of the author's writing and research process. A full color photo insert rounds out the volume, offering readers an image to flesh out the descriptive words.

How in the world did Marc Aronson pull this book together in less than one year? He is the premier writer of middle grade non-fiction, but this feat seems miraculous even for this veteran from the trenches. Much as he did with Trapped: How the World Rescued 33 Miners from 2,000 Feet Below the Chilean Desert, Aronson meticulously researched his subject manner and presents it in a conversational, yet unbiased, manner. The story is presented in a linear fashion and remains factual, even within the context of a narrative. At the end of the story the author highlights lessons learned from this experience: exposure to Thai culture, the abilities of countries around the world working together for a common cause peacefully, awareness of the plight of refugees, as some of the kids were considered "stateless" with no rights or privileges, and the power of the media to turn the public's attention to world needs. Aronson respectfully introduces us to the members of the Wild Boars (the name of the soccer team) without compromising their privacy. The reader experiences the power of teamwork, kindness and hope. Ultimately a heartwarming story of true-life survival, there are nail-biting moments that make for a great narrative and keep the pages turning. A great choice for book discussion with obvious curriculum connections, give to kids who love to read non-fiction or adults who don't have the patience for longer tomes.