The Weight of Water

A poetic, gifty offering that combines first love, friendship, and persistent courage in this lyrical immigration story told in verse.

Carrying just a suitcase and an old laundry bag filled with clothes, Kasienka and her mother are immigrating to England from Poland. Kasienka isn't the happiest girl in the world. At home, her mother is suffering from a broken heart as she searches for Kasienka's father. And at school, Kasienka is having trouble being the new girl and making friends. The only time she feels comforted is when she's swimming at the pool. But she can't quite shake the feeling that she's sinking. Until a new boy swims into her life, and she learns that there might be more than one way to stay afloat.

The Weight of Water is a coming-of-age story that deftly handles issues of immigration, alienation, and first love. Moving and poetically rendered, this novel-in-verse is the story of a young girl whose determination to find out who she is prevails.

"This is a wrenching but hopeful story of displacement, loneliness, and survival. . . . Crossan’s verse packs a punch as she examines the power that difference -- but also determination -- can wield." - starred review, Publishers Weekly

"Graceful, effortless verse. . . . A sweet, well-paced tale [with] a silver lining." - School Library Journal

"Poignant, powerful, just perfect." - Cathy Cassidy, author of Gingersnaps

"Narrating in image-rich free verse that packs an emotional punch, Kasienka describes what life is like for a new arrival while also exploring universal themes. . . . Memorable." - Kirkus Reviews

"A powerful coming-of-age novel about family and discovering how to be true to yourself that is well worth reading." - Booklist