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Dive
From the beloved author of Posted comes a powerful, poignant, and unexpected coming-of-age story about the rules in life that box us in—and the determination it takes to break out.
From the moment Kassandra Conner leaps from the diving board to the moment she hits the water, everything feels in control.
The rest of her life does not.
St. Lawrence Academy is supposed to have everything Kass's old school didn’t: safe hallways, small classes, and, most important, a chance to dive. But since transferring, all Kass can think about is what’s missing. Like her best friend, Aleah, who’s starting to pull away. Or the comfortable life so many of her classmates enjoy while Kass’s family’s restaurant struggles to stay afloat. Even the excitement she always felt in the pool, now that she’s on the same team as Amber Moore—the best diver in the state, who’s barely said two words to her all year.
Kass feels like she’s drowning, until she meets a boy named Miles. He’s a diver, too—someone who searches through dumpsters in the posh side of town for things he can salvage or sell. Miles knows what it’s like to be boxed in by things you can’t control, and as Kass spends more and more time with him, she starts to wonder what would happen if she tried to break out of her own box—and what she might lose by doing so.
From the moment Kassandra Conner leaps from the diving board to the moment she hits the water, everything feels in control.
The rest of her life does not.
St. Lawrence Academy is supposed to have everything Kass's old school didn’t: safe hallways, small classes, and, most important, a chance to dive. But since transferring, all Kass can think about is what’s missing. Like her best friend, Aleah, who’s starting to pull away. Or the comfortable life so many of her classmates enjoy while Kass’s family’s restaurant struggles to stay afloat. Even the excitement she always felt in the pool, now that she’s on the same team as Amber Moore—the best diver in the state, who’s barely said two words to her all year.
Kass feels like she’s drowning, until she meets a boy named Miles. He’s a diver, too—someone who searches through dumpsters in the posh side of town for things he can salvage or sell. Miles knows what it’s like to be boxed in by things you can’t control, and as Kass spends more and more time with him, she starts to wonder what would happen if she tried to break out of her own box—and what she might lose by doing so.
336 pages, Hardcover
Published August 19, 2025
14 people are currently reading
4421 people want to read
About the author
John David Anderson
21 books620 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
John David Anderson once hit himself so hard on a dare by his sister that he literally knocked himself out of a chair and nearly blacked out. He has since translated this passion and singularity of purpose to the related arts of novel writing and pizza eating. The author of STANDARD HERO BEHAVIOR, SIDEKICKED, MINION, THE DUNGEONEERS and the soon-to-land MS. BIXBY's LAST DAY, Anderson is a firm believer in wearing the same pair of jeans for three days in a row (four in the winter) and the power of writing to solve 73% of the world's problems. He lives with his beautiful wife and twins in Indianapolis, Indiana.
John David Anderson once hit himself so hard on a dare by his sister that he literally knocked himself out of a chair and nearly blacked out. He has since translated this passion and singularity of purpose to the related arts of novel writing and pizza eating. The author of STANDARD HERO BEHAVIOR, SIDEKICKED, MINION, THE DUNGEONEERS and the soon-to-land MS. BIXBY's LAST DAY, Anderson is a firm believer in wearing the same pair of jeans for three days in a row (four in the winter) and the power of writing to solve 73% of the world's problems. He lives with his beautiful wife and twins in Indianapolis, Indiana.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
September 18, 2025
✰ 3.25 stars ✰
While Kass' circumstances and experiences do teach valuable and important lessons by addressing real-life issues and concerns, I don't think I particularly enjoyed or was impressed by it. Yes, for teenages, it realistically touches upon their emotions and guides them how to be a bit more practical and diligent, and behave responsibly in certain matters, but as a read; it was just okay. 🤷🏻♀️
Perhaps because some of Kass' personality traits rubbed me the wrong way. Yes, religion is subjective and even the flippant, snarky comments Kass in deference to Christianity may be taken in stride to her teenage streak, but her even having to move to a Catholic private school, Saint Lawrence Academy, could have very much been any private school and it wouldn't have made a difference. 😕 Yet the pointedness of her disregard of it was disconcerting, and felt like an unnecessary addition to the plot.
“It’s broken,” she’d said.
“Most things are,” he’d said, keeping one eye on her and one eye on the box. “Doesn’t mean they can’t be fixed.”
Honestly, I don't know in this present day and age if parents would feel comfortable or even encourage dumpster diving in the literal sense of scavenging for items that even with a pretty cushy life, you still want to experience what it is like for the lesser fortunate (even if that even rubs me the wrong way). 😮💨 Or maybe they would, I don't know.
But, in a metaphorical sense of diving inward and discovering that buried part of yourself that lies hidden in the deepest recesses of you, the untapped potential and possibility of striving towards greatness by taking a plunge into the unknown - break through the wall. Don’t hold back, then sure, this is something that touches upon how much you gain from being brave. 🧱👊🏻
“It felt insane. It felt reckless and impossible. It made her heart pound just thinking about it.
But then so did diving sometimes.”
A part of me just couldn't feel for Kass; maybe it was the stereotypical storyline, itself, along with a quasi-problematic (concerning) friendship that may have been too close for comfort, even if everything remained innocent, Kass' intentions were, well, typical of a thirteen-year-old girl. 🥺❣️ So, I don't fault her for maybe developing a crush on seventeen-year-old Miles, Miles, who definitely has life a lot rougher and tougher than her, but who still manages to show her the beauty in the unpolished things that we tend to discard or disavow.
While she did lie and sneak around with Miles on their scavenger hunts, it is easy to see how he was helping her embrace her own inner fears regarding diving and growing as a person, by offering his own helpful advice. We may not have spent much time in her head or in the water, but it was enough to show how she burst forth through the mental barriers that were challenging her from reaching her true potential and talent. 😤 His friendship, in a way, also served as a purposeful reason for old and new friends to unite in their concern for her, and develop a deeper bond together - something she feared she would not be able to find when she moved here. 🫂
And while I feel like I am complaining a lot more about the length of books these days, this did not quite feel like a middle grade read, but rather young adult; and at a point, I felt a bit exhausted by it. 😔 Maybe because Kass does behave rather -- stupidly is a bit harsh, but okay, maybe she didn't know better, but even so, she should have used a bit of her head. So by that point, I was pretty much past the cliché choices, and just bracing for the eventual impact of her relationship with Miles.
“I think it’s okay to be scared sometimes,” Miles said. “Even of the things we love.”
I wouldn't mind a companion piece of Miles' perspective; granted, one would even say that his background isn't all that un-stereotypical either, but his history and feelings resonated with me more, as compared to Kass' struggles with trying to be a better diver and making friends, while still holding onto her old ones. ❤️🩹❤️🩹
Still, it does depict real life problems and their consequences in a believable way. And for those unable to break free of their own inner shackles and find within themselves the power and strength to be better than you can be, then Kass' growth and Miles' own struggles certainly shows you that the possibility is endless, as long as you believe in yourself. 💪🎵📦
“Step to the music you alone hear.”
While Kass' circumstances and experiences do teach valuable and important lessons by addressing real-life issues and concerns, I don't think I particularly enjoyed or was impressed by it. Yes, for teenages, it realistically touches upon their emotions and guides them how to be a bit more practical and diligent, and behave responsibly in certain matters, but as a read; it was just okay. 🤷🏻♀️
Perhaps because some of Kass' personality traits rubbed me the wrong way. Yes, religion is subjective and even the flippant, snarky comments Kass in deference to Christianity may be taken in stride to her teenage streak, but her even having to move to a Catholic private school, Saint Lawrence Academy, could have very much been any private school and it wouldn't have made a difference. 😕 Yet the pointedness of her disregard of it was disconcerting, and felt like an unnecessary addition to the plot.
“It’s broken,” she’d said.
“Most things are,” he’d said, keeping one eye on her and one eye on the box. “Doesn’t mean they can’t be fixed.”
Honestly, I don't know in this present day and age if parents would feel comfortable or even encourage dumpster diving in the literal sense of scavenging for items that even with a pretty cushy life, you still want to experience what it is like for the lesser fortunate (even if that even rubs me the wrong way). 😮💨 Or maybe they would, I don't know.
But, in a metaphorical sense of diving inward and discovering that buried part of yourself that lies hidden in the deepest recesses of you, the untapped potential and possibility of striving towards greatness by taking a plunge into the unknown - break through the wall. Don’t hold back, then sure, this is something that touches upon how much you gain from being brave. 🧱👊🏻
“It felt insane. It felt reckless and impossible. It made her heart pound just thinking about it.
But then so did diving sometimes.”
A part of me just couldn't feel for Kass; maybe it was the stereotypical storyline, itself, along with a quasi-problematic (concerning) friendship that may have been too close for comfort, even if everything remained innocent, Kass' intentions were, well, typical of a thirteen-year-old girl. 🥺❣️ So, I don't fault her for maybe developing a crush on seventeen-year-old Miles, Miles, who definitely has life a lot rougher and tougher than her, but who still manages to show her the beauty in the unpolished things that we tend to discard or disavow.
While she did lie and sneak around with Miles on their scavenger hunts, it is easy to see how he was helping her embrace her own inner fears regarding diving and growing as a person, by offering his own helpful advice. We may not have spent much time in her head or in the water, but it was enough to show how she burst forth through the mental barriers that were challenging her from reaching her true potential and talent. 😤 His friendship, in a way, also served as a purposeful reason for old and new friends to unite in their concern for her, and develop a deeper bond together - something she feared she would not be able to find when she moved here. 🫂
And while I feel like I am complaining a lot more about the length of books these days, this did not quite feel like a middle grade read, but rather young adult; and at a point, I felt a bit exhausted by it. 😔 Maybe because Kass does behave rather -- stupidly is a bit harsh, but okay, maybe she didn't know better, but even so, she should have used a bit of her head. So by that point, I was pretty much past the cliché choices, and just bracing for the eventual impact of her relationship with Miles.
“I think it’s okay to be scared sometimes,” Miles said. “Even of the things we love.”
I wouldn't mind a companion piece of Miles' perspective; granted, one would even say that his background isn't all that un-stereotypical either, but his history and feelings resonated with me more, as compared to Kass' struggles with trying to be a better diver and making friends, while still holding onto her old ones. ❤️🩹❤️🩹
Still, it does depict real life problems and their consequences in a believable way. And for those unable to break free of their own inner shackles and find within themselves the power and strength to be better than you can be, then Kass' growth and Miles' own struggles certainly shows you that the possibility is endless, as long as you believe in yourself. 💪🎵📦
March 29, 2025
ARC provided by Follett First Look
Kass Conner is struggling. Her parents have enrolled her in the prestigious St. Lawrence Academy rather than the urban public school where her friend Leah still goes so that she can take advantage of their diving program. She enjoys diving, but never feels as good as her teammates, especially the "perfect" Amber Moore. Since she and her parents live in an apartment upstairs from the restaurant they run, she takes the city bus to and from school. One day after practice, a slightly older teen boy asks for help getting a television out of a dumpster. Intrigued, she starts up a conversation with him, and he even offers her a pair of boots that he has found. Miles tells her about some of the places he scavenges, and the type of items he finds while dumpster diving. The two talk the next day, and keep arranging to meet. Kass keeps the boots, and goes with Miles on an expedition to go through clothing a boutique is getting ready to send to the thrift store, and gets a jacket to go with them. The two also go visit The Professor, an unhoused man Miles has befriended, to give him a coat and some jeans. Miles is an excellent distraction from the tensions of swimming, as well as the worries about her parents' finances. While the two aren't drawn to each other romantically, there is something comforting yet exciting about meeting up. It's not always easy to get away, and when Amber covers for her when the girls meet while out at the mall with their mothers, Kass finally gets a chance to talk to Amber, whom she has considered her nemesis. It's another much needed friendship, since she isn't able to meet with Aleah in person. After meeting several times with Miles, learning a tiny bit about why he has dropped out of high school to keep an eye on his father, who struggles with mental health issues, Kass decides to go back to see The Professor to give him a pair of gloves. His outdoor accomodations aren't in a good part of town, and some men follow Kass, although The Professor warns them off. The next time she sees Miles, he's angry, but with himself. He tells her that he doesn't want to see her anymore; they are from backgrounds that are too different, and there is no point. Kass isn't happy, but sees his point, and has plenty of other issues to deal with. She has a sleepover with Amber that Aleah that gets off to a rocky start, but ends with her and Amber looking at diving with new eyes. When Miles needs help with his father, he calls the restaurant to ask Kass and her parents to lend him a hand. Her parents aren't happy that she has been lying to them, but help out. There are consequences, and she doesn't see Miles again, but having had him in her life for a short while gives her a new perspective about her own situation.
Strengths: Not all of the people in our lives stay there for a long time. Miles' and Kass' relationship is one of those weirdly satisfying but sad happenstances that can stick with us for much longer than they should. Most middle grade readers haven't quite experienced this, but it's such an intriguing premise. It's perfect that Kass is in middle school, but Miles is a couple of years older, and I loved that Anderson didn't really make this about romance, although there is the vaguest of frisson when she tells Aleah and Amber about meeting an older boy. The information about dumpster diving and repurposing objects, as well as the philosophical musings about what constitutes value and worth of an object (and people) was so well done, and a topic that is near and dear to my own heart. Involving sports is always a good idea. While this isn't as humorous as Ms. Bixby's Last Day (2016), it's also not as sad. Instead, there's a palpable feeling of longing for something that Kass can't even identify or express. This is definitely part of the middle grade experience, but rarely seen in the literature. It's so much more widespread, and interesting, than all of the expressions of grief to which authors seem to default. Bravo, Mr. Anderson. Bravo.
Weaknesses: This is a bit too perfectly constructed for class discussion, so teachers will all want to champion this one and assign this one to students. It will also catch the attention of all of the influencers and awards committees, so could well end up winning a Newbery. And then I'll have to hate it. (N.B. There's some sarcasm here!)
What I really think: I've followed Anderson's work for a long time, and watched with interest as he transitioned from superhero and fantasy books like Sidekicked (2013), Minion (2014), and Dungeoneers (2015) to more introspective novels like Posted (2017), Finding Orion (2019), Riley's Ghost (2022), and Keep It Like a Secret (2024). He's tried a little bit of everything, including realistic humor (Greatest Kid in the World (2023), One Last Shot (2020)) and speculative fiction (Stowaway (2021) and Granted (2018)), but I think Dive really points out what he does best; lightly philosophical works with unexpected adventure and complicated middle grade emotions. Definitely purchasing, and handing to students who enjoyed Choldenko's The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman.
Kass Conner is struggling. Her parents have enrolled her in the prestigious St. Lawrence Academy rather than the urban public school where her friend Leah still goes so that she can take advantage of their diving program. She enjoys diving, but never feels as good as her teammates, especially the "perfect" Amber Moore. Since she and her parents live in an apartment upstairs from the restaurant they run, she takes the city bus to and from school. One day after practice, a slightly older teen boy asks for help getting a television out of a dumpster. Intrigued, she starts up a conversation with him, and he even offers her a pair of boots that he has found. Miles tells her about some of the places he scavenges, and the type of items he finds while dumpster diving. The two talk the next day, and keep arranging to meet. Kass keeps the boots, and goes with Miles on an expedition to go through clothing a boutique is getting ready to send to the thrift store, and gets a jacket to go with them. The two also go visit The Professor, an unhoused man Miles has befriended, to give him a coat and some jeans. Miles is an excellent distraction from the tensions of swimming, as well as the worries about her parents' finances. While the two aren't drawn to each other romantically, there is something comforting yet exciting about meeting up. It's not always easy to get away, and when Amber covers for her when the girls meet while out at the mall with their mothers, Kass finally gets a chance to talk to Amber, whom she has considered her nemesis. It's another much needed friendship, since she isn't able to meet with Aleah in person. After meeting several times with Miles, learning a tiny bit about why he has dropped out of high school to keep an eye on his father, who struggles with mental health issues, Kass decides to go back to see The Professor to give him a pair of gloves. His outdoor accomodations aren't in a good part of town, and some men follow Kass, although The Professor warns them off. The next time she sees Miles, he's angry, but with himself. He tells her that he doesn't want to see her anymore; they are from backgrounds that are too different, and there is no point. Kass isn't happy, but sees his point, and has plenty of other issues to deal with. She has a sleepover with Amber that Aleah that gets off to a rocky start, but ends with her and Amber looking at diving with new eyes. When Miles needs help with his father, he calls the restaurant to ask Kass and her parents to lend him a hand. Her parents aren't happy that she has been lying to them, but help out. There are consequences, and she doesn't see Miles again, but having had him in her life for a short while gives her a new perspective about her own situation.
Strengths: Not all of the people in our lives stay there for a long time. Miles' and Kass' relationship is one of those weirdly satisfying but sad happenstances that can stick with us for much longer than they should. Most middle grade readers haven't quite experienced this, but it's such an intriguing premise. It's perfect that Kass is in middle school, but Miles is a couple of years older, and I loved that Anderson didn't really make this about romance, although there is the vaguest of frisson when she tells Aleah and Amber about meeting an older boy. The information about dumpster diving and repurposing objects, as well as the philosophical musings about what constitutes value and worth of an object (and people) was so well done, and a topic that is near and dear to my own heart. Involving sports is always a good idea. While this isn't as humorous as Ms. Bixby's Last Day (2016), it's also not as sad. Instead, there's a palpable feeling of longing for something that Kass can't even identify or express. This is definitely part of the middle grade experience, but rarely seen in the literature. It's so much more widespread, and interesting, than all of the expressions of grief to which authors seem to default. Bravo, Mr. Anderson. Bravo.
Weaknesses: This is a bit too perfectly constructed for class discussion, so teachers will all want to champion this one and assign this one to students. It will also catch the attention of all of the influencers and awards committees, so could well end up winning a Newbery. And then I'll have to hate it. (N.B. There's some sarcasm here!)
What I really think: I've followed Anderson's work for a long time, and watched with interest as he transitioned from superhero and fantasy books like Sidekicked (2013), Minion (2014), and Dungeoneers (2015) to more introspective novels like Posted (2017), Finding Orion (2019), Riley's Ghost (2022), and Keep It Like a Secret (2024). He's tried a little bit of everything, including realistic humor (Greatest Kid in the World (2023), One Last Shot (2020)) and speculative fiction (Stowaway (2021) and Granted (2018)), but I think Dive really points out what he does best; lightly philosophical works with unexpected adventure and complicated middle grade emotions. Definitely purchasing, and handing to students who enjoyed Choldenko's The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman.
July 31, 2025
I actually liked this way more than I thought I would!!
It’s really well written, and there are some parts that I felt were perfect!
This definitely earned a spot on my favorite books list!!
Thanks Harper Collin’s for this amazing ARC!!
It’s really well written, and there are some parts that I felt were perfect!
This definitely earned a spot on my favorite books list!!
Thanks Harper Collin’s for this amazing ARC!!
June 19, 2025
Eighth-grader Kass has transferred from her city school to a wealthy Catholic school in the suburbs for the diving team. Her family restaurant is not the success it once was as the city neighborhood has changed, but her parents make the financial sacrifice. Kass finds it hard to fit in, but know she's not really trying, either. Things start to change when she meets a high school dropout dumpster-diving while she waits for her bus home from practice. Kass starts making more connections, but she also starts keeping secrets from her parents and her best friend from her former school.
John David Anderson is usually shelved as middle grade in my library, but Dive is more on the young adult side, at least for my parochial school library shelves. Besides the lying, there's a run-in with some drug dealers and themes that make this feel better suited for 8th and 9th graders rather than 6th and 7th.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.
John David Anderson is usually shelved as middle grade in my library, but Dive is more on the young adult side, at least for my parochial school library shelves. Besides the lying, there's a run-in with some drug dealers and themes that make this feel better suited for 8th and 9th graders rather than 6th and 7th.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.
May 30, 2025
Kass is feeling like a fish out of water at her new private school. The only thing that keeps her going is diving practice after school. Even there she faces some dirty looks and mean girl vibes. She is missing her best friend and the feeling of belonging she had at her public school. To complicate matters further, she is afraid that their family's restaurant business isn't doing well which causes tension with her parents.
Unexpectedly, she encounters a stranger who does a different kind of diving-dumpster diving. She tentatively pursues a friendship with this older boy, and things quickly become complicated.
I enjoyed reading Kass's point of view as she worked through many complicated relationships. She learned a lot about empathy and making assumptions. She put herself into some dangerous situations which made me uncomfortable as a parent, but there were reasonable consequences for these mistakes to help with the learning. I did not care for some of the flippant comments made about the religious elements at the private school. The kids were using it as a joke not to be taken seriously by anyone in the story.
Older middle school kids will relate to this character, especially when facing a new school or new situation that have them feeling a bit displaced.
Unexpectedly, she encounters a stranger who does a different kind of diving-dumpster diving. She tentatively pursues a friendship with this older boy, and things quickly become complicated.
I enjoyed reading Kass's point of view as she worked through many complicated relationships. She learned a lot about empathy and making assumptions. She put herself into some dangerous situations which made me uncomfortable as a parent, but there were reasonable consequences for these mistakes to help with the learning. I did not care for some of the flippant comments made about the religious elements at the private school. The kids were using it as a joke not to be taken seriously by anyone in the story.
Older middle school kids will relate to this character, especially when facing a new school or new situation that have them feeling a bit displaced.
December 16, 2025
Dive is a double meaning title for this middle grade novel. #1 she (13) is a diver, on a parochial school dive team. #2 she meets a teen (17) who dumpster dives as a means of survival. The friendship is kept in secret and that leads to some tense moments and understandable concerns from her parents. I remember being that age and wanting some atomomy but also having zero understanding of the wider world and that not everyone has my best interests in mind. Ultimately, it's a story where her world is broadened and help/solution is found for all characters at the end.
October 15, 2025
Is this elementary? There isn’t anything that any elementary school kids would object to, but really it feels more middle school.
Anderson’s books are straightforward. I like that. They aren’t convoluted or overly complex. This book is about teenagers that need to make their own mistakes. Sometimes they have support and sometimes not. And sometimes they just need to be with other teenagers.
That straightforward message seems directed toward middle schoolers and that is perfectly fine.
Anderson’s books are straightforward. I like that. They aren’t convoluted or overly complex. This book is about teenagers that need to make their own mistakes. Sometimes they have support and sometimes not. And sometimes they just need to be with other teenagers.
That straightforward message seems directed toward middle schoolers and that is perfectly fine.
September 5, 2025
A powerful story, but I kept forgetting that the MC was 13 and not 16-17. While middle schoolers can be quite mature, I felt like her voice was more YA than MG. I also felt like the friendship between a 13 year old girl and a 17 year old boy was problematic at times. It turns out to be innocent, but the MC starts as suspicious of the boy and knows the people closest to her wouldn't approve of her befriending him and chooses sneaking around instead.
August 27, 2025
To view on Rainy Day's Books, Video Games and Other Writings: https://rainyday.blog/2025/08/27/book...
Rating: 3.5 stars
I received a digital copy of this book through the publisher on NetGalley for an honest review.
Dive is a short coming-of-age story from the perspective of a thirteen-year-old girl named Kass who’s going through a lot of changes in her life. This book does a wonderful job of portraying these changes through Kass’s perspective as she struggles to fit in at her new school on the diving team, while still staying in touch with her best friend, Aleah, and realizing the struggles her parents are facing in keeping the family restaurant afloat. Also tells her story in meeting Miles, a boy who also does a type of diving of his own: dumpster diving, and her realization that people have bigger problems to deal with than struggling to fit in at school and make friends.
The main themes in this book’s story are powerful, as Dive is a story teaches you not to judge others by their appearances, that sometimes change can be a wonderful thing, and that you don’t always know what other people are going through. You see these themes sprinkled throughout the story through the choices Kass makes when it comes to her friendship with Miles, and how, as the book goes on, she starts up a friendship with Amber, the girl she sees as the best diver on her team, who didn’t seem approachable to her at the beginning of the book. I enjoyed seeing Kass’s character develop in the story because of her interactions with Miles and how she was able to gain confidence to become friends with Amber and gain confidence to improve in diving.
I also enjoyed seeing her friendship with her best friend, Aleah. At the beginning of the story, Kass was worried about how attending St. Lawrence Academy would change her friendship with Aleah. She was worried that they would end up losing touch just because they weren’t talking as much since Kass attended her new school. But after the salsa night/sleepover at her house with Aleah and Amber, I felt like, if anything, her friendship with Aleah had improved. And I also felt like it showed that while some things in her life changed, her friendship with Aleah wasn’t something that would change just because she was at a different school.
However, while I enjoyed reading Dive, I have some criticisms of this book, too. I felt like there were times when I was taken out of the story because of Kass’s character. For a thirteen-year-old, her voice in the story didn’t come across as her being that age to me. Yes, she didn’t make the best choices in the story, and her actions made her come across as her age. But when it came to her awareness of her parents’ struggling financially and her being aware of others having bigger issues than her, I felt like she had more maturity than I was expecting of her character. Yes, I’m aware that kids have more awareness of things than people tend to give them credit for, but I do feel like her voice in this book has more awareness for someone her age than you’d expect, which made me sometimes forget that she was only thirteen, as her character easily could’ve been a couple of years older.
Speaking of age, though, while I enjoyed her friendship with Miles and enjoyed his character, I also found their friendship problematic. He’s older than her by several years, which becomes a problem in this book pretty early on. Especially because the circumstances Kass meets him from the outside looking in are perceived as suspicious. I know from her talking about him and their interactions in the story that he had no bad intentions when it came to their friendship. But she’s aware, too, that her choice in spending time with him is something the people closest to her wouldn’t be okay with, either, since anytime from the moment she meets him, she’s lied about where she’s going and who she’s hanging out with. This becomes especially apparent when she tells Aleah and Amber about him as well, because they have the reaction you’d expect: concerned for her well-being and worried that he’s taking advantage of her. I feel like having this age gap takes away from the overall message this book was conveying to its readers because their age difference becomes a main conflict in the story that causes problems. I feel like it took away from the main themes in the story by creating conflict with it. I wouldn’t see it as too much of an issue if Kass’s character hadn’t developed feelings for Miles, if Kass were closer in age to him, and if the other characters in the story (such as her friends and family) didn’t have an issue with it.
As a whole, though, I enjoyed reading Dive as I found Kass’s struggles relatable, and it was nice to see her character development throughout. I just wish the author had made her character a little bit older, as I feel like it would resolve a lot of the issues I had with this book. I do still recommend this book, though, especially to younger readers, as I feel like they’ll enjoy reading this book, and I feel like the themes they would be able to relate to. Dive was published on August 19, 2025, for those interested in reading this book.
Rating: 3.5 stars
I received a digital copy of this book through the publisher on NetGalley for an honest review.
Dive is a short coming-of-age story from the perspective of a thirteen-year-old girl named Kass who’s going through a lot of changes in her life. This book does a wonderful job of portraying these changes through Kass’s perspective as she struggles to fit in at her new school on the diving team, while still staying in touch with her best friend, Aleah, and realizing the struggles her parents are facing in keeping the family restaurant afloat. Also tells her story in meeting Miles, a boy who also does a type of diving of his own: dumpster diving, and her realization that people have bigger problems to deal with than struggling to fit in at school and make friends.
The main themes in this book’s story are powerful, as Dive is a story teaches you not to judge others by their appearances, that sometimes change can be a wonderful thing, and that you don’t always know what other people are going through. You see these themes sprinkled throughout the story through the choices Kass makes when it comes to her friendship with Miles, and how, as the book goes on, she starts up a friendship with Amber, the girl she sees as the best diver on her team, who didn’t seem approachable to her at the beginning of the book. I enjoyed seeing Kass’s character develop in the story because of her interactions with Miles and how she was able to gain confidence to become friends with Amber and gain confidence to improve in diving.
I also enjoyed seeing her friendship with her best friend, Aleah. At the beginning of the story, Kass was worried about how attending St. Lawrence Academy would change her friendship with Aleah. She was worried that they would end up losing touch just because they weren’t talking as much since Kass attended her new school. But after the salsa night/sleepover at her house with Aleah and Amber, I felt like, if anything, her friendship with Aleah had improved. And I also felt like it showed that while some things in her life changed, her friendship with Aleah wasn’t something that would change just because she was at a different school.
However, while I enjoyed reading Dive, I have some criticisms of this book, too. I felt like there were times when I was taken out of the story because of Kass’s character. For a thirteen-year-old, her voice in the story didn’t come across as her being that age to me. Yes, she didn’t make the best choices in the story, and her actions made her come across as her age. But when it came to her awareness of her parents’ struggling financially and her being aware of others having bigger issues than her, I felt like she had more maturity than I was expecting of her character. Yes, I’m aware that kids have more awareness of things than people tend to give them credit for, but I do feel like her voice in this book has more awareness for someone her age than you’d expect, which made me sometimes forget that she was only thirteen, as her character easily could’ve been a couple of years older.
Speaking of age, though, while I enjoyed her friendship with Miles and enjoyed his character, I also found their friendship problematic. He’s older than her by several years, which becomes a problem in this book pretty early on. Especially because the circumstances Kass meets him from the outside looking in are perceived as suspicious. I know from her talking about him and their interactions in the story that he had no bad intentions when it came to their friendship. But she’s aware, too, that her choice in spending time with him is something the people closest to her wouldn’t be okay with, either, since anytime from the moment she meets him, she’s lied about where she’s going and who she’s hanging out with. This becomes especially apparent when she tells Aleah and Amber about him as well, because they have the reaction you’d expect: concerned for her well-being and worried that he’s taking advantage of her. I feel like having this age gap takes away from the overall message this book was conveying to its readers because their age difference becomes a main conflict in the story that causes problems. I feel like it took away from the main themes in the story by creating conflict with it. I wouldn’t see it as too much of an issue if Kass’s character hadn’t developed feelings for Miles, if Kass were closer in age to him, and if the other characters in the story (such as her friends and family) didn’t have an issue with it.
As a whole, though, I enjoyed reading Dive as I found Kass’s struggles relatable, and it was nice to see her character development throughout. I just wish the author had made her character a little bit older, as I feel like it would resolve a lot of the issues I had with this book. I do still recommend this book, though, especially to younger readers, as I feel like they’ll enjoy reading this book, and I feel like the themes they would be able to relate to. Dive was published on August 19, 2025, for those interested in reading this book.
March 22, 2025
Richie’s Picks: DIVE by John David Anderson, HarperCollins/Walden Pond, August 2025, 336p., ISBN: 978-0-06-327936-0
“I went dumpster diving
Did it for a living
I did more than surviving
Yeah, we made a killing
Off of what I could find
I never met somebody like you
Never met somebody like you”
– Joshua Ray Walker (2021)
“Kass stumbled, almost tumbling over as she turned, backing away from the voice that came from the other end of the alley and the figure standing there, a bulging black garbage bag in his hands. The boy reached up and scratched behind his ear. Kass bent down and grabbed her Chucks, tucking them under her arm as if he might come and snatch them from her.
The boy looked different today. His hair was pasted to his forehead. His shirt was damp, despite the breeze. The trash bag he held was bigger around than him. Kass couldn’t see the contents through the plastic, but she could guess by their protruding shapes that they were cans and bottles. A camouflage backpack was slung around his shoulders. He wore the same cargo pants as before, but his shirt was now gray-and-maroon and said Harvard Crew. Funny. She wouldn’t have pegged him for the Ivys.
‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to,’ she said. She wasn’t sure why she was apologizing. She just felt like she’d been caught doing something she shouldn’t.
The boy shrugged. ‘They aren’t mine. And whoever’s they were gave up their claim when they tossed them.’ He set his bag on the ground beside him and brushed his hands off on his pants. Kass was afraid he was going to offer to shake hers, closing the ground between them, but instead he stuffed them in his pockets. ‘Gotta say, I’m a little surprised, though.’
‘That they fit?’
‘That you came back to get them,’ he said. You don’t really seem the type. No offense.’
In the back of her head, Kass heard her mother admonishing her. Why are you still standing here? Did you already forget what I said? ‘What type is that?’
‘The trash boot wearing type.’”
In the wake of the Pandemic, with the nation still struggling from the severe economic and educational setbacks it engendered, it is easier than ever for all of us to make assumptions—not necessarily correct ones—about the people with whom we may cross paths.
Thanks to her parents’ fears about the problems besetting the public school she had previously attended, thirteen-year-old Kassandra Connor has been forced to leave her long-time friends behind, and is now a student at St. Lawrence Catholic School. She is also a member of the school’s diving team. The only sort-of friends she has so far made are a couple of girls on the team. The whole school scene reeks of fakeness and plasticity—everyone pretending to be nice cuz Jesus is watching.
Meanwhile, things seem to be falling apart at home for Kass. Her parents’ restaurant, on the ground floor below their apartment, is seemingly on life support after barely surviving the Pandemic. Late at night, her parents are more or less at each other’s throats because of the financial strain (which, of course, is significantly amplified by her parents’ decision to pay the expensive tuition for Kass at St. Lawrence.)
This powerful coming-of-age story repeatedly challenges readers to shed our assumptions about the characters we meet, including Miles, the high school-aged, drop out, dumpster-diving teen who Kass meets. Their friendship begins randomly one day at a public bus stop when he pops up out of a nearby dumpster with an old-style TV and, soon thereafter, offers her an excellent-but-used pair of women’s boots–the boots she’s now decided to retrieve.
Another pivotal character we need to avoid making assumptions about is Amber, the beautiful, somewhat aloof star of the diving team.
So, was it really the boots, or is Kass obsessed and longing to repeatedly interact with this older boy/mysterious stranger? And what has inspired her to check out dumpster diving herself? The young man who “made her foot bounce uncontrollably and the hairs on her arms stand on end,”certainly leaves an impression!
In an era of rapidly diminishing natural resources and climate change, DIVE also prompts tween readers to consider the virtues of recycling and reuse. Is something inherently better because it is brand new? Or do we get sucked in by advertising and peer pressure? Can we be happy by making do with what’s available, rather than constantly consuming for the sake of the rush of having something new to flaunt? The layers of issues and emotions and heart make DIVE a top-notch read and a must-have for those serving 10-14 year olds.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
richiepartington@gmail.com
“I went dumpster diving
Did it for a living
I did more than surviving
Yeah, we made a killing
Off of what I could find
I never met somebody like you
Never met somebody like you”
– Joshua Ray Walker (2021)
“Kass stumbled, almost tumbling over as she turned, backing away from the voice that came from the other end of the alley and the figure standing there, a bulging black garbage bag in his hands. The boy reached up and scratched behind his ear. Kass bent down and grabbed her Chucks, tucking them under her arm as if he might come and snatch them from her.
The boy looked different today. His hair was pasted to his forehead. His shirt was damp, despite the breeze. The trash bag he held was bigger around than him. Kass couldn’t see the contents through the plastic, but she could guess by their protruding shapes that they were cans and bottles. A camouflage backpack was slung around his shoulders. He wore the same cargo pants as before, but his shirt was now gray-and-maroon and said Harvard Crew. Funny. She wouldn’t have pegged him for the Ivys.
‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to,’ she said. She wasn’t sure why she was apologizing. She just felt like she’d been caught doing something she shouldn’t.
The boy shrugged. ‘They aren’t mine. And whoever’s they were gave up their claim when they tossed them.’ He set his bag on the ground beside him and brushed his hands off on his pants. Kass was afraid he was going to offer to shake hers, closing the ground between them, but instead he stuffed them in his pockets. ‘Gotta say, I’m a little surprised, though.’
‘That they fit?’
‘That you came back to get them,’ he said. You don’t really seem the type. No offense.’
In the back of her head, Kass heard her mother admonishing her. Why are you still standing here? Did you already forget what I said? ‘What type is that?’
‘The trash boot wearing type.’”
In the wake of the Pandemic, with the nation still struggling from the severe economic and educational setbacks it engendered, it is easier than ever for all of us to make assumptions—not necessarily correct ones—about the people with whom we may cross paths.
Thanks to her parents’ fears about the problems besetting the public school she had previously attended, thirteen-year-old Kassandra Connor has been forced to leave her long-time friends behind, and is now a student at St. Lawrence Catholic School. She is also a member of the school’s diving team. The only sort-of friends she has so far made are a couple of girls on the team. The whole school scene reeks of fakeness and plasticity—everyone pretending to be nice cuz Jesus is watching.
Meanwhile, things seem to be falling apart at home for Kass. Her parents’ restaurant, on the ground floor below their apartment, is seemingly on life support after barely surviving the Pandemic. Late at night, her parents are more or less at each other’s throats because of the financial strain (which, of course, is significantly amplified by her parents’ decision to pay the expensive tuition for Kass at St. Lawrence.)
This powerful coming-of-age story repeatedly challenges readers to shed our assumptions about the characters we meet, including Miles, the high school-aged, drop out, dumpster-diving teen who Kass meets. Their friendship begins randomly one day at a public bus stop when he pops up out of a nearby dumpster with an old-style TV and, soon thereafter, offers her an excellent-but-used pair of women’s boots–the boots she’s now decided to retrieve.
Another pivotal character we need to avoid making assumptions about is Amber, the beautiful, somewhat aloof star of the diving team.
So, was it really the boots, or is Kass obsessed and longing to repeatedly interact with this older boy/mysterious stranger? And what has inspired her to check out dumpster diving herself? The young man who “made her foot bounce uncontrollably and the hairs on her arms stand on end,”certainly leaves an impression!
In an era of rapidly diminishing natural resources and climate change, DIVE also prompts tween readers to consider the virtues of recycling and reuse. Is something inherently better because it is brand new? Or do we get sucked in by advertising and peer pressure? Can we be happy by making do with what’s available, rather than constantly consuming for the sake of the rush of having something new to flaunt? The layers of issues and emotions and heart make DIVE a top-notch read and a must-have for those serving 10-14 year olds.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
richiepartington@gmail.com
May 12, 2025
"Dive" is one of those books that presents you with one surface problem, Kass's general dissatisfaction with her life, and then pulls you under into a deeper exploration of that unease. A myriad of small problems: the distance growing between her and her best friend, her family's financial straits--partially brought on by them pushing her into an expensive private school, the unseen limit she seems to be hitting at diving practice. Then Kass meets Miles, a diver of a different sort, who goes through garbage to salvage or resell, and suddenly her perspective of the situation seems to shift.
Anderson does a good job of making Kass's developing friendship with Miles feel real and not like pity slumming. And while Miles feels almost too perfect for a teenager who had to drop out of high school due to poverty and a single parent with PTSD, he is not a character solely meant to make Kass's life better or teach her some life lessons. He has his own hangups and relationships that play into the story. Although there are moments where believability toes the line, such as Miles leaving messages for Kass in bottles in the dumpster for a scavenger hunt.
The biggest strengths of "Dive" is that all of Kass's relationships, from new ones like with her teammate, to old ones like with her parents and Aleah, feel complicated and different from each other. You can see how each of them push and pull her into her decisions, as well as the undefined malaise some rising teenagers get when their life isn't perfect. I would say the tone of the book would push it more into a tween section than pure middle grade like "Ms Bixby's Last Day" or "Posted." Kass's crush on Miles is teased but it's not a pure romantic one you would get in YA, a well done nebulous first step into feelings she hasn't truly grasped emotionally. It also isn't fully a sports book, as diving takes up a lot of Kass's life but the primary focus is on her newfound awareness, and improved diving mindsets are a happy side effect.
Well-written and emotionally resonant, "Dive" is a high quality emotional story that older middle grade and tweens would enjoy.
Anderson does a good job of making Kass's developing friendship with Miles feel real and not like pity slumming. And while Miles feels almost too perfect for a teenager who had to drop out of high school due to poverty and a single parent with PTSD, he is not a character solely meant to make Kass's life better or teach her some life lessons. He has his own hangups and relationships that play into the story. Although there are moments where believability toes the line, such as Miles leaving messages for Kass in bottles in the dumpster for a scavenger hunt.
The biggest strengths of "Dive" is that all of Kass's relationships, from new ones like with her teammate, to old ones like with her parents and Aleah, feel complicated and different from each other. You can see how each of them push and pull her into her decisions, as well as the undefined malaise some rising teenagers get when their life isn't perfect. I would say the tone of the book would push it more into a tween section than pure middle grade like "Ms Bixby's Last Day" or "Posted." Kass's crush on Miles is teased but it's not a pure romantic one you would get in YA, a well done nebulous first step into feelings she hasn't truly grasped emotionally. It also isn't fully a sports book, as diving takes up a lot of Kass's life but the primary focus is on her newfound awareness, and improved diving mindsets are a happy side effect.
Well-written and emotionally resonant, "Dive" is a high quality emotional story that older middle grade and tweens would enjoy.
May 18, 2025
Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC!
“In every dive there’s that moment of hesitation, standing on the precipice, trying not to imagine what could happen if you get it wrong. All the people you could disappoint. And you have to decide if it’s worth it. But the truth is, you won’t know if you don’t go.”
🩵💙🩵
I thought Dive was just going to be about the typical drama of being on a team full of hormonal girls—boy was I wrong. Beautifully poetic, a girl on the swim team learns about a different type of diving: dumpster diving. When 13-year-old Kass meets 17-year-old Miles one day diving through the trash, they both don’t realize how much they will teach one another about life, assumptions, and compassion.
With Mean Girl references and quotes from classic books as well, John David Anderson does a nice job toeing the fine line between modern-day cool but giving us a deep dive view of the harsh realities. We don’t know what tomorrow brings us, and we don’t know what everyone around us is truly going through.
What if someone you love just leaves? What if you wake up without the money to pay the bills? What about mental illness? What about gambling and losing everything you’ve ever had? What if you become homeless? Life is fragile. Day to day.
Kass learns to look past the assumptions and not only befriend the mysterious dumpster diver but also the swim team all star rich-girl, Amber.
This heart-wrenching, and heart-warming coming of age tale will have tears streaming down your face and then have you grinning ear-to-ear like a complete fool the next.
—
“I think that’s the worst part about getting older…you start to see everything that’s wrong, but you still have no idea how to fix it.” —Miles
“Salsa can’t fix everything. Okay. It fixes most things.” —Kass
“In every dive there’s that moment of hesitation, standing on the precipice, trying not to imagine what could happen if you get it wrong. All the people you could disappoint. And you have to decide if it’s worth it. But the truth is, you won’t know if you don’t go.”
🩵💙🩵
I thought Dive was just going to be about the typical drama of being on a team full of hormonal girls—boy was I wrong. Beautifully poetic, a girl on the swim team learns about a different type of diving: dumpster diving. When 13-year-old Kass meets 17-year-old Miles one day diving through the trash, they both don’t realize how much they will teach one another about life, assumptions, and compassion.
With Mean Girl references and quotes from classic books as well, John David Anderson does a nice job toeing the fine line between modern-day cool but giving us a deep dive view of the harsh realities. We don’t know what tomorrow brings us, and we don’t know what everyone around us is truly going through.
What if someone you love just leaves? What if you wake up without the money to pay the bills? What about mental illness? What about gambling and losing everything you’ve ever had? What if you become homeless? Life is fragile. Day to day.
Kass learns to look past the assumptions and not only befriend the mysterious dumpster diver but also the swim team all star rich-girl, Amber.
This heart-wrenching, and heart-warming coming of age tale will have tears streaming down your face and then have you grinning ear-to-ear like a complete fool the next.
—
“I think that’s the worst part about getting older…you start to see everything that’s wrong, but you still have no idea how to fix it.” —Miles
“Salsa can’t fix everything. Okay. It fixes most things.” —Kass
Read
October 7, 2025I do like John David Anderson's middle readers. They have good characters, good story telling and seem very relevant to the age group. I also enjoyed this story of swimming pool diving and dumpster diving but I would probably boost the recommended age group up a tad toward late middle school/young adult. Kass is 13 with two loving parents who are under some stress as their restaurant business, post covid, is struggling economically. Kass herself is under stress as well - worrying about her parent's business - but also adjusting to a new, private, catholic school after being in a public school all her life. She knows the opportunities for diving and for academics are better at her new school, but she isn't fitting in and isn't making friends. One day, as Kass waits for the city bus, she meets 17 year old Miles as he makes some interesting finds in the nearby dumpster. Miles is a decent person with a super complicated and difficult life but he is also 17 and their developing friendship, while not outwardly romantic, adds many layers of complications, one dangerous, to Kass's story. In the end of course, Kass gains new perspectives without losing her good heart, while her relationships with parents, old friends and new friends, and even with diving, evolve in positive directions.
December 2, 2025
I just love the writing of John David Anderson! I fell into this story of Kass who moved from her home school to an elite private school to have more opportunity including in her diving skills. Kass feels out of place without her best friend, dealing with feeling invisible and underwater in this new school where she does not fit in. She is impressed with a diver on the team, but feels alienated even by her and finds company with a high school boy who dumpster dives for treasure. Miles sees Kass for where she is in her emotions about family, friendships, and even her love of the sport of diving. Miles seems to enjoy her company without any of weirdness that she is dealing with staying close to her best friend in her last school and finding a space for herself in her new school. He knows how to live on the outside of things and is willing to show her the way. The characterizations of the main characters are on point. Nothing feels forced. There is only one moment that is quite scary in a not so great part of town, but all ends well and the family, friends, and diving teammates finds ways to improve communication and repair their own hearts a long the way. Recommended for Middle grade readers, though I know many high schoolers who will also find hope and connection in this story!
January 1, 2026
Dive by John David Anderson was a unique read and one that took me quite a while to really get into. I'm glad that I stuck with it because the pay off was ultimately worth it, and I do plan on adding this one to my classroom library.
What I enjoyed:
- The character exploration
- Miles as a character
- The development of Kass and Amber's friendship
What didn't quite work for me:
- The springboard diving: As a former competitive diver, I am super nitpicky when diving is included in fictional stories. Anderson actually does a pretty decent job keeping the diving references fairly accurate and true, but there were still a few things that weren't quite right and thus took me out of the story. I don't think most readers would notice this, though.
- The pace: This is a slow, slow story, especially for a middle grade audience. I think it's a great example of a character-driven text, and there's a lot of value in asking students to stick with it, but I also could see readers giving up before the end.
Thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books/Walden Pond Press and NetGalley for my advanced copy.
What I enjoyed:
- The character exploration
- Miles as a character
- The development of Kass and Amber's friendship
What didn't quite work for me:
- The springboard diving: As a former competitive diver, I am super nitpicky when diving is included in fictional stories. Anderson actually does a pretty decent job keeping the diving references fairly accurate and true, but there were still a few things that weren't quite right and thus took me out of the story. I don't think most readers would notice this, though.
- The pace: This is a slow, slow story, especially for a middle grade audience. I think it's a great example of a character-driven text, and there's a lot of value in asking students to stick with it, but I also could see readers giving up before the end.
Thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books/Walden Pond Press and NetGalley for my advanced copy.
January 8, 2025
Heart. This book had plenty of it.
No, not the romantic variety. Instead, it’s the familial one (fathers to their daughters, sons to their fathers), the friendship one created and strengthened( with former friends and new ones),and the humanistic one (to animals and strangers).
It was the book’s cover that caught my eye. But it was the book’s synopsis of the parallel dives that cemented my decision to read it. Kass’ actual voice as well her emotions are felt (by the reader (prime example-her unwise second visit to the Professor).
While it’s wholly Kass’ story, the characters that orbit around her from her parents, friends,the Professor, Miles, and even the cat, Knox propel, this story to a realistic, satisfying conclusion.Though wouldn’t mind a sequel featuring Miles and Kass’ a few years from now (a YA version, if you will).
#Dive #NetGalley
This ARC was provided by the publisher, HarperCollins Children’s Book, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
No, not the romantic variety. Instead, it’s the familial one (fathers to their daughters, sons to their fathers), the friendship one created and strengthened( with former friends and new ones),and the humanistic one (to animals and strangers).
It was the book’s cover that caught my eye. But it was the book’s synopsis of the parallel dives that cemented my decision to read it. Kass’ actual voice as well her emotions are felt (by the reader (prime example-her unwise second visit to the Professor).
While it’s wholly Kass’ story, the characters that orbit around her from her parents, friends,the Professor, Miles, and even the cat, Knox propel, this story to a realistic, satisfying conclusion.Though wouldn’t mind a sequel featuring Miles and Kass’ a few years from now (a YA version, if you will).
#Dive #NetGalley
This ARC was provided by the publisher, HarperCollins Children’s Book, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 4, 2025
Kassandra loves diving, she good at it and she can control it, when everything else around her is chaos. She just had to switch to a new school one her parents have to pay a lot for but it is the only school close enough that has a dive program. Sometimes if her parents can’t pick her up Kass has to ride the city bus home one such day she encounters a boy, Miles, there. Miles is trying to get a big old TV out of the dumpster and asks for her help soon Kass gets the dumpster diver bug to and lies to her parents and even skips a practice to go places with Miles. But it all ends abruptly. But then Miles needs her and her parents help.
This book hits on so many levels that it truly is a great read for everyone. It teaches so much in such a great and entertaining way that it really is in a class of its own. I loved it and can’t wait for the next book by John David Anderson her books never disappoint.
This review copy was provided by Netgalley
This book hits on so many levels that it truly is a great read for everyone. It teaches so much in such a great and entertaining way that it really is in a class of its own. I loved it and can’t wait for the next book by John David Anderson her books never disappoint.
This review copy was provided by Netgalley
Read
July 26, 2025Read through the lens of a 4th grade ELA teacher. Lots of heart and heartache in this upper middle grade story.
Publishes August 19, 2025.
Lines I enjoyed:
ARC page 43:
Then again, sometimes even the people you think you know best can start to become a little strange to you.
ARC page 49:
Sometimes the things we love can hurt us. Doesn’t mean we stop loving them. Just that we should be a little more careful is all.
ARC page 55:
The boy shuffled his feet. “We all have to pretend we’re something we’re not sometimes.”
ARC pages 61-62:
The truth, she supposed, was that people - all people - were like her father‘s calzones: plain on the outside but stuffed full of the good stuff. Stories and experiences, hopes and fears. Sometimes you met someone and you just wanted to see what was inside.
ARC page 77:
“ I think it’s okay to be scared sometimes,” Miles said. “Even of the things we love.”
Publishes August 19, 2025.
Lines I enjoyed:
ARC page 43:
Then again, sometimes even the people you think you know best can start to become a little strange to you.
ARC page 49:
Sometimes the things we love can hurt us. Doesn’t mean we stop loving them. Just that we should be a little more careful is all.
ARC page 55:
The boy shuffled his feet. “We all have to pretend we’re something we’re not sometimes.”
ARC pages 61-62:
The truth, she supposed, was that people - all people - were like her father‘s calzones: plain on the outside but stuffed full of the good stuff. Stories and experiences, hopes and fears. Sometimes you met someone and you just wanted to see what was inside.
ARC page 77:
“ I think it’s okay to be scared sometimes,” Miles said. “Even of the things we love.”
September 5, 2025
Kass’s local middle school is crowded and under-resourced; so even though the family restaurant is struggling, mom and dad have sent Kass to a private school where she can be on the diving team. Kass likes being on the team but being a new kid is hard and she hears her parents tensely arguing about money through the thin walls of their small apartment over the restaurant. Kass is waiting at the bus stop, feeling unconnected and anxious about her struggles as a diver when she sees a boy who looks to be about high school age emerging from a dumpster in a nearby alley. He asks for her help pulling out a discarded TV and Kass is both uncomfortable and intrigued. As Mikes and Kass gradually become friends, Kass instinctively keeps him a secret from her parents, skipping practice and becoming Miles’ dumpster diving apprentice. Intriguing characters and a nuanced look at what in means to be economically secure. EARC from Edelweiss.
September 9, 2025
Another great read by this author . John David Anderson has a way of writing characters that are so heartfelt and real and has a knack for integrating theme and message in a non preachy, authentic way. I wish the main character was aged up just a year or two as she read as older. I found the age gap thing weird yet at the same time it is mentioned by many people that it is weird and, as an adult reader, you could see how much the MMC is keeping his distance from the FMC. It never goes any further than friendship with the tiniest whisper of the slightest potential of more if things were different. It is an age gap that if they were not kids no one would blink an eye at but in reality they are kids and the author keeps things in the friends only zone. But I still desperately want a novella sequel where they meet again when they’re older. Again I found the age gap weird but it is treated so well and so careful that to me it’s not a big deal. It’d recommend this for fifth grade and up.
August 6, 2025
I love John David Anderson's writing, but I only read sci-fi and fantasy. I have zero interest in reading "real people in the real world" stories. Anderson's Dungeoneers is one of my favorite books though, and it's been so long since he's written any fantasy, so I decided to give Dive a try.
With the above caveat, I still enjoyed this story. I've never thought much about diving (dumpster or water), so both of those things were interesting to learn about. The characters and situations were both realistic and believable.
I think young people who want to read about real world situations and social issues would really enjoy this one.
My star rating is based on the story and quality of the writing. I accepted this book for review from NetGalley knowing it's something I wouldn't usually read, so it would not be fair to rate it it based on that.
With the above caveat, I still enjoyed this story. I've never thought much about diving (dumpster or water), so both of those things were interesting to learn about. The characters and situations were both realistic and believable.
I think young people who want to read about real world situations and social issues would really enjoy this one.
My star rating is based on the story and quality of the writing. I accepted this book for review from NetGalley knowing it's something I wouldn't usually read, so it would not be fair to rate it it based on that.
October 29, 2025
I am trying to figure out the audience for this book, and I suppose it is middle school. But the length of it and the inclusion of a 17-year old secondary main character have me wondering... Some of the narrative choices seem odd to me, but overall I liked this story of eighth grader Kass, who is a new student at a Catholic school, just trying to fit in at the school and on her diving team. After school one day, she meets Miles, a 17-year old HS dropout as he is dumpster diving, and this sets off a series of questionable choices for Kass. Luckily, Miles is a decent kid, although Kass's involvement with him does put her in some danger. She eventually comes clean to her parents, who had an appropriate reaction to finding out about their daughter's deceit, although things didn't tie up all that neatly at the end.
December 2, 2025
Loved this one so much. I do feel like it got off to a slow start, but aside from that…Kass feels wonderfully real; flawed but well-intentioned. Her dynamics with her family and friends feel so organic and raw. I love stories like this that deal with real-world problems in a way that feels authentic to how they would play out in real life. This feels less like a fictional book and more like a well-written teenager’s journal, and I mean that in the best way.
Love that the title has a triple meaning, and that the ending feels finished but also leaves room for further story. I assume this isn’t the kind of book that would get a sequel, but more that life doesn’t have clean-cut happy (or even sad) endings all the time.
This is my second book of Anderson’s, and I 100% recommend this author (Posted being the other).
Love that the title has a triple meaning, and that the ending feels finished but also leaves room for further story. I assume this isn’t the kind of book that would get a sequel, but more that life doesn’t have clean-cut happy (or even sad) endings all the time.
This is my second book of Anderson’s, and I 100% recommend this author (Posted being the other).
January 14, 2025
Kass has started at a new school and hopes to make new friends now that she’s on the dive team. One day she meets Miles who’s dumpster diving and realizes one shouldn’t make assumption about someone. As they get to know each other, Kass can tell Miles is struggling. Kass slowly makes friends with Amber on the swim team and tells her when I push myself I feel powerful. Kass realizes that there are things she can’t control, but she has diving to do the way she wants. When Kass helps Miles with his dad, her dad tells her she has a big heart which will push her to do things that matter. A great coming-of-age story showing courage and how to take chances.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC of this novel. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC of this novel. All opinions are my own.
September 22, 2025
This was a moving coming of age story featuring a middle grade diver, Kass who has transferred to an elite private school to have a better chance at competitive diving but she's struggling to fit in when her life feels so different from those of her classmates.
Her parents' restaurant isn't doing great, her parents are considering separation and it's not until Kass befriends a young man, Miles, who lives on the margins of society and hands out with the unhoused people in their community, that Kass finally feels a sense of belonging.
Good on audio and perfect for fans of books like Obie is man enough or authors like Joanne Levy. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio and digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
Her parents' restaurant isn't doing great, her parents are considering separation and it's not until Kass befriends a young man, Miles, who lives on the margins of society and hands out with the unhoused people in their community, that Kass finally feels a sense of belonging.
Good on audio and perfect for fans of books like Obie is man enough or authors like Joanne Levy. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio and digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
January 2, 2026
Kass feels most at peace underwater after she executes a perfect dive. She’s feeling off kilter though after transferring to a new school. She has met some of her fellow divers but is not really making friends and her new Catholic school is much different than the public school she’s been attending. While waiting for the bus home one day, she meets a teen boy who senses her loneliness. He introduces her to his form of diving – dumpster diving. She begins spending time with him after practice and lies to her parents about her whereabouts. They are going through their own marital/business tensions and she wants to avoid confrontation.. A good story about how kids can go down a different path quite innocently and quickly. Good discussion starter.
January 13, 2025
Dive follows Kass as she adjusts to life in a new school, away from her longtime friends, a situation that I also went through when I was about her age, and I could easily relate to her worries and struggles. The book also touches on dumpster diving, which I don’t have much experience with, but these scenes were written with enough detail that I could easily imagine Kass’s and Miles’s adventures.
This is a poignant story highlighting the emotional, social, and familial struggles of modern day students. I can see many of my students relating to one or another character or situation from this book.
I received an ARC of this novel from NetGalley.
This is a poignant story highlighting the emotional, social, and familial struggles of modern day students. I can see many of my students relating to one or another character or situation from this book.
I received an ARC of this novel from NetGalley.
July 16, 2025
The adult in me was very nervous reading this book, but I could totally see Kass as a real child making the decisions she did. Adults may want to infuse kids’ books with life lessons, but kids don’t want to read about goody-two shoe characters. I get the sense that kids will be attracted to this book because Kass makes bold choices, lies to her parents, and learns a lot throughout the process, but not in a preachy way, though we could all learn a little from the scavenger code: “take what you need, give what you can, try not to add to the giant pile of crap.” (110) I could definitely see this showing up on a kids’ choice award like the Nutmegs.
September 7, 2025
I am a huge John David "Dave" Anderson fan. His books were always popular in my library, and he had some great visits to my school. I think he has some realistic views about schools, but a few things in Dive felt a bit stereotyped to me. I can't recall too many books that incorporate diving, and I would have enjoyed even more details about it; the book pretty clearly deliniates how mental toughness is a part of the talent, and I would have liked more about the physicality.
I was a little queasy about some of Kass's actions during the book, and teens rightly so could learn from some of her mistakes. I almost wonder if the book was set up to one day have a sequel.
I was a little queasy about some of Kass's actions during the book, and teens rightly so could learn from some of her mistakes. I almost wonder if the book was set up to one day have a sequel.
October 1, 2025
I'm listening to the audiobook version of this book,and I have one and a half chapters to go to finish. Unless something DRASTIc happens, I really love this book.
It just reminds me of a "comfort" read.....to me. I found the characters to be understandable, there was enough unknown that was revealed through the book to keep it moving and interesting. I've not read anything by this author before, but for a man, he does a pretty good job of alluding to 13-year old Kass' growing crush on 17-year old Miles, something not uncommon in the changing body and mindset of adolescent girls.
I found this book just ... nice.
It just reminds me of a "comfort" read.....to me. I found the characters to be understandable, there was enough unknown that was revealed through the book to keep it moving and interesting. I've not read anything by this author before, but for a man, he does a pretty good job of alluding to 13-year old Kass' growing crush on 17-year old Miles, something not uncommon in the changing body and mindset of adolescent girls.
I found this book just ... nice.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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