Freefall

by Wendy A. Lewis

Carrying baggage from her past, aspiring-writer Airin thrills in her new friendship and budding romance with skydiver Truman, yet as their bond begins to develop in and under the blue skies of the drop zone, secrets emerge and ghosts from past relationships make it difficult for Airin to move ahead. Original.

253 pages, Paperback

First published June 28, 2008

About the author

Wendy A. Lewis is an author from Uxbridge, Ontario, who writes books and stories of various types for all ages of young people. Wendy studied English Literature at the University of Toronto and worked in various sales, marketing, and public relations positions.

Although she liked writing articles for newspapers and business publications, she didn't have much creative energy left for what she really wanted to do, which was write children's literature. In 1996, Wendy went on maternity leave and gave birth to a baby girl and twelve short stories, which became her first book, Graveyard Girl. Since then, Wendy has worked at home as a freelance writer, author, and mom to two amazing daughters who inspire countless story ideas.

Wendy loves to learn about and write about nature, animals, and fascinating people. To get at the heart of her stories, she has prowled through cemeteries, counted the eggs of a giant Leatherback sea turtle in Costa Rica, jumped out of airplanes, and learned about lacrosse from the Mohawk family of one of Canada's best-ever lacrosse players. She savors the challenge of writing different forms and genres of children's literature, experimenting with narrative styles and points of view, and stretching against literary conventions.

Reviews

[Canadian Children's Book Centre]

Sixteen-year-old Airin Grace Marks was born to fly! Captivated by airplanes from a young age, she is as obsessed with her model planes as her best friend Carlotta is with boys. So when a skydiving school opens in her hometown, Airin wastes no time applying for a job. She is anxious to earn money to pursue her other dream: embarking on a road trip and devoting herself completely to her writing. Ry Truman is the young owner of this new school and he is thrilled to welcome Airin into his world. And he can’t resist sharing his passion for skydiving with her, encouraging her to discover the joys of flying free. However, Airin and Ry are each battling their own demons. Ry believes that he can’t allow himself to fall for this beautiful, thoughtful young woman. Meanwhile, Airin is grappling with horrors from her past. Becoming part of the team at Skydive Gottanother helps her to open up to life’s possibilities, but when Diego Montgomery, an author doing research at the school, offers her the opportunity to hone her writing skills with him at his home in Mexico, she has no idea of where this gesture will ultimately lead. Told from the alternating viewpoints of Airin and Ry, this is a unique and unforgettable young adult novel. It is filled with characters that are so vivid and true that they fairly leap off the page. Author Wendy Lewis has chosen a fascinating backdrop for her story: the wonderful world of skydiving. She skillfully draws readers into this world right along with Airin, and using exquisite images and lyrical prose she enables us to experience all the magic and grace of being airborn. She also manages to tackle some weighty issues without allowing her story to become mired in darkness or despair. Rather, it is a story of hope in the face of tragedy, a story of the resilience of the human spirit and of watching one girl oh-so-carefully finding a way to spread her wings and soar.

Reviewed by Lisa Doucet in Canadian Children's Book News
Spring 2008 VOL.31 NO.2

[Tatiana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This books was extremely emotional for me and for of real life problems. All the characters had a problem and learned how to face them. Airin was the best actor and so was Diego. The ending revealed everything about her father. How can a father just leave someone he loved dearly and hurt that person for years? I felt like part of Airin's world.

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many books where this issue is raised - very sad.
This one was written well, a different take on the issue than Anonymity Jones that I read earlier in the month, but both handle it intelligently and with depth.
In Freefall Airin at least has a dear friend, a loving little sister, a good group of friends, and Ry (a very nice man) - more than Anonymity had.