Annabelle is just about to end her seventh grade year, and even though she gets more time on essays than others and that she works hard to prepare, she isn't surprised when most of her grades are Cs. Her mother says she's proud of her, but Annabelle really feels like everyone just feels sorry for her. Being in water is the only time she really feels comfortable and alive, so when she is asked to move up to the high school swim team for the summer, she looks forward to more time in the water, especially since she gets to practice with the older kids, including Conner, who seems to be paying more attention to her than ever before. Will moving to the high school team, mean losing her friends from the middle school team? Will the reappearance of her real father in her life make her feel more like she has somewhere to belong? These are just some of the challenges Annabelle faces in this story.
The real strength of Up for Air is the way all of the emotions of the characters are spot on. Annabelle's struggles with loneliness, isolation, insecurity, and misunderstanding are all presented in a realistic way, showing what most girls feel during adolescence. Overall an excellent middle grade book. ( )