Jim, Mickey and Lisa belong to a secret club called the Sewer Rats. Every Saturday the Sewer Rats reign supreme in paintball wars held in the city's storm drain system. The new kid, Carter, wants to join, but Lisa doesn't want him in the club. When Carter is hurt in his first paintball war, Jim and Mickey suspect that Lisa planned the accident. They try to confront her, but she runs into the tunnels just as a rainstorm begins. Jim and Mickey have to get Lisa out before the tunnels fill with water.
"Entertaining and educational...sure to captivate reluctant readers...Highly Recommended"
"Excellent."
"Brouwer has created a story with sufficient character and plot development to hold the interest of reluctant male readers. Recommended."
"An easy booktalk to reluctant readers."
"A good choice for reluctant readers in grades 7–10."
The Sewer Rats are a tough group of kids, a paintball team that plays against other teams in the city sewer pipes. They stick together and help each other in adversity. The possible addition of a new member to the team, however, causes some internal conflicts. These conflicts provoke a fight, which leads to one of the team members seeking refuge in a sewer pipe at an unsafe moment, just before a rainstorm and flashflood. She is caught in a cave-in with a broken ankle and is at risk of drowning. Will she survive? This is a gripping story and a good addition to the Orca Currents series.
Source: The Association of Book Publishers of BC. BC Books for BC Schools. 2006-2007.