• Age: 9 to 13
• Grade: 4 to 8
• Reading age: 7 to 10

Jessie Cameron has been training at her Vancouver swim club for half her lifetime when Tory Aitken, a seemingly natural athlete who's built like a Greek god, joins up.

Troy starts paying attention to Jessie, and Jessie is definitely interested in return. Soon, however, her friends share rumours about how Troy got to be such a strong, powerful swimmer in the first place. Torn between her old and new friends, Jessie decides to find out the truth for herself.

Great Lengths is a taut, suspenseful story about the high-pressure world of competitive swimming.

SANDRA DIERSCH has taught writing courses to British Columbia students and aspiring adult writers. She has written eight books to date, including Offside! and Home Court Advantage, both Canadian Children's Book Centre Our Choice selections. She lives in Maple Ridge, B.C., with her husband and young daughter.

www.sandradiersch.com

Sandra Diersch's profile page

"Desirable values are modeled within the context of a suspenseful plot that holds the reader's interest throughout. The issue of drug use is presented in a manner completely appropriate for the 8 to 13 audience. Also central to the plot are issues of trust, jealousy, loyalty and friendship in teen relationships. Attractively presented and written in accessible prose, this commendable addition to the Sports Stories series is an ideal choice for the young female athelete. Recommended."

Canadian Book Review Annual