Let's No One Get Hurt

Besides the poetic language, which others have noted, there are several things I like about this novel. The details of life on the river are sharp–the fishing, the raft, the boat (and, yes, there's definitely a Huck Finn vibe there). The main character, Pearl, is fresh–she's in a predicament I don't see often and she responds with strength, although her vulnerability is at all times present. The narrative is primarily forward-looking–while there are some questions about what happened in the past and a few brief scenes reveal them, this is mostly a story that starts and keeps going without dwelling too long in flashback.

Is it a YA book? I didn't think so when I started it, but maybe it is. Certainly, I think teen readers would get a lot out of it.