Things aren’t real unless you can prove them—that’s what 12-year-old Addie thinks. At least, that’s what she thought until she reads the notebook that belonged to her twin brother, Amos. It’s filled with clues about the mysterious creature living in Maple Lake, where Amos drowned the winter before. In The Light in the Lake, the debut novel from Sarah R. Baughman, Addie is drawn back to the lake to discover its secrets and more about herself as well.
Addie and Amos spent much of their time at the lake—swimming, boating and fishing. But when Amos goes out on the lake too late in the winter, he falls through the ice and drowns before anyone can rescue him. Now, Addie’s parents want her to stay as far away from the lake as possible. However, when Addie is offered the chance to be a Young Scientist for the summer, researching the effects of pollution on Maple Lake, she can’t resist. Each day she spends at the lake, she learns more about the water, the mysterious creature her brother was investigating and who she really is.
Haunting, memorable and full of mystery, The Light in the Lake is a brilliant combination of beautiful, lyrical prose and a compelling, exciting story. Baughman has created complex characters with real, deep emotions and a picturesque setting that will make readers feel as if they are at Maple Lake with Addie.
