Whitewater Scrubs

By Jamie McEwan

In this sequel to Willy the Scrub, the gang has joined a kayaking club after school. Willy seems to get the hang of it fine, but Rufus and Clara are not doing so well. Clara, who is one of the school's top girl athletes, ends up upside-down in the water and develops a real fear of getting back into the water with her kayak. Her best friend makes sense: "Hey, you're a great athlete already. What do you have to prove? Just quit." Clara wonders if this sport really is "all wet."

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lerner Publishing
• Release date: Aug 1, 2013
• ISBN: 9781467731430

Jamie McEwan

Jamie McEwan is best known in the obscure world of whitewater canoe slalom, having competed internationally for over 20 years. A World Cup champion, he also won a bronze medal in the 1972 Olympics and placed 4th in 1992.Mr. McEwan is married to artist and illustrator Sandra Boynton. They live, write, and paddle in the countryside of Connecticut.

Book preview

WILD

CHAPTER 1

TOO COOL FOR COMFORT

Clara sat in her kayak, blowing on her hands to warm them and wondering how she had let herself get talked into doing this stupid sport.

She was okay where she was, sitting in the calm water near the riverbank. But only ten yards away, the river was rushing by with a growling sound.

Out there in the current, the water was kicking up into waves. Ms. Parker, the instructor, was surfing the waves, going back and forth.

Fun for Ms. Parker, maybe.

But soon Clara would have to go out there.

She didn’t want to.

It was early spring. The trees were still bare of leaves. The air was still chilly. The water was still freezing. It was too cold to be kayaking.

Clara looked at the others. Willy and Dan and Rufus were all bobbing in the eddy beside her.

It’s all Willy’s fault, thought Clara.

He’s the one who said it would be cool to go kayaking every day instead of going out for a school