Debut author Mindy McGinnis paints a harrowing and realistic vision of a world with little water in Not a Drop to Drink. The first line sets the mood for the entire book: "Lynn was nine the first time she killed to defend the pond, the sweet smell of water luring the man to be picked off like the barn swallows that dared to swoop in for a drink."
This story of survival centers on 16-year-old Lynn, who is left with nothing but her mother and a pond of drinking water that must be defended. Early on in the book, her mother is killed by coyotes, and Lynn discovers the value (and the risk) in relying upon others when the world is so dangerous, including her neighbor Stebbs, and a family taking refuge on the banks of a nearby stream. McGinnis focuses on a narrow setting--the environment immediately surrounding the pond. She lets readers know the stakes are high, and sets up crucial situations for her characters.
A story informed by the constant threat of danger, Not a Drop to Drink will keep readers on the edge of their seats as McGinnis paints a picture of a world missing one of the things we take most for granted. --Shanyn Day, blogger at Chick Loves Lit