The benefits of exercise are legion: the pride and joy of mastering new skills, the camaraderie of playing on a team, the pleasures of being in nature, and the enhanced physical and mental health that movement confers, among others. During the pandemic, with many usual activities off-limits, people availed themselves of outdoor activities and home exercise, with video instruction bringing a world of opportunities. The following summer releases pay tribute to teens exploring their limits and experiencing growth through physical challenges of various kinds.
In the Same Boat by Holly Green (Scholastic, July 20): The Texas River Odyssey is a 265-mile-long canoe race—a rigorous undertaking, not just for the sheer exertion required, but also the dangerous wildlife and other natural hazards along the way. Seventeen-year-old Sadie bears the burden of knowing her mistake last year ended her father’s perfect 20-year completion streak. This year, she’s paddling with her brother and is determined to prove herself. Then her brother joins a different team, and she ends up in a canoe with the boy who is her ex–best friend. The resulting journey is a satisfying combination of physical achievement and interpersonal breakthroughs.
Dangerous Play by Emma Kress (Roaring Brook, Aug. 3): The tight bond between the girls on a high school field hockey team in Syracuse stands them in good stead when Zoe is sexually assaulted by a football player at a party. Now acutely aware of the entitled, predatory behavior so many boys get away with—and unwilling to stand by and let it happen to other girls—Zoe and her friends go out on nighttime patrols, intervening and confronting would-be attackers. They also get together for parkour sessions, building strength and agility for the hockey field and giving Zoe an outlet for her intense emotions.
Like Other Girls by Britta Lundin (Freeform/Disney, Aug. 3): What does it mean to be one of the guys? Mara prides herself on fitting this description—she can’t stand anything traditionally girly, her best friend is a boy, and she’s a tough and determined athlete. When her temper gets her kicked out of basketball, temporarily she hopes, Mara joins the boys’ football team in her rural Oregon high school, accidentally inspiring four other girls to join too. This leads to controversy, conflict, and soul-searching as Mara must confront her internalized misogyny, the overt sexism of boys she trusted, and the truth of her own sexuality.
Fierce as the Wind by Tara Wilson Redd (Wendy Lamb/Random, June 22): Miho is trying to get over her anger and pain after her boyfriend ends their relationship without warning. The Honolulu teen decides to enter the Ironman triathlon, inspired by their slogan, “anything is possible,” but the exorbitant entry fee is, ironically, an insurmountable obstacle. Miho’s friends are incredulous that with her D in PE class she thinks she can do something this extreme, but her #supportcrew designs the “Miho-man” just for her, cheering her on as she trains and helping her experience the transformative power of exceeding expectations—both one’s own and others’.
Radha and Jai's Recipe for Romance by Nisha Sharma (Crown, July 13): Radha used to love kathak—but the pressures of the competitive Indian classical dance world, her mother’s intense ambitions for her, and a shocking discovery prove too much. Radha makes a dramatic exit from a London competition and decides to start fresh at an arts academy in New Jersey. There she meets Bollywood dance team captain Jai, and their romance—filled with dance numbers in the spirit of the best filmi tradition—becomes part of a larger story addressing mental wellness, diversity within the Desi diaspora, and figuring out one’s real dreams.
Laura Simeon is a young readers' editor.
