Alex and the Still Water (Alex and the Wild Paths)

Still water doesn’t mean safe.

When Alex reaches a wide wetland where the trail simply ends, she has no choice but to cross.
The water is calm. The ground looks solid. And every step could be the wrong one.

As mud shifts and hidden channels pull at her boots, Alex learns that waiting—something that has always kept her safe—can also become dangerous. The only reliable paths are the ones she notices by watching closely: the routes animals use to move through the water without sinking.

By observing otters and reading the land beneath the surface, Alex must decide when to pause—and when to move—before the wetland traps her for good.

Alex and the Still Water is a quiet, realistic adventure about patience, timing, and learning how to act when calm is no longer enough. With no magic, no talking animals, and no easy rescues, this upper middle-grade novel offers a grounded survival story for readers who enjoy thoughtful challenges and real-world problem solving.