Sole Survivor

Ollestad survived a devastating plane crash in the San Gabriel Mountains as an 11-year-old boy. That harrowing survival story grounds this book, cowritten with Kiely. Adolescent readers are immediately swept into the intensity of Norman’s world, from the high-stakes ski races during which he told himself, “Anything’s possible, Boy Wonder. You just can’t give up,” to the terror of the storm-lashed mountainside where he must summon that mantra to endure. The authors balance riveting imagery, cinematic pacing, and reflective vulnerability, illuminating both adrenaline and emotion as Norman struggles with fear, exhaustion, and the weight of his father’s expectations. The language is crisp and age appropriate, with short, urgent sentences that heighten suspense without overwhelming younger readers. Though the story includes harrowing moments, the depictions are honest rather than graphic, making the book accessible for tweens while respecting the gravity of real events. Themes of perseverance, family bonds, and identity will resonate with the older middle grade set, inviting meaningful discussion without straying beyond developmental appropriateness. Norman is white.