Karen Rivers is one of Canada's most exciting new writers for teens. In a recent article, the Vancouver Sun wrote: "The most promising direction [in books for teens in Canada] is represented by Karen Rivers ... the pool of children's books that deal with higher truths is so small that it is exciting to see a B.C. writer dipping her toe into it."Surviving Sam clearly demonstrates Rivers' talent. The "Sam" in Surviving Sam is a 16-year-old boy who dies in a mountain-climbing accident. His twin sister, who was also involved in the accident but lived to tell about it, is the survivor. The gritty but fulfilling story is about the unthinkable death of a beloved sibling, and how one teenaged girl copes with her numbness, depression and grief-and learns, slowly but surely, how to live again.