Danny’s parents have always been a bit flaky, but this time they have gone too far! Their latest plan to follow their dreams means Danny and his older brother will spend six months in Banff (wherever that is) and six months in New York City. Furious, Danny runs out of the house and straight into a very, very large hole. When it appears that help is not on the way, Danny becomes a subterranean Robinson Crusoe, creating shelter (garbage bag and paper clips), cereal (coffee creamer, rainwater, granola bars, and a few rogue raisins), and a washroom (a hole in a hole). His Man Friday has a long, earth-covered snout, a taste for beetles, and no eyes to speak of. Oh, and he also talks. His name is Mole, and he is excellent company — until a snake appears, and Danny must save his new friend.
When Danny find himself stranded at the bottom of a giant construction hole, he makes use of the items in his backpack to get through the next few days and befriend a poetry-spouting mole.
Praise for The Big Swim:
“The setting is rich and the characters are interesting and fresh.” — School Library Journal
