Lolly is a sailor in Florida who goes out alone on her sailboat one day. Her boat capsizes, and then she is separated from it, leaving her without hope of being found in the huge ocean. Then a miracle happens and a group of manatees saves her and restores her. This book is currently in Youth, and definitely needs to move to Teen – Lolly is 15 and has sex with her boyfriend and it is discussed several times during the course of the book. This book is confusing – some parts of the book are written in a very spare style. There are things Lolly doesn’t want to explain about her life – she is very private. However, the book as a whole is written in a very literary fashion, and while it’s an interesting female survival story, I think teens would have a hard time identifying with Lolly. Her survival and experiences are so personal that she has difficulty explaining them, and I think teens who have not seen any of this would not be able to connect with her. The title also does not have much to do with the story – Lolly is referred to as a hippie chick, but I think teens looking for a survival story will not look at this, and teens looking fo a book about a hippie chick will be disappointed. Ultimately, I think this book is not very successful. ( )

Reviewed by Sally Kruger aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com

If I heard someone else say this about a book, I would immediately roll my eyes and decide to skip reading it, but here goes ... HIPPIE CHICK is a beautiful book! Seriously, if you have a chance to read it, run, don't walk, and grab the chance.

Lolly Emmerson is an independent fifteen-year-old who sets out for an evening sail in the Florida Keys. She leaves a note for her mother as her neighbor suggests and heads out in the small boat she has handled by herself on countless sails. This time events conspire against her when the boat hits some underwater wreckage, causing it to overturn. Lolly is thrown overboard with only her life vest for support.

After hours of struggling and a bump against her leg that she is sure is a bull shark, Lolly manages to climb onto the floundering boat. Her fragile hold on the disabled craft doesn't last long, and she slips back into the water, and what she believes to be certain death.

As Lolly beautifully relates her story, she describes the arrival of three manatees. One of the huge, gentle creatures allows her to cling to him as they make their way to a feeding area in a tiny mangrove bay. Lolly credits the manatees with her eventual survival, but once rescued, she finds it difficult to relate her curious adventure to news reporters and interested friends.

Many authors of survivor tales focus on frightening, desperate attempts to beat nature and hang on until help arrives. Joseph Monninger tells this story in a different way. The focus is on the mysterious, sensitive side of nature. Lolly experiences a deep connection to her manatee rescuers that only she can understand. Monninger gives readers a wonderful peek into Lolly's emotional, life-changing experience. ( )

Lolly Emmerson has a sailing accident and is saved by a pack of three manatees that allow her to hang onto a propeller scar and follow them to a remote mangrove in the Florida keys. She has a kind of spiritual experience with these manatees before being rescued. Afterwards, she experiences a short lived fame. Animal lovers, especially those interested in marine biology, would like this book. ( )