"A teen’s journey down the Los Angeles River leads to misadventures, new friendships, and unforeseen dangers in Wolfe’s YA novel . . . A riveting tale of youthful self-discovery—the first-rate supporting cast steals the show." —Kirkus Reviews

George R. Wolfe’s young adult adventure novel, Into the River of Angels, tells how a high school kid’s ill-conceived plan to canoe the Los Angeles River spirals out of control—an urban journey on a dangerous, forbidden waterway, woven together by a series of epic fails.  

It starts when 17-year-old Sam Hawkins—an alienated, disillusioned, and sardonic renegade from the San Fernando Valley—decides he can flee his troubles with an impulsive escape on the infamous L.A. River, a 51-mile, concrete-lined patchwork of water systems that flows from the foothills of the western Valley, through the gritty concrete jungle of Downtown LA, to Long Beach and the Pacific.   

But his teenage rebellion soon turns into a surreal odyssey, featuring a series of threatening obstacles, as he and his fellow travelers encounter wildlife, police, smugglers, gangs, psychopaths, and more. Will the cost of their journey be more than they bargained for?  

  Wolfe, an author and activist, is the founder of L.A. River Expeditions, a group that advocates for endangered rivers and helped to open the L.A. River to the public. One of the first to journey down the river in its modern configuration, Wolfe is uniquely qualified to give life to this fascinating and highly detailed coming-of-age journey.   

“Into the River of Angels is a fantastic action-adventure novel which reminded me of a modern-day Tom Sawyer/Huckleberry Finn meets the Pirates of the Caribbean . . . With themes of friendship, finding oneself, young love, faith, and loyalty . . . readers will cheer from cover to cover as they follow Sam down the Los Angeles River. The ending is particularly exciting as Sam and his friends find themselves in deeper trouble than they could ever imagine. Readers will not be able to put this book down.” —Kristi Elizabeth, Los Angeles Book Review

“Full of adventure, hot social topics, teenage crushes, and crazy feats, Into the River of Angels was a delight. Exploring topics such as pollution, homelessness, smugglers, gangs, immigration, and human trafficking, Wolfe writes in a way that is very relevant to the current generation, not shying away from these tough conversations. I would specifically recommend it to late middle school and early high school readers.” —Theresa Kadair, Manhattan Book Review