Follow the Water: The Unbelievable True Story of a Teenager's Survival in the Amazon

A captivating and incredible true story about a girl who fell out of a plane over the Amazon--and walked out of the jungle eleven days later, perfect for fans of Hatchet and graduates of the I Survived series.

On Christmas Eve 1971, seventeen-year-old Juliane Koepcke and her mother boarded a plane in Lima, Peru, bound for their home at the Panguana Research station deep in the Amazon. Twenty minutes from landing, the plane was struck by lightning, and Juliane hurtled two miles down through the rainforest canopy, crashing on the jungle floor.

She woke up the next day with a broken collarbone, missing her glasses and one shoe, but incredibly, miraculously, alive. Pulling on every bit of knowledge her rainforest-studying parents imparted to her, she journeyed through the danger-filled jungle for eleven days. She was the sole survivor.

Complete with sidebars that explore and explain the science that allowed Juliane to survive her fall, the diversity of life in the Amazon jungle, the natural history of Peru and much more, Follow the Water is a powerful and unforgettable true story of survival against all odds.

Author: Ellen Cochrane
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Published: 03/17/2026
Pages: 192
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.60lbs
Size: 7.73h x 5.29w x 0.88d
ISBN: 9781523528639
Audience: Young Adult


Review Citation(s):
Booklist 01/01/2026
School Library Journal 02/01/2026 pg. 68
Kirkus Reviews 02/15/2026
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 01/01/2026

About the Author

Ellen Cochrane is a public school teacher, writer, and neighborhood volunteer. When she's not writing, she can be found on her bike or paddling her kayak. Follow the Water is Ellen's authorial debut. She invites you to visit her at ellencochrane.com.