Ellen Cochrane’s “Follow the Water” is a captivating and incredible true story of survival for middle grade readers, perfect for fans of “Hatchet” and graduates of the I Survived series.

On Christmas Eve 1971, 17-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 11 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.

Ellen Cochrane writes immersive nonfiction for young readers that trusts their intelligence and their emotions. Her debut, “Follow the Water,” is an adventure that reads like a thriller and teaches how science lives in the world: weather, rivers, canopy, and the choices that keep us alive.

A longtime middle school teacher of English, English learners, Spanish, and Russian, Ellen brings classroom clarity and compassion to complex topics. She studied science writing at Johns Hopkins, is a certified California Naturalist, and previously wrote a syndicated column exploring the natural world. As a teen exchange student she lived in Lima, Peru, and traveled the same route into the jungle that frames Juliane’s story. 

ISBN-10: 152352863X

ISBN-13: 978-1523528639 

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: 03/17/2026

Retail Price: $17.99 US

Ellen lives in Sacramento, where she champions literacy, nature education, and conservation. A portion of proceeds from “Follow the Water” supports the Panguana Foundation. For more information, visit EllenCochrane.com.

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