Some sprinkles of underwater magic
Here are some of the best new summer reads for middlegrade and teen readers:
Aran is a selkie who lives on the open sea with his clan. He has never quite fully belonged, though, as he was born without a selkie skin and is stuck in human form. So he can’t move powerfully through the sea like the seals his family members transform into, and he may never get his pelt. When Aran gets his first taste on land while his family searches for a skin for him, he’s thrilled with trees, birds, cookies and friends. Emily Whitman’s flowing prose succinctly describes the magical view of human life. And she has developed a tender, caring male selkie character with a fascinating life (most undersea characters in kids books are female).
Already a Junior Library Guild selection, “The Turning” is refreshing and deep and lovely.
Magic is passed down through female generations in Georgina Fernweh’s family, and her sister is already showing an ability to defy gravity. Over the summer of Georgina’s 18th birthday, her last on a vacation island where strange things happen, she finally learns the truth about magic and the mystery behind a rare 300-year-old bird. Katrina Leno creates a lush tale where magic and reality are compellingly blurred, with snappy dialogue and vivid, sometimes moody prose. When a timely tragedy occurs, Georgina’s family is at the forefront, and she learns a lot about where magic really comes from. This is a splendid, incredibly entertaining read for readers 13 and up.
Award-winning Jamaican novelist Diana McCaulay writes an absorbing novel about a boy from Kingston, Jamaica, named Lloyd, who comes from a long line of fishermen. When Lloyd’s beloved grandfather, Maas, doesn’t return from a fishing trip, Lloyd fears he has gone adrift and sets out to search for him. Told in the unique alternating voices of Lloyd and Maas, “Gone to Drift” is a beautifully told intelligent tale of the love of family and the sea. McCaulay’s keen story ends nicely but not without a world of watery Jamaican adventures.
Newbery Award-winning author Lynne Rae Perkins knows how to reach in and grab children’s hearts with prose that almost makes her seem like she were 10 years old. This summery tale for ages eight to 12 introduces two sisters on a family vacation to see the ocean for the first time. Though the topic seems simple, Perkins’ engaging text and delicate humor elevate each watery experience and bring her writing to the forefront.