You Gotta Read This!
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Title: Beyond the Bright Sea
Author: Lauren Wolk Publisher: Dutton Books for Young Readers (May 2, 2017) ISBN13: 978-1101994856 Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Middle Grade Topics/Themes: Personal Identity, The Power of Found-Family, Self-discovery Recommended Age Level: 10-14 Awards / Recognitions:
Summary: 12-year-old Crow has only known one home: her tiny isolated island off the coast of Massachusetts. She has been raised by a man named Osh who rescued Crow from a small boat when she was only a few hours old, and Miss Maggie, the fierce but loving neighbor from the other side of the sandbar. While she loves her life with Osh, as Crow has grown older, she has become more curious about her mysterious past and has started to question the simple and isolated way of life that Osh and Miss Maggie are so content with. When Osh finally reveals to her the only clue he has from the night he rescued her, Crow is overwhelmed with a desire to find out who she is and where she came from. As she begins to pull at the strings of clues, Crow begins to unravel the mystery of her past and must come face to face with who her true family is. Professional Reviews: “This is a tear-jerking yet ultimately uplifting tale of establishing one's place in the world and realizing that sometimes your family is the one you make, not the one you are born into. VERDICT A stellar story full of heart, action, and emotion that will make readers feel like they are a part of Crow's family.” - Christopher Lassen, School Library Journal 2017 “A beautiful, evocative sophomore effort from Newbery honoree Wolk” – Kirkus Reviews 2017 Personal Insights: This was an incredibly powerful and moving story. The three main characters, Crow, Osh, and Miss Maggie, are so well developed that you can’t help but feel as if you are a part of their family. While this book is written for middle grade kids, I would be hard pressed to find any adult who would not fully appreciate this work of art. The writing and prose that Lauren Wolk uses is simultaneously beautiful and concise. She doesn’t waste words, but the ones she uses pack a vivid punch. The historical setting also plays a significant role. Set in 1920s New England, there are real historical events that weave through this story (that I won’t mention by name to avoid spoilers). The way in which Crow, a young, non-white girl, is treated by the rest of society also sets the undertones to this story and adds a deeper layer to the events that happen. I listened to this book in audiobook format. The narrator, Jorjeana Marie, wonderfully captured the characters in different voices, and rich in emotion. Notable Quotes: “Don't you understand, Crow?" he said, his voice so sad, so tender, that I couldn't breathe. "You're the one worth finding.” - Osh “I'm just looking at you. Exactly as you are right now. And not because you'll change, though you will of course. Treasure or not. But because if I could have built a human being, I would have built you. Just so.” - Osh “Wouldn't that be a good thing? Not to feel pain?" -Crow "There's more than one kind of pain...and if you don't feel it, you can get hurt" -Miss Maggie "But it hurts when you do feel it, too" -Crow "Yes, but feeling hurt and being hurt aren't always the same thing" -Miss Maggie” “Mrs. Pelham's face was old but she moved like someone younger, and when she smiled I could see that her teeth were still strong. I wondered what had mapped her face like that" -Crow Readalikes: (Summaries from GoodReads) Orphan Island by Laurel Snyder (2017) - On the island, everything is perfect. The sun rises in a sky filled with dancing shapes; the wind, water, and trees shelter and protect those who live there; when the nine children go to sleep in their cabins, it is with full stomachs and joy in their hearts. And only one thing ever changes: on that day, each year, when a boat appears from the mist upon the ocean carrying one young child to join them—and taking the eldest one away, never to be seen again. Today’s Changing is no different. The boat arrives, taking away Jinny’s best friend, Deen, replacing him with a new little girl named Ess, and leaving Jinny as the new Elder. Jinny knows her responsibility now—to teach Ess everything she needs to know about the island, to keep things as they’ve always been. But will she be ready for the inevitable day when the boat will come back—and take her away forever from the only home she’s known? The Same Stuff as Stars by Katherine Paterson (2004) - Her daddy is in jail, and her mother has abandoned Angel and her little brother, Bernie, at their great-grandmother's crumbling Vermont farmhouse. Grandma spends most of her time wrapped in a blanket by the wood stove. There is one bright spot in Angel's world: a mysterious stranger who teaches Angel all about the stars and planets and constellations. Carving out a new life proves harder than Angel ever imagined. But she feels a tiny spark of hope when she remembers what the stranger said that she is made of the same stuff as stars. Louisiana’s Way Home by Kate DiCamillo (2018) - When Louisiana Elefante’s granny wakes her up in the middle of the night to tell her that the day of reckoning has arrived and they have to leave home immediately, Louisiana isn’t overly worried. After all, Granny has many middle-of-the-night ideas. But this time, things are different. This time, Granny intends for them never to return. Separated from her best friends, Raymie and Beverly, Louisiana struggles to oppose the winds of fate (and Granny) and find a way home. But as Louisiana’s life becomes entwined with the lives of the people of a small Georgia town — including a surly motel owner, a walrus-like minister, and a mysterious boy with a crow on his shoulder — she starts to worry that she is destined only for good-byes. For more info, check out this book talk from the author!
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