BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Set on an island during a prolonged period of drought, Bex and little brother Davey spend their summer days heading out in their rowboat and enjoying their own special spot in the salt marsh. As the days without rain continue, the marsh waters lower and a mysterious statue that had previously been submerged is exposed. When Bex and Davey learn that planned development will destroy the area where they love to spend their days, they know they need to solve the mystery of the statue in hopes of saving their special spot.
This story combines a beautiful mix of adventure, mystery, and environmental awareness with family relationships, friendships, loss and love. This book was absolutely captivating from the first line to the last. The author, Gillian McDunn is a crafty storyteller and 11yo Bex is a delightful, thought-provoking character and narrator. I particularly enjoyed Bex’s musings on being an aspiring writer, and the way Davey (an avid reader himself) encourages her writing efforts. The sibling relationship in this story is everything, and the story is so much more than it seems on the surface. Profound and heartfelt, this is a book that quickly made its way to my personal favorites list.
Angie Campbell, EL librarian
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