Shelf Awareness--The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea

YA Review: The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea

The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea by Maggie Tokuda-Hall (Candlewick Press, 368p., ages 14-up, 9781536204315)

In this shimmering, swashbuckling fantasy, the fates of Flora, a poor orphan, and Evelyn, an Imperial noble, intertwine as each struggles to find her place in a grim and opportunistic world overseen by the brutal Nipran Empire.

Ever since Flora killed a man to prove herself worthy of a pirate's life aboard the Dove, she's been accepted by the crew as Florian, "something better than a girl." The Dove masquerades as a passenger ship, and its murderers and rapists trick "stiff-legged landsmen" aboard, then sell them into slavery. Desperate to escape to a better life, Flora and brother Alfie save all their meager wages--until Alfie blows all of their money on that forbidden "oblivion drink," mermaid's blood. When the Dove takes on a group of wealthy Imperials, Flora is given the task of guarding the virginal Lady Evelyn Hasegawa so she may be sold--intact--to work as a "slave-whore" on the Red Shores. Although Flora sees Evelyn as a typical spoiled Imperial, she is impressed by the compassion Evelyn shows when she uses her own blood to keep a captured mermaid alive. And the Sea, mother to all mermaids, notices, too.

Maggie Tokuda-Hall (Also an Octopus) has crafted a brooding, magical adventure with a healthy dose of intrigue. Her prose is delightful, by turns delicate and brutal, as her plot demands. At the heart of this tale about learning when to stand out and when to blend in, lies the importance, imparted by first mate Rake, of "know[ing] your truth, not your story." --Lynn Becker, blogger and host of Book Talk, a monthly online discussion of children's books for SCBWI.

Discover: In this rich YA fantasy, pirate Flora and entitled Lady Evelyn find themselves in love and on the run from a nasty husband-to-be, a witch, spies and a vengeful pirate captain.

May Recommendations

Novels:

In CHIRP, by Kate Messner, Mia and her family move back to Vermont to help her grandmother transition into retirement after suffering a mild stroke, but Gram is all fired up to expand her cricket farm. When strange accidents keep putting the business (and crickets) in danger, however, it sure feels like someone is trying to sabotage the place. Mia and her new friends dig into the mystery and, along the way, Mia learns some truths about how to deal with a problem of her own, one she’s kept hidden for a long time. Readers are sure to relate. (MG)

MAÑANALAND, by Pam Muñoz Ryan, blends the boundaries of myth and reality in relating the story of Maximiliano Córdoba and the Guardians of fictional Santa Maria. Max loves to play fútbol, and, more than anything, he wants to play on the town team. But when it becomes clear that the new coach will want to see a birth certificate, Max’s dad must go to San Clemente in search of a replacement for the document. Meanwhile, there are bridges to build and Hidden Ones to escort to freedom, and Max uses his kind, generous nature and strong family values to guide him. Ryan weaves an engrossing tale. (MG)

Graphic Novels:

WITCHLIGHT, by Jessi Zabarsky, is the whimsical, offbeat story of a witch who has lost most of her power, and the woman who accompanies her to find it. After Lelek’s family sends her to a witch, insisting that she learn how to save their village, the witch seals most of Lelek’s power away to protect the young girl. This goes badly, and Lelek ends up alone, searching for her power until she kidnaps Sanja. Which ends up being the start of a beautiful friendship. Delicate drawings and innovative use of color make a lasting impression. (YA)

Picture Books:

DON’T WORRY, LITTLE CRAB, by Chris Haughton, is an affectionate look at fighting your fears. Little Crab doesn’t think he can get to the ocean, but, step by step, he makes his way down the rocks, where—yes!—he finds he loves the fish and the seaweed and the “giant game of hide and seek,” until, alas, it’s time to go home. Quirky, colorful, digital illustrations reinforce the love Big Crab brings to the outing.

THE IMAGINARIES: Little Scraps of Larger Stories, by Emily Winfield Martin, is just what the subtitle says—a book which pairs small bits of enigmatic text with intriguing, wonder-filled portraits, painted with acrylic on wood and gouache on paper. It will spark children of all ages to create their own “fragments of a secret world…stories which do not exist."

VAMOS! Let’s Go to the Market, and VAMOS! Let’s Go Eat, by Raul the Third, with colors by Elaine Bay, are two of the most entertaining, thoughtful, information-packed picture books around. Kind of like bilingual, comics-based Richard Scarry books. In the first, wrestling-obsessed Little Lobo checks his list to see what supplies he and Bernabé (his perro) need to take to people at the Mercado. The streets are filled with some pretty odd—and friendly--creatures! In the second, El Coliseo is buzzing with excitement before the big wrestling match. Little Lobo again has plenty of deliveries to make, this time to the hungry luchadores, who are practicing their moves. As an added bonus, Little Lobo and Bernabé are accompanied by rooster Kooky Dooky. Stylish and spectacular!!!

--Lynn

May's Book of the Month--The Undefeated

May’s Book of the Month is THE UNDEFEATED, winner of the 2020 Caldecott Medal, by two highly esteemed artists and winners of many awards, Kwame Alexander and Kadir Nelson.

This homage to black America features a poem Alexander wrote as a tribute to the birth of his daughter and the election of Barack Obama. As he relates in his afterward, "I wanted to establish from the very beginning that much of what I’m talking about in this poem, so much of American history, has been forgotten, left out of the textbooks, and that to truly know who we are as a country, we have to accept and embrace all of our woes and wonders.” The book is a proud and inspiring testament to courage, genius, and perseverance.

Design-wise, Alexander and Nelson, along with the team at Versify, have produced a jaw-dropping look at what can be accomplished in picture bookmaking. THE UNDEFEATED features a large trim size, big type, and plenty of white space which highlights the transcendent text and majestic portraits. Nelson uses oil paints on panels to create his work for this book. Backmatter describes many of the historical figures and events portrayed in the art.

THE UNDEFEATED should be essential reading for all Americans.

--Lynn