A Swirl of Ocean

By: Melissa Sarno

Narrated by: Jessica Almasy

A touching, timeless novel--perfect for fans of Lisa Graff and Lauren Wolk--about a girl who discovers that the ocean is holding secrets she never could have imagined.

Twelve-year-old Summer loves the ocean. The smell, the immensity, the feeling she gets when she dives beneath the surface. She has lived in Barnes Bluff Bay since she was two years old, when Lindy found her on the beach. It's been the two of them ever since. But now, ten years later, Summer feels uncertainty about her place with Lindy and starts to wonder about where she came from. One night, Summer goes for a swim and gets caught in a riptide, swallowing mouthfuls of seawater. And that night, she dreams of a girl. A girl her age living in the same town, but not in the same time. Summer's not persuaded that this girl is real, but something about her feels familiar.

Summer dreams again and again about this girl, Tink, and becomes convinced that she is connected to her past. As she sees Tink struggle with her sister growing away from her and her friends starting to pair off, Summer must come to terms with her own evolving home life and discover how the bonds that make us family can help heal the wounds of the past.

From Melissa Sarno, the author of Just Under the Clouds, comes a new story of discovery, family, and finding where you belong.

Critic reviews

[T]he restless interplay between moon and sea becomes a framework for exploring the uneasy intertidal zone between childhood and adult maturity. How preteen girls negotiate this supremely trying life passage is explored in some of the year's best middle-grade releases; add this to the list. --Kirkus Reviews

"[A] deeply affecting novel with honest emotion. Propelled by authentic characters, the adroitly woven plot meshes past and present, dreams and reality, and love and friendship. [A]n involving, bracing summer tale for all seasons."--Publishers Weekly

"[R]ich with imagery and thoughtful contemplations...the way in which Summer ends up being connected to Tink highlight[s] the dreamy tranquility of the girls’ seaside town."--The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

An Odd Egg

(Mild spoilers) This was an odd book. Well written but the ending was very odd and had me rolling my eyes. It’s not for everyone but maybe it’s the kind of thing that needs to grow on you. The touch of real magic feels a little out of place—in my opinion. The narration is good but the boy characters voice is a tad obnoxious. Not a terrible book at all and if I could give it another half star I would but it’s just not up the level of other books in terms of the realism I was looking for. Mostly the unsatisfactory ending kind of ruined it for me.