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katiegrrrl's review
5.0
I read this earlier in the year but forgot to document it. I remember that I really liked the family and how wonderfully written the MC was in her pain, both physical and emotional, over her injury and having to stop dancing to heal.
2022 YMA American Indian Youth Literature Middle Grade Honor Book
2022 YMA American Indian Youth Literature Middle Grade Honor Book
jacques_le_biem's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
jacquelinecrane's review
challenging
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
solanpolarn's review against another edition
4.0
A kind tale of a girl who loves ballet but tears her ACL and how she copes with the help of her family and friends with what that means.
smalltownbookmom's review against another edition
4.0
A moving middle grade novel about Maisie, a young Indigenous girl struggling with depression and anxiety as she copes with an injury that may mean the end of her life as a ballerina. The mental health rep in this book is amazing! I loved how normalized and crucial therapy is part of the story and used to show that it's okay to not be okay and when we feel that way there are options. I was also a huge fan of how Maisie rediscovered parts of her Indigenous history as her family goes on their annual midwinter trip to the traditional territories and how she finds solace volunteering in the library. Great on audio, this is a must-read book!
smo13's review
5.0
An amazing story of a dancer and changing identities and what an injury can do for you. It’s also about middle school and friends. Also great indigenous representation and history
shiloniz's review
5.0
My mom gifted me this middle grade story two winters ago & I can see why she did. It's a story about processing grief and finding joy agai when your own body acts as the catalyst to the loss of dreams and an envisioned life. The Sea in Winter follows Maisie, a Makah/Piscataway girl whose pursuit of being a ballerina is derailed after a serious knee injury, but it's also about the family that loves her and community care. There were definitely a couple moments where I teared up a bit. Thanks mom!
colorfulleo92's review
5.0
This is the first middle grade I've read that deals heavy on mental health and depression and I loved everything about it. I wished I had this book as a kid, as I think it would have done so much good. Don't have kids around me but if I did I would gift them this book as I thought the talk about mental illness and health was done very skillfully and great.
lizaroo71's review
3.0
Twelve-year old Maisie has her mind on ballet. She has spent her entire life preparing to audition for one of the elite schools. But, Maisie has torn her ACL and this has put a stop to her plans. When we meet her, Maisie is still grappling with her physical therapy and tapping down her feelings of jealousy towards her friends from the world of ballet that are now auditioning for the schools she wants to attend.
Maisie's mother and step-father make an effort to be supportive, but Maisie keeps her emotions bottled up and they aren't sure how to get her to open up.
This book is very insular and quiet. We get Maisie's daily life for a few days that takes course over a winter vacation (the family visits the places where her mother grew up as a member of the Makah nation). I liked that it allows the reader to get in Maisie's mind, but when Maisie finally has a meltdown of her emotions, it skips to four months later rather than guiding the reader through the mess of what all of those emotions look like.
This is one of a few books from the inprint Heartdrum which focuses on writers from native nations. The book is infused with history and traditions of Maisie's family and I loved that also. Her mother is a member of the Makah Nation and her late father is a member of Piscataway nation). We get a lot of the history of the people and how it links to the generations that follow. There are many notes in the back regarding Day's reason for selecting these nations.
Interestingly, I love this book cover and it is one of the reasons I wanted to read the book. But, I think the book cover belies the serious content of the book. The young girl on the cover appears much younger than twelve years old. Maisie is a complex character. I don't want kids to pass this one up because they may feel it reads too young for them just based on the cover. Am I making any sense?
I would like to read Day's first book. She is a solid writer that can write the emotions of a tween with grade and that's not easy to do.
Maisie's mother and step-father make an effort to be supportive, but Maisie keeps her emotions bottled up and they aren't sure how to get her to open up.
This book is very insular and quiet. We get Maisie's daily life for a few days that takes course over a winter vacation (the family visits the places where her mother grew up as a member of the Makah nation). I liked that it allows the reader to get in Maisie's mind, but when Maisie finally has a meltdown of her emotions, it skips to four months later rather than guiding the reader through the mess of what all of those emotions look like.
This is one of a few books from the inprint Heartdrum which focuses on writers from native nations. The book is infused with history and traditions of Maisie's family and I loved that also. Her mother is a member of the Makah Nation and her late father is a member of Piscataway nation). We get a lot of the history of the people and how it links to the generations that follow. There are many notes in the back regarding Day's reason for selecting these nations.
Interestingly, I love this book cover and it is one of the reasons I wanted to read the book. But, I think the book cover belies the serious content of the book. The young girl on the cover appears much younger than twelve years old. Maisie is a complex character. I don't want kids to pass this one up because they may feel it reads too young for them just based on the cover. Am I making any sense?
I would like to read Day's first book. She is a solid writer that can write the emotions of a tween with grade and that's not easy to do.