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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
lighthearted
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
“Welcome to the wide open beautiful.”
🏝️
Kai Sosa comes from a long line of professional swimmers and this is his summer to prove he can pass muster. Unfortunately he doesn’t feel like he’s as good as his sister, Cali, who passed away two years ago. When Kai sees a mysterious sea creature that he believes to be his sister, he investigates underwater to a realm where a mythic Amazonian queen once ruled. Caught between two worlds Kai must learn to let go of the past and move into his future.
👑
This was a sweet and moving MG cli-fi magical realism story. You can’t help for root for Kai. Like most of Ryan’s books this one is filled with grief, loss and ultimately, hope.
CW: death of a sibling, grief, climate issues, concussion
🏝️
Kai Sosa comes from a long line of professional swimmers and this is his summer to prove he can pass muster. Unfortunately he doesn’t feel like he’s as good as his sister, Cali, who passed away two years ago. When Kai sees a mysterious sea creature that he believes to be his sister, he investigates underwater to a realm where a mythic Amazonian queen once ruled. Caught between two worlds Kai must learn to let go of the past and move into his future.
👑
This was a sweet and moving MG cli-fi magical realism story. You can’t help for root for Kai. Like most of Ryan’s books this one is filled with grief, loss and ultimately, hope.
CW: death of a sibling, grief, climate issues, concussion
adventurous
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book is a love letter to northern San Diego County. I loved all the references to places I’d visited in my childhood and delving into the story of how Kai figured out how to deal with his grief. It’s a beautiful story that can help kids navigate a tough subject and tough feelings.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
I loved the way grief over the loss of a loved one was mixed with magical realism in this story. The author allowed the reader freedom to decide which parts of the myths to accept while wondering if Kai is experiencing everything he thinks he is. At the same time as he grieves, Kai is also trying to get back to his swimming prowess before he gets cut from his elite team. The difficulty of grieving as a middle grade boy and the way his dad has pulled away from him combined in his athletics in an interesting way. I think this book could be a great one to give to a middle grade reader.