Secret Sisters of the Salty Sea
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- $6.99
Publisher Description
Newbery Medalist Lynne Rae Perkins introduces two irresistible sisters—Alix and Jools—and takes readers on an unforgettable vacation to the beach. This joyful celebration of sisters, family, friendship, and the ocean is illustrated in black-and-white throughout. The Wall Street Journal said, “Ocean meets sky meets two young girls in Lynne Rae Perkins’s affectionate chapter book. . . . Illustrations by the author add wit and tenderness to this sunny summer story.” For fans of Kate DiCamillo and Rebecca Stead.
Alix and her older sister, Jools, have never been to the ocean. When their parents pack them up to spend a week by the shore, Alix is nervous about leaving home—but excited, too. At the beach, the sisters make friends, go exploring, and have adventures big and small. To Alix’s surprise, as the week comes to an end, she finds she doesn’t want to leave!
Each chapter contains its own miniature discovery—from picking periwinkles, meeting a crab, and making sandcastles, to exploring the nearby town. Award-winning author Lynne Rae Perkins has beautifully crafted a genuine and engaging novel about sisters, family, and exploration.
A great read-aloud, as well as a good choice for newly independent readers. Booklist said, “Ordinary pleasures, in the hands of a writer so skilled, are elevated.” Features black and white art throughout.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Newbery Medalist Perkins (Criss Cross) vividly captures the world through a child's eyes in this quiet novel chronicling Alix Treffrey's weeklong vacation on the beach with her parents and her "more mature" sister, Jools. In the first chapter, Perkins conveys the excitement and coziness of beginning a journey before dawn ("As the car began to move, she snuggled under the sleeping bag.... pictured herself wearing her newer bathing suit, floating maturely on her boogie board in the turquoise water"). Each chapter that follows highlights a discovery or event that makes the trip memorable. Some incidents, such as temporarily getting separated from her parents at a crowded service plaza and having a giant june bug plant itself on her arm, aren't very pleasant, but most experiences making a new friend, holding an injured falcon in her arms, finding sea glass on the beach are wondrous reminders of how small miracles make life worth living. Perkins draws on all five senses to evoke nature's beauty and show the ebb and flow of Alix's emotions as she eagerly explores new territory. As in her previous novels, Perkins' sensitive spot art illuminates the characters' inner and outer worlds. Ages 8 12.