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| Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk |
"From the author of the critically acclaimed Wolf Hollow comes a moving story of identity and belonging.
Twelve-year-old Crow has lived her entire life on a tiny, isolated piece of the starkly beautiful Elizabeth Islands in Massachusetts. Abandoned and set adrift on a small boat when she was just hours old, Crow's only companions are Osh, the man who rescued and raised her, and Miss Maggie, their fierce and affectionate neighbor across the sandbar.
Crow has always been curious about the world around her, but it isn't until the night a mysterious fire appears across the water that the unspoken question of her own history forms in her heart. Soon, an unstoppable chain of events is triggered, leading Crow down a path of discovery and danger.
Vivid and heart wrenching, Lauren Wolk's Beyond the Bright Seais a gorgeously crafted and tensely paced tale that explores questions of identity, belonging, and the true meaning of family."
I am in a huge minority about
this book because it has great ratings, but I thought it was very slow until
well into it, then there was a plot with jewels and thieves that seemed
ludicrous, and then the whole thing just petered out with a massive amount of
unanswered questions. Were there moments of beauty? Yes. Were there moments of
insight? Yes. Do I see this getting checked out by middle schoolers? Not unless
a librarian talks it up to them, and then I see it being returned with a
bookmark still in chapter 2 or 3.
I'm probably also in the minority in disliking how authors right now are forcing our 21st century sensibilities on people in history. I don't care how politically incorrect the Little House or Sue Barton books were, I loved them. Are the stereotypical generalities of Native Americans and NYC Italians portrayed in those books the way we look at things now? Nope. Leprosy was/is a horrible disease. It was highly contagious and there was no cure. It could also be latent in a person for years. So the actions of the people on Cuttyhunk were understandable at that time. I really appreciated it when, towards the end of the book, Crow and Osh were having a conversation about all the people who wouldn't help the lepers on Penikese:
Osh sighed. "Time to let that go now," he said.
"I can't," I said. "It's not right."
Osh turned to go into the house. "Maybe not," he said, "But I've said all I've got to say about it." He paused. "Except this: Those lepers were out there for years while we were right here, just across the water. But we never sent peaches or figs or blankets. We never stepped foot out there, either."
So instead of being all 21st century judge-y, Osh was pointing out that they weren't any different than the other islanders. I'm glad that little conversation happened.
Mark my words, this will get at least a Newbery Honor. Whenever I'm not impressed by a book that has a lot of hype, it usually gets a Newbery nod. But please read it for yourself because a lot of people disagree with me and think it is wonderful and beautiful.
Areas of concern:
*Some pretty intense moments with a very evil man
Suggested Ages:
Publisher's Weekly - Ages 10+
School Library Journal - Grades 5-8
I'm probably also in the minority in disliking how authors right now are forcing our 21st century sensibilities on people in history. I don't care how politically incorrect the Little House or Sue Barton books were, I loved them. Are the stereotypical generalities of Native Americans and NYC Italians portrayed in those books the way we look at things now? Nope. Leprosy was/is a horrible disease. It was highly contagious and there was no cure. It could also be latent in a person for years. So the actions of the people on Cuttyhunk were understandable at that time. I really appreciated it when, towards the end of the book, Crow and Osh were having a conversation about all the people who wouldn't help the lepers on Penikese:
Osh sighed. "Time to let that go now," he said.
"I can't," I said. "It's not right."
Osh turned to go into the house. "Maybe not," he said, "But I've said all I've got to say about it." He paused. "Except this: Those lepers were out there for years while we were right here, just across the water. But we never sent peaches or figs or blankets. We never stepped foot out there, either."
So instead of being all 21st century judge-y, Osh was pointing out that they weren't any different than the other islanders. I'm glad that little conversation happened.
Mark my words, this will get at least a Newbery Honor. Whenever I'm not impressed by a book that has a lot of hype, it usually gets a Newbery nod. But please read it for yourself because a lot of people disagree with me and think it is wonderful and beautiful.
Areas of concern:
*Some pretty intense moments with a very evil man
Suggested Ages:
Publisher's Weekly - Ages 10+
School Library Journal - Grades 5-8
