Out of My Shell

by Jenny Goebel

Overview

An inspiring and timely story of friendship, courage, and the magic that can happen when we stand up for what's right.

Normally, Olivia spends all year looking forward to her family's summer vacation in Florida. But not this year. Not when her parents have recently separated, and her father has to stay behind in Colorado. Olivia doesn't know what she'll do all summer without him. They've always been a pair, and she's never felt the same bond with her mother or younger sister. So Olivia plans to spend the summer laying low, and trying to ignore the hurt gnawing at her heart. But when she learns that the local sea turtle population is in serious risk of dying off because of her neighbor's poorly designed house, she knows she has to do something. She can't just watch the beautiful creatures suffer. Yet her chances of helping the turtles are slim, and she can't handle any more heartbreak. Will Olivia turn her back on her favorite animal to avoid the pain? Or will she find the courage to stand up for the turtles, and maybe heal herself in the process?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781338259551
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	06/25/2019
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 8.30(h) x 0.90(d)
Lexile:	740L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Jenny Goebel is the author of Grave Images, The 39 Clues: Mission Hurricane, and Fortune Falls. She lives in Denver with her husband and three sons.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Out of My Shell:"Liv is a reflective, compassionate, and self-aware narrator, and she juggles myriad conflicting emotions, struggling especially with how to express her feelings while being considerate of those of the people around her. A strong story about growing up." - Kirkus Reviews"A comforting book for fans of Ali Benjamin and Suzanne LaFleur." - Booklist Praise for Fortune Falls:* "Rich language, well-paced plotting, and rounded characters create an enchanting, hard-to-leave world. Sadie is a clever, resourceful, and brave heroine who is unwilling to abandon her family and friends, even when facing insurmountable odds. Make space on your shelves for this one." — Booklist , Starred Review"Bad luck has never been so interesting; hand this to middle grade readers who enjoy tales with a touch of magic and a plucky underdog." — School Library Journal

From the Publisher

06/01/2019

Gr 3–7—Twelve-year-old Olivia is staying at her grandparents' house with her mom and younger sister Lanie for the family's annual vacation to Florida. This is the first year her dad isn't along for the trip, owing to her parents' recent separation. Olivia, who shares many of his interests, misses her dad and the "Forrester Family Fabulous Facts" he would share throughout the journey. Meanwhile, things are awkward with her summer friend Aiden, whose grandfather is the caretaker for the Beachcomber Inn next door, which is under new management this summer. When Olivia discovers sea turtle hatchlings endangered by the bright lights at the back of the inn (they are causing the baby turtles to crawl in the wrong direction when looking for water), she vows to fix the problem and help save them. Throughout the summer, Olivia faces the struggles of having parents who are separated. She takes pictures and sends her dad texts so that he will think she is having a good time, and she worries about her mom, whom she catches crying and talking to her aunt about possibly moving Olivia and her sister to Florida. While finding her place among family, friends, and her new normal, Olivia learns that there are still plenty of people who care about her even when life feels so different. VERDICT Hand this to middle grade readers who are navigating changing family and friend dynamics as they come of age.—Sarah Polace, Cuyahoga Public Library System, OH

School Library Journal

2019-03-12
Olivia Forrester's family vacation is one person short this year: Her parents have split up.

Liv usually looks forward to the annual trip to her grandparents' beach house, but it won't be the same without Dad, who shares the 13-year-old's love for facts. Determined not to upset her parents with her true feelings, pragmatic Liv develops a protective shell around her pain and anger. During a nighttime visit to the beach, Liv observes a sea turtle looking for a place to nest. However, the harsh light from the inn next door confuses the turtle, and she turns back to the ocean. Self-reliant Olivia promises herself and the turtle she'll convince the inn's greedy owner to put in turtle-friendly lighting. Her attempts get her into trouble, but even after a desperate act causes further tension between Liv and her family, she struggles forward, never giving up on her mission. Likable, familiar Liv is a reflective, compassionate, and self-aware narrator, and she juggles myriad conflicting emotions, struggling especially with how to express her feelings while being considerate of those of the people around her. Facts about sea turtles preface each chapter; the story will spark interest in the life cycle of sea turtles. Aside from a few secondary characters of color, including Liv's Latinx cousins, assume whiteness.

A strong story about growing up. (Fiction. 9-13)

Kirkus Reviews