Sea Legs: A Graphic Novel (Sea Legs #1)

by Jules Bakes, Niki Smith (Illustrator)

Overview

Set sail for adventure! Dive in to this hilarious and moving middle grade graphic memoir about friendship, growing up, and life at sea.

Janey's family is about to set sail for the adventure of a lifetime! The only problem? Janey must leave her school, her life, her best friend, the entire country behind for new adventures — coral reefs, colorful markets, and new cultures. Life at sea is exhilarating, but there’s a major downside: when you’re raising anchor every few days with sights on a new harbor, it’s almost impossible to make new friends.

Finally, Janey meets the cool and aloof Astrid — a fellow boat kid who’s equally starved for friendship. But Astrid can be a challenging friend to navigate, and beyond that, hurricane season has only just begun . . . .

At turns laugh-out-loud hilarious and heartbreakingly poignant, this stunning middle grade graphic memoir charts both the turbulence and joys of growing up.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781338835861
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	02/04/2025
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 8.00(h) x 1.00(d)
Lexile:	GN330L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Jules Bakes spent her childhood sailing around the Caribbean and South America, but these days she works at Yale University. She lives in Hamden, Connecticut with her husband, two weirdo little dogs, and the ghosts of many fish. This is her first novel.

Niki Smith is the author and artist of the Lambda Literary Award-nominated graphic novel The Deep & Dark Blue. Her book The Golden Hour was a Kirkus, SLJ, and NYPL Best Book of 2021. When she’s not drawing comics, she’s collecting embroidery hoops and zines and learning to draw boats. Niki now lives in Munich, Germany with her wife and two bilingual cats.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Sea Legs:

“Visually stunning with a boatload of heart.” – Gabriela Epstein, New York Times bestselling author

“A sparkling, unforgettable journey that deftly navigates the thrills and complexities of friendship.” – Gale Galligan, New York Times bestselling author

* "Inspired by the author's childhood at sea, this grahic novel, by two lifelong friends, is a visually and emotionally vibrant must-read." – Booklist, starred review

* "Filled with lively, touching, suspenseful vignettes . . . Authentic and engaging." – Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* "This captivating story about stormy friendships and life at sea is a must-have." – School Library Journal, starred review

* "Smith gives each character a dazzling range of visible emotion through exaggerated features and body language in splashy art that burts with color." – Shelf Awareness, starred review

"Buoyant . . . Vibrant artwork by Smith bursts with tropical colors . . . Together, the creators skillfully recreate the unique experience of living at sea, infusing the story with humor and intense emotion that invites readers to partake in a shared adventure." – Publishers Weekly

"This heartfelt graphic novel explores the uncharted waters of growing up, friendship, and self-discovery . . . Inventive panels that showcase handwritten letters, maps, and annotated sketches furhter immerse the reader in Janey's world." – Horn Book

From the Publisher

★ 2024-11-09
In this graphic novel inspired by the author’s life, soon-to-be fourth grader Janey finds adventure living aboard her parents’ sailboat.

It’s 1993, and Janey is leaving Florida to head back out to sea on theMerimaid, the sailboat that is her home. While her parents worked on shore to earn money to continue sailing—her father is a welder, and her mom cleaned the marina office to help pay for their slip—Janey attended school in Indian Harbour Beach. Janey sails south with her parents and beloved cat, eventually reaching the U.S. Virgin Islands. Living aboard a 42-foot sailboat in the Caribbean may seem glamorous, but Bakes presents not only the adventure and excitement, but also the loneliness and difficulties of staying close to her best friend. When Janey spies another boat with kids on board, she quickly radios and is thrilled to make contact with another girl, Astrid. They become friends, although older daredevil Astrid pushes Janey beyond her comfort level. But as she learns more about Astrid’s life, Janey begins to appreciate how fortunate her own is. Filled with lively, touching, and suspenseful vignettes, this story of an unusual childhood is distinctive for its authenticity and lack of romanticism. Accurate in all sailing details, the tale is both refreshing and stimulating. Smith’s luminous art vibrantly portrays the characters’ range of emotions and the book’s diverse settings. Janey reads white; Astrid has wavy black hair and light brown skin.

Authentic and engaging. (author’s and illustrator’s notes)(Graphic fiction. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews