When Sea Becomes Sky

by Gillian McDunn

Overview

In this heartfelt summer story, acclaimed author Gillian McDunn paints a stunning portrait of the bond of siblings and the love we'll always carry with us.

Bex and Davey's summer in the saltmarsh is different this year, thanks to the record-breaking drought. Even the fish seem listless—and each day the water level lowers farther. When they discover a mysterious underwater statue, they're thrilled at the chance to solve the puzzle of its origin. This is the summer adventure they've been waiting for.

When they learn of a development plan that will destroy their special spot, they'll need to act quickly. Unfortunately, sometimes progress happens whether you're ready or not. What will it mean if Bex and Davey lose their corner of the marsh where otters frolic and dragonflies buzz—their favorite place to be siblings together?

As Bex and Davey attempt to save the statue and their beloved marsh, they come to see that the truth is not as simple as it seems . . . ultimately discovering so much more about life, permanence, love, and loss than they ever expected.

Award-winning author Gillian McDunn crafts a gorgeous story of love and siblinghood, of secret statues and island life, of holding on and letting go.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781547610853
Publisher:	Bloomsbury USA
Publication date:	02/28/2023
Pages:	224
Sales rank:	35,197
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 8.10(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	8 - 11 Years

About the Author

Gillian McDunn is the author of Honestly Elliott, These Unlucky Stars, The Queen Bee and Me, and Caterpillar Summer, which received two starred reviews, and was selected for the Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List, and Kirkus and Parents magazine Best Books of the Year lists. When she isn't reading or writing, she is probably baking gluten-free treats, traveling, or spending time with her family. She lives near Raleigh, North Carolina, with her husband and children, and a very silly dog named Friday.

www.gillianmcdunn.com

@gillianmcdunn

Editorial Reviews

01/09/2023

An uneasy vibe permeates this expansive mystery starring two closely bonded siblings. Contentious 11-year-old aspiring writer Bex and her quiet, easygoing nine-year-old brother Davey, who cue as white, live on Pelican Island off the Carolina coast, and spend freewheeling days in their favorite marsh spot. When a pervasive drought lowers the water level, and Bex notices a human-size metal statue embedded in the mud, she believes that the find could detour the building of a planned bridge to the island, which is currently only accessible by ferry. The bridge promises to bring more tourists to the remote island, improving the local economy, but it’s also likely to alter the ecosystem and threaten the kids’ father’s job as ferry captain. Davey tends not to speak around others, but he chats regularly with Bex as they work to solve the art mystery. Bex, meanwhile, studiously avoids “used-to-be friend” Millie Ochoa-Chen, who’s Taiwanese and Mexican American. Positing that “writers must tell the truth thoroughly, constantly, and recklessly,” McDunn (Honestly Elliott) uses the island’s drought to imbue the story with an anxious feeling as Bex strives to prolong the waning summer. An author’s note details the book’s personal origins. Ages 8–11. Agent: Marietta Zacker, Gallt & Zacker Literary. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly

2022-11-29
A summer mystery on their island home illuminates the special bond between siblings.

Bex and Davey live on Pelican Island, where a drought is lowering the water in the salt marsh. When a formerly submerged statue appears, the siblings, who are cued White, search for its story with growing excitement. The statue could be a way to stop developers from destroying their beloved marshlands with a new bridge, after all. This layered mystery is crafted with an eye on the statue and its heart focused on Bex as she navigates this special summer when she is in charge of her 9-year-old brother. Lately Davey doesn’t speak to anyone but her, and he speaks most freely when they are at The Thumb, their special place on a far corner of their island. The two race to uncover information about the sculptor without adult interference, culminating in a surreptitious ferry ride to an art museum on the mainland. McDunn has created strong supporting characters, like Bex’s former best friend, who speak truth and demonstrate kindness. The rainless skies stand for suppressed emotions, with the otters, crabs, and buzzing insects creating a timeless, swampy backdrop. The pages shine with love, loss, and a sense of place; autobiographical ties to the story are explained in the author’s note. Atmospheric illustrations help bring to life the island setting.

A mystery that, as it is uncovered, becomes something much more profound. (Fiction. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews

A beauty of a story.” —Rajani LaRocca, Newbery Honor-winning author of RED, WHITE, AND WHOLE

“A moving portrait of grief and growing up. . . . The narrative is gentle and compassionate. . . . McDunn offers a bittersweet ode to the heartbreakingly ephemeral periods in life, and this novel provides a possible path forward after loss, even if it cannot offer easy answers.” —BCCB, starred review

“Written with immediacy and grace . . . fully engaging novel.” —Booklist, starred review

“An undeniably beautiful story made for pondering and revisiting. . . . Considers big questions and appreciates quiet moments with mastery, compassion and care.” —BookPage

“An expansive mystery starring two closely bonded siblings.” —Publishers Weekly

“The pages shine with love, loss, and a sense of place. . . . A mystery that, as it is uncovered, becomes something much more profound.” —Kirkus Reviews

“A novel full of heart, humor, and honesty. . . . Elliott is an instantly lovable character, and readers will be hooked from the very first chapter.” —School Library Journal, starred review, on HONESTLY ELLIOTT

“McDunn has a talent for creating sympathetic characters. . . . This well-paced, heartfelt chapter book offers a lovable main character, a lively supporting cast, and a satisfying conclusion.” —Booklist, starred review, on HONESTLY ELLIOTT

“McDunn (These Unlucky Stars) offers an affirming and nuanced depiction of empathetic and creative Elliott's experience of ADHD. . . . Elliott's relationship with his father, from whom he craves acceptance despite his dad's failure to acknowledge Elliott's specific challenges, is particularly inspiring as the two work toward openness and understanding.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review, on HONESTLY ELLIOTT

“In a droll, engaging, self-effacing, and disarmingly open voice, Elliott narrates his story, providing realistic, firsthand insights into living with ADHD. A refreshingly honest exploration of family and friendship.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review, on HONESTLY ELLIOTT

From the Publisher