From Powells.com
Staff Pick
This story, which takes place on an island, is one of sadness, hope, searching, friendship, love, and three people — Crow, Osh, and Maggie — who will stay with the reader for a long time. This is a stunning achievement with writing that flows like the sea. Recommended By Richard C., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
From the bestselling author of Newbery Honor–winner Wolf Hollow, the moving story of an orphan, determined to know her own history, who discovers the true meaning of family.
A School Library Journal Best Book of 2017
“The sight of a campfire on a distant island…proves the catalyst for a series of discoveries and events — some poignant, some frightening — that Ms. Wolk unfolds with uncommon grace. — The Wall Street Journal
★ “Crow is a determined and dynamic heroine.” — Publishers Weekly
★ “Beautiful, evocative.” — Kirkus
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 in 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 Sea is a gorgeously crafted and tensely paced tale that explores questions of identity, belonging, and the true meaning of family.
Review
[A] hauntingly beautiful sea song of a historical novel....As Crow searches for clues to her origins, this soulful book turns into a riveting adventure.” Scholastic Teacher
Review
“A stellar story full of heart, action, and emotion that will make readers feel like they are a part of Crow’s family.” School Library Journal, starred review
Review
“Wolk has a keen sense for the seaside landscape, skillfully mining the terror the ocean can unleash as a furious nor’easter heightens tension in the novel’s climax.” Booklist, starred review
Review
“Creating mystery and suspense in an unusual setting, Newbery Honor–winner Wolk spins an intriguing tale of an orphan determined to find her roots, set in the 1920s....Crow is a determined and dynamic heroine with a strong intuition, who pieces together the puzzle of her past while making profound realizations about the definition of family.” Publishers Weekly, starred review
Synopsis
From the bestselling author of Newbery Honor-winner Wolf Hollow, Beyond the Bright Sea is an acclaimed best book of 2017 An NPR Best Book of the Year - A Parents' Magazine Best Book of the Year - A Booklist Editors' Choice selection - A BookPage Best Book of the Year - A Horn Book Fanfare Selection - A Kirkus Best Book of the Year - A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year - A Charlotte Observer Best Book of the Year - A Southern Living Best Book of the Year - A New York Public Library Best Book of the Year
"The sight of a campfire on a distant island...proves the catalyst for a series of discoveries and events--some poignant, some frightening--that Ms. Wolk unfolds with uncommon grace." -The Wall Street Journal
★ "Crow is a determined and dynamic heroine." --Publishers Weekly
★ "Beautiful, evocative." --Kirkus
The moving story of an orphan, determined to know her own history, who discovers the true meaning of family.
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 in 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 Sea is a gorgeously crafted and tensely paced tale that explores questions of identity, belonging, and the true meaning of family.
About the Author
Lauren Wolk is an award-winning poet and author of the bestselling Newbery Honor–winning Wolf Hollow, described by the New York Times Book Review as “full of grace and stark, brutal beauty.” She was born in Baltimore and has since lived in California, Rhode Island, Minnesota, Canada, and Ohio. She now lives with her family on Cape Cod.