Olive's Ocean

Description

On a summer visit to her grandmother's cottage by the ocean, twelve-year-old Martha gains perspective on the death of a classmate, on her relationship with her grandmother, on her feelings for an older boy, and on her plans to be a writer.

Kevin Henkes is the author and illustrator of more than fifty critically acclaimed and award-winning picture books, beginning readers, and novels. He received the Caldecott Medal for Kitten's First Full Moon in 2005, and Waiting won a Caldecott Honor and Geisel Honor in 2016. Kevin Henkes is also the creator of a number of picture books featuring his mouse characters, including the #1 New York Times bestsellers Lilly's Big Day and Wemberly Worried, the Caldecott Honor Book Owen, and the beloved Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse. His most recent mouse character, Penny, was introduced in Penny and Her Song; her story continued in Penny and Her Doll and Penny and Her Marble (a Geisel Honor Book). Bruce Handy, in a New York Times Book Review piece about A Good Day, wrote, "It should be said: Kevin Henkes is a genius." Kevin Henkes received two Newbery Honors for novels-one for The Year of Billy Miller, and the other for Olive's Ocean. Also among his fiction for older readers are the novels Junonia, Bird Lake Moon, The Birthday Room, and Sun & Spoon. Kevin Henkes has been published by Greenwillow Books since the release of his first book, All Alone, in 1981. His fiftieth book, the picture book Egg, was published in January 2017. Most recently, he is the author of In the Middle of Fall, Winter Is Here, Summer Song, A Parade of Elephants, Sweeping Up the Heart, and Penny and Her Sled. He lives with his family in Madison, Wisconsin. www.kevinhenkes.com.

"The ever versatile Kevin Henkes dazzles with this spare yet profoundly touching coming-of-age novel." -- Family Fun Magazine "An eloquent journey into adolescence." -- Florida Times-Union "Few girls will fail to recognize themselves in Martha." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "Martha Boyle is one of the memorable 12-year-old girls of fiction, smart, confused, compassionate." -- KLIATT (starred review) "With his usual sensitivity and insight, Henkes explores key issues of adolescence." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Lyrically written." -- Seattle Times "Rich characterizations move this compelling novel to its satisfying and emotionally authentic conclusion." -- School Library Journal (starred review) "Henkes's story is subtle and satisfyingly untidy. Grabs you right from the start." -- Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) "With beautifully defined characters, events, and emotions that will tug at your heart, this novel is flawless." -- Daily Item