BOOKS

Crack in the Sea

by H.M. BOUWMAN
8 CDs. 9:45 hrs. Listening Library. Jan. 2017. $50. ISBN 9781524755188. digital download.
COPY ISBN
Gr 4–8—Imbued with fantasy and history, this complex multilayered tale is set in worlds with an oceangoing raft village and an isolated island community. Quest-filled journeys, magical powers, and a kidnapping are woven together as three sets of siblings navigate voyages spanning centuries and continents. Accompanied by caring friends and searching for a mythical portal, the children in these related stories are resilient and resourceful. This unique work has a wide range of characters: a fearful king, a kind storyteller, two huge one-eyed sea monsters, and a boy dealing with face blindness. Narrator Bahni Turpin delicately balances the novel's many voices and their emotions. The broad-ranging text is steered by examples of endurance, loyalty, and courage.
VERDICT Heavy with twists and turns, this is a challenging but worthwhile story for upper-elementary and middle school fans of fantasy underpinned with facts.
Reviewed by Barbara Wysocki, formerly at Cora J. Belden Library, Rocky Hill, CT , Dec 01, 2017

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