Beyond the Bright Sea

An isolated girl, raised by an adoptive father on a remote island, uncovers clues to her origins while learning more about the world and herself.

Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk.  Dutton, 2017, 283 pages

Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12

Recommended for: ages 10-14

The baby was tied into a skiff that washed ashore in the Elizabeth Islands off the coast of Massachusetts. Perhaps it was fate or just luck that led her to be found by a lonely man who had taken refuge on the island from traumatic events that probably had something to do with World War I (we never learn for sure).  He names her Crow, and she grows up to call him Osh—for all intents and purposes, her father.  Miss Maggie, the sturdy, strong-willed spinster who’s their nearest neighbor, fills in as mother even though there’s no romantic relationship between the grownups.  Maggie was the one who had sent letters to all the area newspapers asking if anyone had lost a baby girl, but no one claims Crow.  She grows up happy and secure and incurious about her origins until around the age of 12, when children start wondering who they are.  All the neighbors suspect she came from nearby Penikese Island, a former leper colony (and she may even be contagious!).  As Crow discovers clues that lead her closer to the truth, an element of menace enters her placid life and threatens to turn it upside-down.

There are some plot holes in this story that provoke mild dissatisfaction more than than a “huh?” response—questions I was asking that the characters didn’t ask.  But it’s beautifully written, with strong characterizations and opportunity for growth and self-knowledge.  For example, Crow’s juvenile indignation flares at the thought of the poor lepers living out their lives with no help from the mainland: why didn’t healthy people send succor to the destitute?  “Those lepers were out there for years while we were right here,” Osh reminds her: “But we never sent peaches or figs or blankets.  We never stepped foot out there either.”  Growing up isn’t easy or glib; Beyond the Bright Sea avoids the stereotypes and simple answers, and readers are better for it.

Cautions: None

Overall Rating: 4.5 (out of 5)

• Worldview/moral value: 4.5
• Artistic value: 4

Also by Lauren Wolk: Wolf Hollow