Fifteen-year-old Morgan Kwon wants to escape the island where she lives with her divorced mom and angry younger brother. She can’t wait to finish high school and leave for college, where she can also be out about her attraction to other girls. One night, however, she almost drowns, but is rescued by a girl named Keltie, who turns out to be a selkie—and their blossoming romance upends Morgan’s plans.
The story of the girls’ relationship is interwoven with threads about environmentalism, friendships, and family, but the lessons are kept soft. Author/illustrator Molly Knox Ostertag’s illustrations, heavy on teal tones, create a lovely watery setting for the expressive characters, while text threads among the characters add fun and contemporary resonance. Sweet and recommended.
