(2) 4-6 Before her death three years earlier, Brie's mother had planned a surprise twelfth-birthday adventure for Brie and her father at Brim's Island, Brie's grandfather's house "built into the rocks above the sea, and the hidden caves underneath." Brie and her parents used to spend summers at the house on the Jamaican coast, north of their own home. Brie is thrilled at the thought of the trip but disappointed to learn that her father can't go with her. "I should be used to this now. This isn't new; this is all the time. Papa is rarely around: work is always more important than me." While it's not the same, her aunt and uncle agree to bring Brie and her friends up the coast. Following clues in a letter from Mama, Brie learns that there's a special place in Brim's Island--a spot that was Mama's secret and that can be hers, too, if she can find it. Mama's letter says Brie's grandfather has the key, but Brim, who's been suffering from memory problems, is in a nursing home and Brie isn't sure he'll "remember my name, never mind knowing where the key to the room is." Getten's (When Life Gives You Mangoes, rev. 1/21) descriptions give readers an authentic feel for the setting, as well as for one girl's experiences of grief and sadness and need for connection.

Reviewer: Nicholl Denice Montgomery | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2022

(2) 4-6 Everyone in the seaside village of Sycamore knows that twelve-year-old Clara Dee Henson hasn't been herself for a while. Last summer something fateful happened--if only she could remember what--and now she fears water and is prone to emotional outbursts. Moreover, her relationship with her best friend, Gaynah, is unraveling. Clara's unusual behavior is as shrouded in mystery as her uncle Eldorath, the village pariah with whom she develops a special bond. The arrival of a new girl in Sycamore prompts Clara to confront her complex feelings about Gaynah. Set on an island inspired by Jamaica (the author's birthplace), this story of friendship, healing, and self-forgiveness sensitively explores the emotional landscape of childhood and the complexity of loss. The villagers, each in their own way, help Clara face her troubles and lay the ghost of last summer to rest. This layered and realistic portrayal of relationships in a close-knit Black community complements rather than competes with elements of the supernatural, resulting in a plot that reads like a gradually unfolding revelation. Although the characterization can be shaky at times, and the island setting is not as fully realized as it could be, deft storytelling and an authentic rendering of a child's voice make this a promising debut.

Reviewer: Summer Edward | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2021