(2) 4-6 Translated by Lourdes Heuer. Courageous and resilient ten-year-old Sofia is taken to live with her grandmother in Bahia, by the sea. Over the ensuing weeks and months, she struggles to make sense of why her mother chose her creepy and potentially abusive boyfriend over her. Sofia does have a special connection with the sea, however, and is eager to spend time experiencing its sights, sounds, and smells, as she sees herself as a mermaid. In truth, Sofia uses her imagination to make sense of confusing relationships with people around her and to cope with loss. This sensitive and compelling story creates a mystical world in which a young girl who feels alone eventually finds peace by paying attention to her feelings and discovering a way to communicate them. Several topics related to trauma are explored, including domestic abuse, loss, and anxiety (reflected in the protagonist thinking she has crabs of different colors in her stomach that convey different feelings). Palacio Obón uses a vivid and fast-paced narrative to make Sofia's experiences realistic and relatable to readers, while highlighting important cultural connections to the powerful role of the sea in many Latin cultures.

Reviewer: Nicholas A. Brown | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2024