GIRL FROM THE SEA SC

The follow-up to her massively popular Witch Boy series, Molly Knox Ostertag’s latest is a young adult book with a lot of heart. Fifteen-year-old Morgan can’t wait to leave the small island she’s lived on her whole life. To get away from her divorced parents, her grumpy younger brother, and the friends she feels she’s outgrown – most importantly, she can’t wait to be openly gay. The last thing she expects is a summer romance on her own island, and certainly not when the other girl is a selkie! Ostertag’s art is bright and expressive as always, and the under-water sequences are particularly stunning. Morgan makes for an incredibly sympathetic protagonist, who must slowly realise hiding her queerness has led to her hiding herself. Ultimately, The Girl From the Sea is a story about the importance of friendship, and trusting in those you love, which despite the fantastical elements feels grounded and honest.