{"product_id":"graciela-in-the-abyss-9781536253009","title":"Graciela in the Abyss","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eDive into the abyss with this stunning paperback, featuring printed edges that invite you into the deepest recesses of the ocean, where the sea ghosts lie.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A thrilling, action-packed journey filled with heart, bravery, and ghostly exploits.\" —\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e (starred review)\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn the deepest recesses of the ocean, Graciela—once an ordinary girl—now makes sea glass and assists her friend, Amina, as she welcomes newly awakened sea ghosts from their death sleep. Though Graciela’s spirit is young, she has lived at the bottom of the ocean for more than a hundred years. Meanwhile, in the mortal world on land, twelve-year-old Jorge Leon works in his family’s forge. He’s heard of the supernatural spirits living beneath the ocean’s waves—tales that do nothing to quell his fear of the water. But when Jorge discovers a hand-wrought harpoon with the power to spear a sea ghost, he knows he must destroy it any way he can.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen the harpoon is accidentally reunited with its vengeful owner, unlikely allies Graciela and Jorge have no choice but to work together to keep evil spirits from wreaking havoc on both the living and the dead. If only the answer to saving what they care about didn’t lie within the depths of the abyss . . . Newbery Medal winner Meg Medina and illustrators Anna and Elena Balbusso have crafted a magical ocean fantasy for kids in this epic sea ghost adventure infused with Latin American folklore, which will leave readers wondering what power lies in the depths of the ocean—and inside each of us.\u003ch4\u003eDetails\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003cp\u003eISBN13: 9781536253009\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFormat: Paperback \/ softback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNumber of Pages: 256\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEdition: \u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePublication Date: \u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePublisher: Candlewick Press,U.S.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePublication City, Country: Massachusetts, United States\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDimensions (cm): 21(H)x14.1(L)x1.8(W)397\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWeight (gm): 397\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch4\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003cb\u003eMeg Medina\u003c\/b\u003e is a former National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature and the author of the Newbery Medal–winning book \u003ci\u003eMerci Suárez Changes Gears\u003c\/i\u003e, which was also a Kirkus Prize finalist, and its sequels, \u003ci\u003eMerci Suárez Can’t Dance \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eMerci Suárez Plays It Cool\u003c\/i\u003e, as well as several award-winning young adult novels and picture books. About this novel she says, “To survive in the darkest depths of the sea, creatures must learn to make their own spectacular light. In so many ways, that ability mirrors what young people need on their journey of growing up.” The daughter of Cuban immigrants, Meg Medina lives in Richmond, Virginia.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAnna and Elena Balbusso\u003c\/b\u003e, also known as the Balbusso Twins, are an award-winning Italian sister artist team living in Milan. Their illustrations have been published throughout the world in various media, including more than fifty books. Their artwork has received more than ninety international honors and awards, including the Stevan Dohanos Award from the Society of Illustrators. They live in Milan, Italy.\u003ch4\u003eReviews\u003c\/h4\u003eAnna and Elena Balbusso’s mesmeric illustrations accompany Medina’s graceful and gently eerie narrative about a sea ghost who must find purpose beyond the material contours of mortality… Medina, a lyrical and tender storyteller, elegantly merges Graciela’s mortal desire for a “bigger” life with the lesson her spirit must absorb before achieving peace.\u003cbr\u003e—The New York Times\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWith breathtaking underwater worldbuilding and eerie details, Medina’s latest immerses readers in Graciela’s ghostly realm, and they’ll root for the unlikely duo on their perilous quest. The Balbussos’ hauntingly beautiful illustrations enhance the story. The characters and setting evoke Spanish and Portuguese cultural influences. A thrilling, action-packed journey filled with heart, bravery, and ghostly exploits.\u003cbr\u003e—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMedina effortlessly builds a magical marine world that feels fished from folklore, and the manner in which each story in the narrative informs the others is beautifully crafted. Rich in compelling characters, complicated emotions, and originality, this epic writ small will dazzle its readers.\u003cbr\u003e—Booklist (starred review)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMedina delivers a beguiling aquatic adventure in her first fantasy offering, set in a fictional Spanishinspired landscape. . . . Intricately interwoven timelines and perspectives provide riveting background while maintaining suspense and forward momentum. Fusing elements of magical realism with introspective, high-stakes plotting, the Newbery Medalist tackles subjects such as parental neglect and abuse, jealousy, and greed in this richly imagined tale.\u003cbr\u003e—Publishers Weekly (starred review)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe awe-inspiring characters in this mesmerizing folkloric story exude a dazzling defiance against unjust power. . . . [Medina] uses hypnotic prose to conjure an oceanic realm teeming with wonders that speak to the interconnectedness of land and sea. . . . The Balbusso twins' illustrations are as inky as the deep's dark waters. Seemingly insurmountable odds and grief bring suspense to a supernatural underwater tale as immersive, majestic, and alluring as the deep sea itself.\u003cbr\u003e—Shelf Awareness (starred review)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMedina has devised an intricate underwater world full of fanciful explanations for ocean-related phenomena and unusual characters who would feel at home in Baum’s Oz (especially the taunting Needlers), matched by the Balbussos’ gorgeous, layered, mixed-media illustrations in grayscale. Graciela is imperfect and relatable as she learns to process loss from both her life before and now, and Jorge is endearing, from the book’s start through its heartwarming conclusion.\u003cbr\u003e—The Horn Book (starred review)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMedina crafts a uniquely magical world that is fleshed out with enough lore to be compelling but not overwritten to lose its appealing mystique. . . .Third-person narration carries a folkloric tone yet still brings an enormous amount of compassion to individual characters. . . . The ocean setting and gentle fantastical elements make this a solid readalike to Ryan’s \u003ci\u003eEl Nino.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e—Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e[An] adventure-filled fantasy. . . . The ocean’s beauty and risk are captured in terms of moonlit waters and murky creatures known as needlers. . . . Emotions ground the story. . . .\u003ci\u003eGraciela in the Abyss\u003c\/i\u003e is a glimmering fantasy novel about selflessness, duty, and friendship.\u003cbr\u003e—Foreword Reviews\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMedina is a masterful storyteller, and this novel is no exception. . . . Frequent illustrations add to the mysticism and magic of the story. . . . An excellent fit for readers of fantasy and ghost stories, Graciela will make readers feel near the sea, hearing old stories passed around a campfire.\u003cbr\u003e—School Library Journal","brand":"Meg Medina","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48926791074009,"sku":"9781536253009","price":17.99,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0502\/9530\/8441\/files\/9781536253009.jpg?v=1783736212","url":"https:\/\/www.arielbooks.com.au\/products\/graciela-in-the-abyss-9781536253009","provider":"Ariel","version":"1.0","type":"link"}