MMGM: The Turn of the Tide, by Rosanne Parry
I haven't done a Marvelous Middle Grade Monday post in a while, but when I finished my last read I knew I had to share it with everyone.
From the publisher: "From Rosanne Parry, author of the acclaimed Heart of a Shepherd, comes an exciting and tender friendship story about two cousins looking for their destiny... When the biggest mistakes of their lives bring them together, Jet and Kai spend the summer regretting that one moment when they made the wrong decision. But there’s something about friendship that heals all wounds and, together, Jet and Kai find the one thing they never thought they’d have again—hope."
The Turn of the Tide is a combination of so many things I love: family stories, cousin stories, brink-of-growing-up stories, multicultural stories... I made the mistake of cracking it open as soon as I got home from the library; suddenly every other thing I should have been accomplishing seemed less important than following Jet and Kai on their journeys. (Luckily for my family, we had sufficient leftovers in the fridge to keep them fed.) What most impressed me was that the author created so much tension and interest with a relatively simple plot. The characters' emotions were so authentically drawn that as a reader you can't help but be pulled into them.
Little things I loved: Kids being motivated by the desire to be virtuous. (How rare is that? To make decisions not because you'll get something out of it, but because you genuinely want to be a better person.) Cousin love. (This was such a great meld of family story and friend story. My cousins were a very important part of my life when I was twelve, so I loved reading about a relationship that reminded me so much of that excellent part of my childhood.) A realistic and sensitively-drawn "bullying" backstory. (The bullying story didn't get in the way of the main plot, but it perfectly portrayed the damage that even "less aggressive" bullying can cause.) Character depth created by family history. (I love when a book throws you into the midst of a real family with generations-worth of history and traditions.)
(Note: I am an Amazon affiliate, so if you purchase this book after clicking through the image, I will get a small percentage of the sale. Better yet, buy it from your local independent bookseller.)
The Turn of the Tide is a combination of so many things I love: family stories, cousin stories, brink-of-growing-up stories, multicultural stories... I made the mistake of cracking it open as soon as I got home from the library; suddenly every other thing I should have been accomplishing seemed less important than following Jet and Kai on their journeys. (Luckily for my family, we had sufficient leftovers in the fridge to keep them fed.) What most impressed me was that the author created so much tension and interest with a relatively simple plot. The characters' emotions were so authentically drawn that as a reader you can't help but be pulled into them.
Little things I loved: Kids being motivated by the desire to be virtuous. (How rare is that? To make decisions not because you'll get something out of it, but because you genuinely want to be a better person.) Cousin love. (This was such a great meld of family story and friend story. My cousins were a very important part of my life when I was twelve, so I loved reading about a relationship that reminded me so much of that excellent part of my childhood.) A realistic and sensitively-drawn "bullying" backstory. (The bullying story didn't get in the way of the main plot, but it perfectly portrayed the damage that even "less aggressive" bullying can cause.) Character depth created by family history. (I love when a book throws you into the midst of a real family with generations-worth of history and traditions.)
(Note: I am an Amazon affiliate, so if you purchase this book after clicking through the image, I will get a small percentage of the sale. Better yet, buy it from your local independent bookseller.)
This one sounds great. I've added it to my list of books to read. Thanks for your insights.
ReplyDeleteAnother one to put on my TBR pile. Thank you, I didn't even know RP had a new book. I'd expect nothing less than brilliant from her.
ReplyDeleteI'm a huge fan of Heart of a Shepherd, so I'm glad she has a new one out.
ReplyDeleteThis one sounds cool! I like that we get to learn about past generations of their family. I'll add it to my TBR list. Thanks for the review! (PS. I love your blog! It looks awesome!)
ReplyDeleteCharacters motivated by a desire to be virtuous? That sounds wonderful. I really enjoyed SECOND FIDDLE and WRITTEN IN STONE so I'm sure I would like this too.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the lovely review Faith! I really did have a great time writing this and offering a small tribute to the many wonderful cousins I grew up with. Three cheers to my wonderful cover artist Julie McLaughlin!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a terrific book. I am putting it on my TBR list. Thanks for telling me about it.
ReplyDeleteRoseanne is in my SCBWI region, and I haven't read a book of hers I didn't like. This is definitely on my to read list. I'm a sucker for family stories too.
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