Out to sea

Grieving for her grandmother, a young girl is washed away in a sea of tears. Sweet remembrances of Nana are not enough; Lara's tears overwhelm her. They fill her room and carry her away: through town and far out to sea. She feels completely alone and unable to recall her grandmother's essence or even ever feeling happy. For a long time she remains deep in the vast sea of her misery, unaware of anything surrounding her. At last she notices something outside herself. There is a bit of light and the soft glimmer of a pearl, which makes her realize that not every good thing has been washed away. She also sees the marine life around her and feels less alone. Memories of Nana and love return, and she heads for home. Kellock treats Lara's despair kindly and with great compassion, employing language and syntax that are gentle and expressive. Lara's feelings are never dismissed, and she is not promised that sadness and grief will be eliminated; nevertheless, a sense of hope prevails. The sea metaphors are beautifully depicted in the dreamscapes, with swirling dark blues at times of deepest sadness, then glowing golds and pink as Lara begins to heal. A nice touch allows Lara to see some of the benign sea creatures in her bedroom. Readers will commiserate with Lara and, perhaps with their grown-ups' help, gain insight into their own experiences with grief. Lara and Nana (in a photograph) both present White. Lovely, touching, and tender. (Picture book. 6-10) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.