After some embarrassing moments, they began to talk and Noah discovered he had no trouble talking with her. Mara appeared to be about his age and very pretty with dark hair like his sister's. He immediately went to rescue her only to discover she was naked and not drowning. He raced to the side of the small cliff and saw a young girl who appeared to be drowning.

On one of his runs on Star Island (an adjacent island) he heard a splash and a groan.

They were both entranced by their grandmother's fairy tale story of Selkies. Lo, who was adopted from China, battled bulimia. His only dream was to be a marine biologist. Noah, had never dated as he was totally focused on achieving good grades. Gemm had let the life of a top model before returning to the island and her first love. Gemm is the keeper of the lighthouse as was her mother before her.

Neither had thought of true adventure or life changing events happening over the summer but after this summer, neither will ever be the same again. Lo just wants some quiet time to draw and paint. Noah is looking forward to working with his mentor as an internist at the Marine Science Research Center. Noah and his sister Lo go to spend the summer with their Grandmother, Gemm, on a remote island. Betsy Cornwell is a terrific new talent with a boundless imagination.'Tides' was written for young adults but was thoroughly enjoyed by this older adult. It's full of mystery but it's also so fully imagined that a reader can jump right in. Sarah Porter, author of the Lost Voices trilogy “ Tides is a rich, taut, suspenseful, and funny exploration of two worlds, selkie and human. School Library Journal 'Longing for the beyond vies with the deep bonds of love, home, and family in Betsy Cornwell's dreamlike and heart-wrenching novel, and her fresh, delicate lyricism conveys her characters' struggles with compelling power. 'Subtle themes of turning weakness into strength and threaded throughout the story and ultimately create a nuanced debut novel. The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books 'A haunting, atmospheric, intergenerational tale of the 'inbetween,' suffused with selkie lore.'

'A satisfying mix of folktale, mystery, and family drama, this eerie story will leave readers with the distinct impression that Gemm's island home has a bottomless supply of heartbreaking tales of love and loss.' offers a valuable message of acceptance.' 'Cornwell seamlessly weaves together three distinctive narrative voices to tell a completely original story. The narrative shimmers and haunts, and will appeal to readers who don't typically like fantasy.' Publishers Weekly, starred review ' graceful debut novel. 'Cornwell's themes of body image, abuse, and the danger and pleasure found in relationships of all kinds emerge organically through the book's visceral, disturbing, and often lovely imagery.'

Tides by betsy cornwell