Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk

Winner of the 2018 Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction. If you’re searching for a story that lingers long after the last page, settle in. This one’s a keeper.

From the bestselling author of Echo Mountain and the Newbery Honor–winning Wolf Hollow comes a tale as windswept and beautiful as the coastline outside our door.

Meet Crow. Twelve years old, fiercely curious, and raised on a tiny, isolated speck of the Elizabeth Islands off the coast of Massachusetts. Abandoned and set adrift in a small boat when she was just hours old, Crow has always wondered where she came from. Her whole world is Osh, the man who rescued and raised her, and Miss Maggie, the fierce and loving neighbor just across the sandbar.

Then, one night, a mysterious fire flickers across the water. And the question Crow has carried in her heart for years finally bursts free—setting off an unstoppable chain of discovery, danger, and the kind of truth that changes everything.

This is a book about identity, belonging, and what family really means. It’s vivid. Heart-wrenching. Beautifully crafted.

The critics agree. The Wall Street Journal praised how “Ms. Wolk unfolds with uncommon grace,” while Publishers Weekly called Crow “a determined and dynamic heroine.” Kirkus simply called it “Beautiful, evocative.” It’s been named a Best Book of the Year by NPR, School Library Journal, the New York Public Library, and so many more.

Perfect for young readers and grown-ups alike—especially on a salty, rainy afternoon when the sea is just steps away.

Additional information