The Jellyfish Problem by Tessa Yang

A marine biologist makes the discovery of a lifetime when she’s called to rescue a small Maine island from a giant, glowing jellyfish in this richly imagined, wholly original debut.

Now, this one feels like it washed right up onto our doorstep. A sea monster. A tiny Maine island. The kind of salty, mysterious magic that fits perfectly on our shelves.

Meet Dr. Jo Ness. She prefers jellyfish to people, and honestly, who could blame her? Her one exception was her best friend, Aldo, who died seven months ago. Now she hides away at an underfunded aquarium, finishing the jellyfish guide they started together. His voice lives on in the margins. It’s almost enough.

Then comes the call. Nadia, an old love she hasn’t heard from in years, needs her help. There’s a giant jellyfish terrorizing her tiny island off the coast of Maine. The video looks fake. Jo goes anyway.

But when she arrives at Shattering Point, Nadia is gone. And the islanders? Each one has something different to say about the creature they’ve named Clementine . . . a jellyfish that changes all who see it.

Part ode to the classic sea monster tale, part luminous story about grief, friendship, and the things that connect us, The Jellyfish Problem is the kind of debut that makes you sit up and pay attention. A brand-new talent, announced.

It’s a magical realism gem for fans of literary fiction with a little salt in the air. We’d love to put a copy in your hands.

A new hardcover release, nestled and ready to be discovered.

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