How to Make Friends with the Sea
by Tanya Guerrero (Author)
Tanya Guerrero's How to Make Friends with the Sea is a middle grade debut novel set in the Philippines about a young boy's challenges with anxiety while his mother fosters an orphaned child with a facial anomaly.
Pablo is homesick.
He's only twelve years old, but he's lived in more countries than he can count. After his parents divorced, he and his mother have moved from place to place for years, never settling anywhere long enough to call it home. And along the way, Pablo has collected more and more fears: of dirt, of germs, and most of all, of the ocean.
Now they're living in the Philippines, and his mother, a zoologist who works at a local wildlife refuge, is too busy saving animals to notice that Pablo might need saving, too. Then his mother takes in Chiqui, an orphaned girl with a cleft lip--and Pablo finds that through being strong for Chiqui, his own fears don't seem so scary. He might even find the courage to face his biggest fear of all...and learn how to make friends with the sea.
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School Library Journal
Gr 3-7--Twelve-year-old Pablo finds himself adjusting to another new environment as his zoologist mother explores fresh opportunities. This time they land in the Philippines, and even though Pablo is starting to make connections, his OCD and anxiety are escalating. He misses his estranged dad and feels at fault for their sporadic relationship. Then his Mom takes in Chiqui, a traumatized orphan with a cleft lip. Pablo warms up to Chiqui, finding himself tentatively opening up to new people and experiences while making peace with a world in which he has little control. Debut author Guerrero presents an #OwnVoices account of life in present-day Philippines. Readers will be immersed in Filipino culture as they fall into Pablo's story and quest for home. Many will relate to his struggles with upheaval, worry, and misplaced guilt. Numerous issues are explored in the plot, yet it never feels too busy or cluttered. Short chapters will keep readers turning pages, and the story seems to finish as quickly as it begins. As in real life, not everything ends perfectly, but Pablo finds the courage to be truthful with his mother and finally gains a stable home and secure family. A glossary of Tagalog words and phrases is included in the back of the volume. VERDICT Through caring for his new foster sibling, and the patience and kindness of trusted adults, Pablo starts to gain a sense of calm and security. A solid title that explores contemporary life in the Philippines, as well as coping with anxiety and OCD, all within a heartwarming story starring a likable protagonist.--Kate Nafz, Fair Lawn Public Library, NJ
Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
Guerrero touches on many topics—anxiety, fostering, friendship, family, selective mutism, and more—seamlessly weaving them all together to create a strong, moving narrative. [...] A heartbreaking, heartwarming, powerful debut novel. — Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW
A story for anyone who's ever asked where—and what—home is. — Jack Cheng, author of See You in the Cosmos
JUV015020 - Juvenile Fiction | Health & Daily Living | Diseases, Illnesses & Injuries
JUV013050 - Juvenile Fiction | Family | Orphans & Foster Homes
JUV013070 - Juvenile Fiction | Family | Siblings
JUV030020 - Juvenile Fiction | People & Places | Asia
Self-acceptance
Foster children
Cleft lip
Anxiety
Philippines
