Washed Ashore

April 1, 2017
The peace of a remote Scottish island is shattered when two bodies wash up on the beach. One is a whale; the other is human.When 15-year-old Hayley's mother needs to travel to Europe for her research, Hayley imagines London or Paris, not the island of Nin, with its painfully slow Wi-Fi and nonexistent cellphone service. As a local, Fraser is used to the quiet life, but he wishes for something to interrupt his predictable holiday. Hayley, as rude as she is beautiful, is definitely a mixed bag. When Dunny, Fraser's electively mute little brother, discovers a man hiding in the caves above the beach, it is up to the three white kids to figure out how to help the stranded man, who is black, get to safety. But human traffickers are dangerous foes, and they soon find themselves in over their heads. The richly scenic setting and unusual story hold promise, but it is marred by static characters and an aimlessly meandering plot. Hayley is the blonde, loud cheerleader from Texas, and Fraser is the introspective dreamer with a love for the sea. Only Dunny, with his mysterious ability to communicate with the whales, is engaging, although that portrayal subscribes to yet another stereotype. A promising and timely story that never finds its sea legs. (Fiction. 10-14)

COPYRIGHT(2017) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

May 1, 2017

Gr 8 Up-In the wake of a giant storm just off the coast of Scotland's Isle of Nin, Fraser Dunbar and whale scientist Ben McCaig find the body of a pilot whale washed ashore, but that's not the only oddity in the tiny town of Skulavaig. Hayley Risso, an American transplant new to the island, befriends Fraser's brother, Dunny, who is mute and has autism. When Fraser, Hayley, and Dunny discover the body of a man washed ashore, they uncover a human trafficking ring that implicates someone on the island. It's up to them to keep the man safe, with the help of some surprising friends. This quiet mystery tells the story of two brothers who struggle to understand each other and to be understood. Fraser wants nothing more than for his younger brother to be "normal," but what he doesn't realize is that Dunny has a special gift, one that will bring them closer if only the older brother would listen. The plot is quiet yet compelling, matching the pace of life in the tiny town. The foundation of the mystery is laid tenuously, making the big reveal more hollow than surprising. Nevertheless, Fraser and Dunny will compel readers forward, and teens will be captivated by the mysteries that lie beneath the ocean and how alike yet different the siblings really are. VERDICT A good purchase for libraries with fans of light mysteries and mythology about the sea.-Jessica Holland, University of Kentucky, Lexington

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.