Song of the Deep

June 1, 2016

Gr 4-6-Twelve-year-old Merryn journeys to an underwater city of gold to rescue her father from the tentacles of a Rimorosa. While Fergus the pelican watches, she constructs a submarine made from bicycle parts and beach treasures. She's resourceful and brave, just like her fisherman father and her mom, who died trying to save her long ago. There are fun moments in the story where Merryn befriends a fantastical sea creature. But Merryn faces many uncertainties exploring an abandoned merrow village that is being destroyed by underwater robots that shoot torpedoes. As she encounters sights she's only heard about in stories told by her dad, she reminisces about her family and their possible connection to this watery world. Based on the video game of the same name, the story contains battles, evasions, friendships, and interesting spaces to explore like a lighthouse, a sea garden, and the Forbidden City. One or two full-page black-and-white illustrations appear in each of the 10 short chapters (they resemble the style of art in the video game), as do soothing lyrics. VERDICT For readers who appreciate stories about family and fantastical marine adventure.-Tanya Boudreau, Cold Lake Public Library, AB, Canada

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2016
Grades 3-6 Merryn and her fisherman father live on a cliff high above the sea. Each day, she begs to accompany him on the boat, but his response is always the samethe sea is too dangerous. One stormy evening, he doesn't return, and Merryn dreams he's wrecked and at the bottom of the sea, waiting for her. Upon morning light, she quickly builds a submarine from scraps and sets forth to find him. As she travels near the seafloor, she meets various creatures, including a mermaid and a clockwork seahorse in need of repair. Merryn helps each of them, and they, in turn, guide her on her increasingly dangerous and fantastic voyage. Based on the video game Hastings helped create, Song of the Deep is a fantasy-adventure with a strong female protagonist that will appeal to readers with vivid imaginations. Grayscale illustrations precede each chapter and lend a fitting visual element to the tale. Familiarity with the game isn't necessary, but new fans may emerge from this story's watery depths.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)