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What Members Thought
Oh, I loved this book so much. I couldn't get into it at first, but I'm so glad I gave it a chance. Kathy Appelt is an amazing storyteller and she really pulls you in. Most of this 400-page book takes place in one day, but it never drags on; in fact, it almost left me wanting more. The characters in this book are rich and layered; Appelt gives you a little more of the characters as the book goes on. The setting was also an important part of the story. Appelt paints a vivid picture of the tiny to
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Keeper is ten years old and believes her mother is a mermaid who has returned to the sea. She lives on a small sandy stretch of beach off of the Texas Gulf Coast with Signe, her adoptive mother, Dogie, who rents surfboards to toursits, and their neighbor, an elderly seaman. The cast of characters includes a charismatic seagull, 2 dogs, and an ancient cat. The story is blend of magical realism and a coming of age story as Keeper realizes that her mother may not be what Keeper has always believed.
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This is one that is already being mentioned as a Newbery contender. I listened to it, and think I might have liked it better if I'd read it. The author narrates her own book, and I found her voice REALLY annoying and not a good choice. Am not sure what the publisher was thinking in choosing her to do this. I would have turned it off, except for the fact that it is being mentioned on many of the Newbery predictions.
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OK this is my Newbery for 2011 so far...and I've really loved The Mysterious Howling and Out of My Mind. What enchants me so about Appelt's writing? Her themes of mysticism (that's a question for the universe) and love (all kinds)/her changing points of view that include the animals as well as the humans/her obvious respect and awe for nature and the way her subplots all come together and snap enchantingly into place in the end (much like Holes)all reel me in. I want to hug the book to my breast
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This magical novel has a very unusual plot for a children's book. I found myself thinking of Natalie Babbitt as I read because of the mature love stories and the fine writing. I hope children will not hesitate to read this because of the length of the story. Keeper, a 10 year old girl, lives on the Texas coast in a small, isolated community where her dog and a rescued seagull are her playmates. Her belief in magic causes a crisis and elements of fantasy build through the tale.
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I wasn't sure how much I was enjoying this but after I finished I kept on thinking about it -- a sure sign of a good read.
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Not as wonderfully, mind-blowing, brilliant as "The Underneath", but a lovely, magical story.
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Quickly becoming one of my all-time favorite authors...
Ten-year-old Keeper sets out under a blue moon with her dog in a small boat to ask her long-lost mother, who just may be a mermaid, to help her fix the problems she caused with her adoptive family and friends. Filled with adventure, mystery, hope, magical realism, romance, and forgiveness. A sub-plot has an older man looking for a long-lost merman he loved as a teenager. Gr. 4-7
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In this story, Keeper is trying to contact her mermaid mother for help to put right certain things that have gone wrong. The story was slow, but not spellbinding like The Underneath. Overall I was very disappointed.
One of the most beautiful books I've ever read. Part magic, part realism this book will touch your heart with its themes of family, love, and forgiveness.
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Sep 01, 2010
Elisabeth
marked it as to-read
Oct 08, 2010
Michelle
marked it as to-read
Dec 03, 2010
Tara
marked it as to-read
Jan 07, 2011
April Moody
marked it as to-read
Jan 04, 2013
Kathy
marked it as to-read
