Description
A beautiful and deeply moving story about friendship, family, hope and the power of the ocean, for middle-grade readers who love a mystery, from popular children's author Ashleigh Barton.
Beatrice Glass - Bea - lives in a tiny fishing village that's sleepy all year until the summertime, when the tourists flock in and most of the locals leave. But summer is also when Bea's favourite person in the entire world, her fun and hilarious uncle, Byron, comes to stay.
On their last day together the previous summer, Byron had given Bea an intriguing antique book containing a map of Somewhere, a mysterious island off the coast, and promised that next summer they'd sail to Somewhere together for their best adventure yet.
That was last year. Now summer has arrived, but Byron hasn't. And now it looks like he never will.
Are the book and Byron's disappearance linked? Byron has left some clues for Bea - a scavenger hunt of sorts designed to bring her and her new friend, Arabella, together and give Bea one last magical summer. Could Somewhere hold the key to both Bea's and Arabella's future?
A story of lost and found, of friendship, family, hope and the power of the ocean, for middle-grade readers who love a mystery.
Review
Set in the seaside tourist town of Willow, Bea is facing another summer in town. But this summer her Uncle Byron is not there - he always brought fun, laughter and adventure to even the simplest things. Bea is angry, as he had promised her that this summer they would sail to the mysterious island of Somewhere. They had spent the end of last summer planning their trip, and going over the map that was in the book that he said he had found.
With her parents working long hours, and no Byron, Bea spends the days by herself, wandering around town. For some reason, she finds herself drawn to the restaurant, Fishbone. It is here that she has achance encounter with Arabella, the daughter of the restaurant’s owner. Arabella goes to school with Bea, but she isn’t a friend. But why is there a map of Somewhere on the wall here?
This meeting sets the girls on a path that we will see them both trying to find the answers they are looking for - Bea about Byron, and Arabella about her mother. They quickly form a friendship, one that is unexpected for them both. But was this all part of Byron’s plan all along? Can they put the clues together, or will their desire to get to Somewhere end in disaster?
This is a fabulous story about friendship, grief, family, finding answers, and growing up, but it is also a story of hope. The girls are wonderful characters, each dealing with their own grief and finding solace in their new found friendship. It will be enjoyed by all middle and upper primary students.
