Graciela in the AbyssReview posted July 28, 2025.
Candlewick Press, 2025. 236 pages.
Review written July 22, 2025, from my own copy, given to me at ALA Annual Conference and signed to me by the author.
Starred Review
First, I am a huge Meg Medina fan - and am privileged to think of her as a friend. When she saw me in line to get the book signed, she greeted me by name and gave me a big hug! How did this happen? Meg was the winner the year I was on the Newbery Selection Committee, and I was privileged to be part of the group that changed her life - and it couldn't have happened to a nicer and more deserving person!
So of course there is no surprise that I love this book. Let me tell you what I love about it.
First, it's in a stunningly beautiful package. It's a middle-grade novel, but it's illustrated. There are full-page illustrations periodically throughout the book as well as chapter heading decorations. And underneath the beautiful paper cover is a gorgeous illustration on the case of the book.
The story itself is a unique fantasy tale about water spirits. The book begins in the Prologue with Graciela's death! (This is a surprise in a children's book.) She fell into the sea when she ignored her older sister's cautions. But in chapter one, she wakes up a hundred years later as a sea spirit. And she has a loving guide named Amina who helps her learn the ways of the sea. She becomes a glazier who polishes sea glass, so people find wonderful treasures on the shore.
However, not all sea spirits are good. There are Needlers in the deep who make trouble for everyone. And there are places that are dangerous for a sea spirit who hasn't mastered her new powers yet. When she died, Graciela didn't lose her tendency to go where she wants to go despite the warnings of others.
Our other main character is Jorge, a boy who lives in the village on the shore with his family of blacksmiths. He wants to make toys, but his parents say that's a waste of time. When he finds an eerie harpoon his ancestor fashioned to slay sea spirits and steal the pearls of their teeth - Jorge wants to destroy it, but that's not easily done, and his parents want to use it as designed.
The two threads end up coming together, and Graciela and Jorge need to work together to protect the sea and make things right.
The undersea world Meg Medina has created is beautiful and mysterious. I love how different this book is from the many other children's fantasy novels I've read. Though there is some death, and Jorge has horrible parents, this is a gentle fantasy that would make a wonderful read-aloud for an upper elementary school classroom.