
Author: Kir Fox, M. Shelley Coats
Release Date: January 8, 2019
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Pages: 208
Age Group: Middle Grade
Talise knows more about the ocean than any kid in Topsea. Any adult, too. As the best-and only-bathymetrist in Topsea, Talise is able to predict important things about the sea, like the next tide (Severely Low with a threat of Wildcard) or the arrival of Seaweed Season. What she can't predict, however, are her classmates' behaviors. Sometimes it's as if they're speaking different languages. When Talise discovers a mysterious message in a bottle, her classmates believe it must have been sent by someone stranded on a deserted island. (Not to be confused with a dessert island.) But Talise is convinced the message is meant for her. And it's telling her to build a boat. Everyone seems to think Talise is just being silly. Even Talise isn't exactly sure why she has to build the boat. And who keeps sending those strange messages in a bottle, anyway? All Talise knows is that she'd better finish building her boat fast, because an Extremely High Tide is coming?


Typically, Talise spent Saturday mornings with the ocean.
Sometimes she studied tides or examined tide
pools. Other times, she put on her wet suit and flippers and buoyancy vest and everything
else, and went for a dive in the deep sea—just not the deep-deep sea, since she wasn't allowed to dive that deep without a
buddy.
But the
ocean had told Talise to build a boat. So today, she wanted to go to the boat supply shop.
First, Talise had to ask her parents.
Fortunately, she was quite fluent in their dialect: Loving/Concerned, usually
with a dash of Mystified. She started with her mother, who worked as a
consultant. That meant people paid her for expert advice.
“I have never built a boat before, and I am
feeling apprehensive,” Talise said. “I would like to consult an expert.”
She turned to her father, who worked as a
controller. That meant he controlled…Talise wasn’t entirely sure.
“I think that will help me take control of the situation,” she
continued. “Along with some boatbuilding supplies, of course. I’ll just need
you to accompany me with your credit card—”
“Talise,” her mom said. She had white skin
and dark blond hair. “But we had something else in mind for today.”
“We know you’ve been
spending a lot of time by yourself lately,” Talise’s father said. He had dark
brown skin and black hair.
“Lately?” Talise repeated.
“Especially since Clara is visiting Puerto
Rico for the next few weeks,” her mother said. “So we arranged for you to spend
the day with Runa!”
“Runa?”
Perhaps Talise looked as upset on the
outside as she felt on the inside, because her father patted her shoulder.
“She’ll meet you at the pier. I’m sure you’ll have a great time!”
Talise was not so sure.
She squeezed her sea blob as she walked to
the beach. She'd really been looking forward to visiting the boat supply shop!
Or at the very least, spending more time with her boat schematic. Instead, she
was stuck with Runa, the kid Talise had the least
in common with.
"She wouldn’t be interested in boat
supplies," Talise muttered.
The air was
approximately 71 degrees Fahrenheit, while the ocean was closer to 58 degrees. She’d nearly reached the endless pier when
something caught her eye. Her feet tripped, her heart skipped, and she stumbled
to a halt, staring at the familiar collection of odd bubbles.
Wiggling her fingers, Talise stuck her hand
into the pleasantly mucky sand and grabbed something hard. She wrapped her
fingers around it and tugged.
SHLERPP!!!
It was another bottle, even crustier that
the first one. Talise pulled out the cork and coughed at the musty smell. She
shook out a rolled-up piece of very thin paper, or maybe it was tree bark.
The
ocean had sent her another message!

About Book 1
Author: Kir Fox, M. Shelley Coats
Pub. Date: April 17, 2018
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Pages: 207
Welcome to Topsea, the strangest place you'll ever visit. In this town, the coves are bottomless and the pier has no end in sight. There's a high tide and a low tide... and a vanishing tide. Dogs are a myth, but mermaids are totally real. And seaweed is the main ingredient in every meal—watch out, it might just start chewing you back! New kid Davy definitely thinks Topsea is strange. His mom keeps saying they'll get used to life in their new town—it's just the way things are on the coast! But after his first day at Topsea School, Davy finds himself wondering: Why is his locker all the way at the bottom of the school swimming pool? Why can't anyone remember his name? (It's Davy!) And why does everyone act like all of this is normal?! Through newspaper articles, stories, surveys, notifications, and more, follow Davy and the rest of Ms. Grimalkin's fifth grade class through the weird world of Topsea. (Whatever you do, don't make eye contact with the rubber ducks.)

Kir Fox (Kirsten Hubbard) and M. Shelley Coats (Michelle Schusterman) are great friends, longtime critique partners and ardent consumers of the strange and unusual.
Find Kir!
Find M!


3 winners will receive a finished copy of SECRETS OF TOPSEA, BOOK 2: THE EXTREMELY HIGH TIDE!, US Only.RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY (Click Here)GOOD LUCK!


Week One:
1/7/2019- For the Love of KidLit- Spotlight
1/8/2019- Two Chicks on Books- Excerpt
1/9/2019- Lisa-Queen of Random- Spotlight
1/10/2019- Character Madness and Musings- Spotlight
1/11/2019- Owl Always Be Reading- Excerpt
Week Two:
1/14/2019- Loie Dunn- Excerpt
1/15/2019- Daily Waffle - Spotlight
1/16/2019- Twirling Book Princess- Excerpt
1/17/2019- BookHounds YA- Review
1/18/2019- Two points of interest- Review


These sound like fun books and I already had them on my TBR. I enjoy book settings near/on my happy place--the ocean.
ReplyDeleteSounds good can't wait to read this book.
ReplyDelete