Common Sense Media Review
By Mary Eisenhart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Love, loss, myth, sea quest in magical, exciting ocean tale.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
It's the summer before 8th grade for Kai Sosa, and media reports in San Diego are all about EL NIÑO, which is causing strange weather events and odd happenings at sea. Once a champion swimmer, Kai, along with his family and community, has been reeling with grief since the loss of his sister Cali two years earlier, but now he's been recruited for an elite team and struggles to regain his form. Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's a vision, or maybe it's something else, but Cali reaches out to him and entrusts him with an urgent quest. Against a background of sunny beach life and fiercely competitive sports, there's a cosmic battle brewing and a family doing its best but needing to heal.
Is It Any Good?
Master storyteller Pam Muñoz Ryan spins a riveting, emotional tale of grief, loss, and healing, with myth, magic, marine biology, natural beauty, and intensely competitive sports in the mix. The strange weather El Niño is bringing to San Diego seems mysteriously connected to a teen girl lost at sea, her grieving young brother, a pod of dolphins, and an elite swim team. It's a lot, but between the author's heart-filled, fast-paced storytelling and Joe Cepeda's rich, plentiful illustrations bringing the characters and scenes to life, it's a satisfying, cheer-worthy tale of healing—cosmic and otherwise.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about dolphins and other wild sea creatures, which are an important part of El Niño. Are there any marine mammals or fish that you really like? What do you know about them, and how do they live?
Do you like sports? Do you like them well enough to play competitively? What's your favorite thing, and what do you find really hard?
Do you know any myths and legends about the place where you live? What are they, and where did you learn them?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Joe Cepeda
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Animals ( Ocean Creatures ) , STEM
- Character Strengths : Courage , Empathy , Integrity , Perseverance , Teamwork
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Scholastic Press
- Publication date : May 6, 2025
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 256
- Available on : Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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