Parents' Guide to

Girl at Sea

By Kate Pavao, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Feisty heroine deals with adventure, romance, family drama.

Book Maureen Johnson Coming of Age 2007
Girl at Sea Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

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What's the Story?

When her mom goes to Kansas to restore old paintings, Clio is sent to live with her unreliable father in Italy. Once there, she embarks on a mysterious journey upon her father's new yacht -- and finds herself the chef to his secretive crew. What's their mission? Will Clio and her father continue to clash? And what exactly is going on between Clio and Aidan, the professor's young assistant? Maybe she'll end up getting her first kiss after all.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (5 ):

All the details are well described and well woven together, and readers will find themselves engaged throughout Clio's journey at sea. There's a lot going on here, both in the background and foreground, from the strained relationship between Clio and her dad to his crew's mysterious mission off the coast of Italy. Readers will be there for Clio's first kiss -- and her dive through an old shipwreck. The author even creates a colorful backstory for Clio involving exotic childhood trips around the globe.

Readers will be guessing until the end about which characters they can trust. They will appreciate the ambitious premise and that the characters manage, for the most part, to be likable and flawed. There's a little something for everyone: adventure, romance, family drama -- even pirates!

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about adventure stories. Can you think of other adventures that have female protagonists? Do you think there are more of these kinds of books being published today than in the past?

  • What does it mean to be a coming-of-age story? Is this something that is limited to teens -- or do kids and even adults learn to come of age as well?

Book Details

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