Strong Like the Sea - by Wendy S Swore (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Alexis, a 12-year-old native Hawaiian, is terrified of the ocean and the creatures that live there because of an encounter she had early in her life with a moray eel. Her mother, a civilian contractor for the Navy, likes to give Alexis elaborate puzzles to solve when she's away on assignments. One puzzle gets her working for her grumpy neighbor, who everyone calls Uncle Tanaka, helping him gather marine samples. She has to use all her problem-solving abilities and overcome her fear of the ocean when Uncle Tanaka is suddenly in distress"--

Book Synopsis

Even though twelve-year-old Alexis was born in Hawaii, she won't surf or swim with her friends--not since the ocean and its hidden creatures swept her out to sea. Instead, she grabs her best detective hat and decodes her mom's latest challenge.

Alex's mom works in counterintelligence and leaves codes, ciphers, and puzzles behind for Alex to solve, always with a "treasure" at the end. It's a brilliant game between them, and Alex loves figuring out her mom's puzzles--especially the tricky ones--but when an emergency at sea puts her mom in possible danger, solving the next one suddenly feels far more urgent.

Friends help as Alex races to decipher each clue before time runs out, but when the trail leads to grumpy old Uncle, his enormous dog Sarge, and a sea turtle unlike any other, the challenge changes into something bigger than any before. With storms on the horizon and lives on the line, Alex must face her fears to solve Mom's challenge and save those she loves. With her ohana to help, she must be strong like the sea.

Featuring a secret ocean code with a hidden message for YOU to decipher!

Review Quotes

"Exciting story features lush descriptions of Hawaii. An intriguing mystery. Themes of family (both found and blood) at its heart."-- "School Library Journal"

"Swore packs this story about a curious, competitive girl full of moving themes and vivid imagery. Alex's resiliency, strong mindedness, and intelligence carries her through her worries. Swore's descriptions of Alex's anxieties ring true, and elements of mystery, ecology, and personal growth give this tightly constructed novel plenty of appeal."-- "Booklist"

About the Author

Wendy S. Swore and her family are farmers. She writes part-time, particularly in winter when her farming chores give her time to plant seeds in her imagination. She is a member of SCBWI. Wendy is the Foreword INDIES Juvenile Fiction Gold winner for her middle grade novel A Monster Like Me.