02/07/2022
In her debut, a folkloric fantasy set in Caribbean-inspired island St. Rita, Stringfellow manifests magic strong enough to grant the wish of a grieving heart. Twelve-year-old artisan Kela Boxhill, who is Black, copes with her grief about her mother’s death by turning sea glass into jewelry. When Kela hears a hum in the wind one day that leads to a sinkhole in a protected (and off-limits) nature park, she finds a battered box that “breathed a strangeness she couldn’t shake,” and, inside, a comb that she believes—based on her mother’s stories of the island—could be magical. Mermaid Ophidia, the box’s owner, becomes enraged when the box is taken, knowing that its absence could lead to her death. But lore requires that Ophidia grant Kela a wish in exchange for the comb, posing a moral quandary that’s further complicated when the comb breaks. Stringfellow brings a fantastical approach to one character’s processing of grief as, with the support of secondary characters, Kela begins to truly navigate her pain while unearthing the stories and lore that are her heritage. Ages 8–12. Agent: Lindsay David Auld, Writers House . (Feb.)
Imbued with a magic that felt as real as the concrete and beloved world in which it is set, this story moves with a plot that is both surefooted and wild, both inexorable and surprising, both cerebral and emotional. I loved it so much.” — Kelly Barnhill, author of the Newbery-winning novel The Girl Who Drank the Moon
“Captivating and creative, magical and moving, this enchanting tale about grief and abiding love will hold you spellbound. What a joy and honor to welcome this brilliant new voice, as beautiful as the ocean and as bright as a mermaid’s tears.” — Padma Venkatraman, Walter Award winning author of The Bridge Home
"Stringfellow weaves an enchanting tale of loss, longing, and discovery infused with Caribbean folklore. Readers will be captivated by Kela’s story and become invested in her journey as she tries to deal with the grief of losing her mother as well as regret for her past actions." — Kirkus Reviews
"Kela’s primary narration allows for a harmonious blend of contemporary island life and Afro-Caribbean lore, while chapters focusing on Ophidia draw on elements of Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid.” The third-person narration of the interspersed sections echoes a rhythmic traditional call-and-response that links the teller and the listener." — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
"Stringfellow’s middle-grade debut is a wondrous and original story that incorporates Caribbean culture and folklore. Told in alternating points of views between Kela and Ophidia, the novel leads us through a story about family that spans hundreds of years and will captivate readers until the end." — Booklist
"A unique blend of Caribbean folklore and realistic grief with a vindictive mermaid twist. Hand to fans of mermaid tales, general fantasy lovers, and readers seeking a rare gem in the genre." — School Library Journal
"The story is imbued with magic, but Stringfellow’s powerful writing makes the fantastical feel like reality. Through narrative perspectives centering both Kela and Ophidia, the author recalls the call-and-response structure prevalent in Black storytelling traditions. Fans of Baptiste’s The Jumbies and Rhodes’s Bayou Magic will enjoy spending time with Kela as she navigates a journey filled with grief, love, loss, and discovery." — Horn Book Magazine
"Stringfellow brings a fantastical approach to one character’s processing of grief as, with the support of secondary characters, Kela begins to truly navigate her pain while unearthing the stories and lore that are her heritage." — Publishers Weekly
"Stringfellow’s middle-grade debut is a wondrous and original story that incorporates Caribbean culture and folklore. Told in alternating points of views between Kela and Ophidia, the novel leads us through a story about family that spans hundreds of years and will captivate readers until the end."
"The story is imbued with magic, but Stringfellow’s powerful writing makes the fantastical feel like reality. Through narrative perspectives centering both Kela and Ophidia, the author recalls the call-and-response structure prevalent in Black storytelling traditions. Fans of Baptiste’s The Jumbies and Rhodes’s Bayou Magic will enjoy spending time with Kela as she navigates a journey filled with grief, love, loss, and discovery."
Imbued with a magic that felt as real as the concrete and beloved world in which it is set, this story moves with a plot that is both surefooted and wild, both inexorable and surprising, both cerebral and emotional. I loved it so much.
"Kela’s primary narration allows for a harmonious blend of contemporary island life and Afro-Caribbean lore, while chapters focusing on Ophidia draw on elements of Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid.” The third-person narration of the interspersed sections echoes a rhythmic traditional call-and-response that links the teller and the listener."
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
Captivating and creative, magical and moving, this enchanting tale about grief and abiding love will hold you spellbound. What a joy and honor to welcome this brilliant new voice, as beautiful as the ocean and as bright as a mermaid’s tears.
"Stringfellow’s middle-grade debut is a wondrous and original story that incorporates Caribbean culture and folklore. Told in alternating points of views between Kela and Ophidia, the novel leads us through a story about family that spans hundreds of years and will captivate readers until the end."
02/01/2022
Gr 5–8— Readers will be invested in the twisted tale of Black middle schooler Kela and Ophidia, an aging, vindictive mermaid. Kela is still reeling from the abrupt loss of her mother in a car accident. Her father has been drowning in his grief, and she feels emotionally frozen in place. While visiting the local coral reef in St. Rita one day, Kela grudgingly lets Lissy tag along. The girls used to be inseparable, but Kela has refused to open up to her close friend after her mother's death. Kela feels drawn to an odd object on the coral reef and barely manages to grab the strange item to place in her bag before the tide washes everything away. Through alternating narrators, readers learn that the treasure Kela discovered is a magical comb belonging to Ophidia, who is enraged that someone has taken her comb but is bound under strict magical law to grant a wish to the person who returns the item to her. Of course, the devastated Kela desires nothing else in the world but having her mom back. Kela makes the wish for her mother's return, but would never have guessed the terrifying consequences. Kela's heartbreak rings true as she struggles to navigate healing over her mother's loss. Ophidia's backstory is equally intriguing. Characters are engaging, and the narrative will hook young bibliophiles to the end. VERDICT A unique blend of Caribbean folklore and realistic grief with a vindictive mermaid twist. Hand to fans of mermaid tales, general fantasy lovers, and readers seeking a rare gem in the genre.—Julie Shatterly
Narrator Bahni Turpin employs a Caribbean accent to take young listeners to St. Rita for this haunting combination of folklore and contemporary life. Young Kela is freshly mourning the loss of her mother when she finds a sea woman's comb in an exposed cave. Maybe that's why she can't help making a wish and why she fights so hard when things go wrong. If you're not familiar with this Golden Voice narrator, it may be hard to believe that all the character voices come from Turpin. She pulls electric energy and emotion from them all, especially the embittered sea woman, Ophidia. Turpin’s tone travels effortlessly between fairy-tale sweetness and crackling action. Be prepared to hold your breath as the danger mounts. S.T.C. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
Narrator Bahni Turpin employs a Caribbean accent to take young listeners to St. Rita for this haunting combination of folklore and contemporary life. Young Kela is freshly mourning the loss of her mother when she finds a sea woman's comb in an exposed cave. Maybe that's why she can't help making a wish and why she fights so hard when things go wrong. If you're not familiar with this Golden Voice narrator, it may be hard to believe that all the character voices come from Turpin. She pulls electric energy and emotion from them all, especially the embittered sea woman, Ophidia. Turpin’s tone travels effortlessly between fairy-tale sweetness and crackling action. Be prepared to hold your breath as the danger mounts. S.T.C. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
2021-11-30
Kela Boxhill is a 12-year-old Black girl from the fictional Caribbean island of St. Rita who enjoys collecting sea glass that she turns into jewelry, something her mother taught her how to do. It’s the only activity she has found any pleasure in since her mother’s passing left her devastated and adrift. One day, while walking the beach, Kela feels called to explore a cave in a protected and off-limits area of the shore. She discovers an ancient-looking box and takes it home with her. She finds a decorated comb inside and, remembering the many stories her mother shared with her, suspects it contains magic. Unbeknown to Kela, it is the property of a mermaid named Ophidia, who is none too pleased to have had her precious property taken. According to the rules, the only way that Ophidia can get her comb back is to grant Kela a wish. Will Kela ask for what she most desires—to have her mother come back to life—despite Ophidia’s warning of the risk this entails? Stringfellow weaves an enchanting tale of loss, longing, and discovery infused with Caribbean folklore. Readers will be captivated by Kela’s story and become invested in her journey as she tries to deal with the grief of losing her mother as well as regret for her past actions.
Will tug at readers’ heartstrings. (author's note) (Fiction. 8-12)
