Olive's Ocean

Olive's Ocean
Author(s): Kevin Henkes

"Olive Barstow was dead. She'd been hit by a car on Monroe Street while riding her bicycle weeks ago. That was about all Martha knew."

Martha Boyle and Olive Barstow could have been friends. But they weren't -- and now all that is left are eerie connections between two girls who were in the same grade at school and who both kept the same secret without knowing it.

Now Martha can't stop thinking about Olive. A family summer on Cape Cod should help banish those thoughts; instead, they seep in everywhere.

And this year Martha's routine at her beloved grandmother's beachside house is complicated by the Manning boys. Jimmy, Tate, Todd, Luke, and Leo. But especially Jimmy. What if, what if, what if, what if? The world can change in a minute.

Review(s):
“The ever versatile Kevin Henkes dazzles with this spare yet profoundly touching coming-of-age novel.”
“An eloquent journey into adolescence.”
“Few girls will fail to recognize themselves in Martha.”
“Martha Boyle is one of the memorable 12–year–old girls of fiction, smart, confused, compassionate.”
“With his usual sensitivity and insight, Henkes explores key issues of adolescence.”
“Lyrically written.”
“Rich characterizations move this compelling novel to its satisfying and emotionally authentic conclusion.”
“Henkes’s story is subtle and satisfyingly untidy. Grabs you right from the start.”
“With beautifully defined characters, events, and emotions that will tug at your heart, this novel is flawless.”

New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age, Newbery Honor Book, Texas Bluebonnet Award, ALA Notable Children’s Book, ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults, Horn Book Fanfare, Virginia Young Readers Award, ALA Booklist Editors’ Choice

ISBN:  9780060535438