Sea Change

Gr 8 Up–Fetal genetic modification is common in a semi-dystopian near-future, but there are still black-market modifications. Turtle’s parents used one such modification on Turtle in the womb—but instead of increased lung capacity, Turtle was born with gills. Sent to live in a group home on a boat with the other Mer variant children, Turtle is content until she meets a Normal boy while scavenging with her pod. Her budding crush on the boy snowballs into a surgical intervention that allows her to live on land with her pregnant older sister, but with public opinion rising against the Mer and little remembered experience of living among Normals, Turtle struggles with her newly chosen life. While the premise is fascinating and sure to pull initial interest, the first third of the book is incredibly slow to no clear effect. Following Turtle’s surgery, the pacing picks up slightly, only to slip into truly breakneck pacing after Turtle’s sister gives birth. Although characters largely remain flat, their interactions nevertheless raise interesting questions that could fuel good discussion in a classroom setting. Character diversity is largely limited to passing comment and does not become relevant.