cover image When the Sea Turned to Silver

When the Sea Turned to Silver

Grace Lin. Little, Brown, $18.99 (384p) ISBN 978-0-316-12592-5

In this compelling companion to Lin’s Where the Mountain Meets the Moon and Starry River of the Sky, inspired by Chinese folklore, shy Pinmei, granddaughter of the revered Storyteller, sets out to rescue her grandmother from the evil emperor who has seized her. In the midst of the seemingly endless winter that has fallen over the kingdom, Pinmei and her good friend Yishan begin a dangerous journey in search of the Luminous Stone That Lights the Night to give the emperor in exchange for her grandmother. Lin’s fans will not be disappointed: she again delivers a rich interweaving of ancient tales with fast-paced adventure, fantasy, and slowly unfolding mysteries told through captivating language with beguiling similes (“uncooked rice began to fall... like beads from a broken necklace”). Like the Sea King who turns into a dragon when needed, Pinmei remembers her grandmother’s words that “when it is time for you to do something, you will do it,” and transforms into a storyteller in her own right. Ages 8–12. [em]Agent: Rebecca Sherman, Writers House. (Oct.) [/em]