A Friendly Town That's Almost Always by the Ocean!

In the charming, quirky town of Topsea, dogs are considered to be mythical creatures but hogs make for adorable pets. Davy%E2%80%99s first day at school starts with finding that his locker is located underwater, at the bottom of the deep end of the pool, and the rest of his fifth-grade classmates are just as delightfully weird as their town. In the style of Louis Sachar%E2%80%99s Sideways Stories from Wayside School, this first title in the Secrets of Topsea series is replete with wittiness and absurdity, but a deeper look reveals universal themes of struggling to fit in, fearing new things, and coping with loss. Death and abandonment, in particular, are not treated lightly, but their inclusion, along with a diverse representation of families and social groups, make this story a gateway for children to see themselves and to feel seen, as well as a celebration of individuality and friendship. In the end, Davy discovers there%E2%80%99s no such thing as normal. A cartoon-style sketch at the beginning of each chapter hints at which character will claim the spotlight for the next few pages. Ages 8%E2%80%9312. (Apr.)