 | You brought me the ocean Author: Sanchez, Alex | |
| Price: $13.93 | ||
Summary:
Jake Hyde yearns for the ocean and is determined to leave his hometown in New Mexico for a college on the coast, and while his family and friends encourage him to stay, he must deal with his secrets of being gay and some strange new blue markings on his skin giving him a glow when he touches water. In graphic novel format.
| Illustrator: | Maroh, Julie |
Full Text Reviews:
School Library Journal - 05/01/2020 Gr 8 Up—"Maybe I've hidden so much of myself I'm not sure who I am." High school student Jake Hyde's life is full of secrets. His overprotective mother wants him to stay far from water—easy enough in Truth or Consequences, NM—but he knows that he needs to be near the ocean and wants to study oceanography at the University of Miami. His best friend Maria Mendez dreams of a future with him, but he's not in love with her. And though he's afraid to admit it, he's attracted to Kenny Liu, the out captain of the high school's swim team. Soon Jake discovers there's more to his mother's fears, and to the birthmarks on his arm, than he realized. Lambda Award-winning author Sanchez's Aqualad origin tale speaks to the heart, favoring budding romance over action. While the dialogue is often blunted by water-related puns, Jake's journey to self-acceptance is authentic. A group of violently homophobic teens are situated as this volume's villains, but Sanchez sets up the possibility of a sequel with the looming threat of Black Manta. Maroh's (Blue Is the Warmest Color) muted blue and beige tones and soft pencil outlines complement Sanchez's sensitive writing. However, the illustrations sometimes err too far into cartoonish depictions, with wonky body proportions and facial expressions that are at odds with the somber mood of the story. VERDICT Fans of DC's new line of young adult graphic novels, such as Kami Garcia's Teen Titans: Raven, will appreciate this tender take on Aqualad.—Elise Martinez, Racine, WI - Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
Booklist - 06/01/2020 High-school senior Jake Hyde is obsessed with the ocean. He’s also keeping more than his fair share of secrets. He applied to college in Florida without telling his best friend Maria; he’s started falling for Kenny Liu, captain of the swim team; and he always wears long sleeves to hide the strange markings on his arms that glow blue when they touch water. But secrets never stay hidden for long, and now they have the potential to ruin everything. This fresh, contemporary take on Aqualad’s origin story, a collaboration between the authors of Rainbow Boys (2001) and Blue Is the Warmest Color (2013), brings a realistically diverse cast of characters, real teen issues, and a simmering romance to the story. The pace is brisk to accommodate several plotlines, but it’s clear this story is just beginning. Maroh’s art uses muted, nearly monochromatic earth and water tones throughout the panels, focusing the attention on the characters’ emotions and expressions. Despite its superhero origins, this will have plenty of appeal for realistic-fiction readers. - Copyright 2020 Booklist.
