Daughter of the Sea
Written by Jon Agee
Illustrated by Sian Bailey
Reviewed by Brianna M. (age 11)
Jannet and Munroe Alfrary find a 2 month baby in a tide pool and name her Gioga. Gioga grows up to love the sea and all of its creatures. One day Jannet talks to an unexpected visitor in a black trenchcoat who claims to be Gioga's father, but Janet doesn't believe him. The stranger agrees to give Jannet and Munroe seven more years to raise Gioga.
The seven years pass and the stranger comes back. Janet is afraid that he will take Gioga away, so she takes her to a ferry boat headed to the mainland because she thinks Gioga will be safe and hidden there until she can find a way to keep her daughter. Finally the stranger leaves and Jannet and Munroe are relieved.
Gioga finds out that her parents found her in the ocean. She is upset and wants to go to live with the seals. Her parents find her and Gioga doesn't want to go back with them. After they leave, Gioga thinks about it and decides to give up her life by the sea and return home to her parents.
If I could change the story, I would add more details about Gioga's life with the seals because the author doesn't talk about that part very much. My favorite part of the story is when Jannet and Munroe find Gioga as a baby because I think it's awesome they took care of a strange child. My favorite character is Gioga because she is very much like me. My least favorite character is Munroe because he isn't really included in the story that much.
This story relates to my life because I love the ocean as m uch as Gioga does. I think you should read it because it is very exciting and interesting. The words are so descriptive, they make you feel like you are a part of the story.