It's been months since Kela lost her mother. Grieving and heartbroken, she pushes away those around her, since no one can fill the void left by her mom. When walking along the St. Rita beach in search of sea glass, or mermaid tears, she discovers a very curious-looking box with a beautiful comb inside. Unbeknownst to her at the time, the comb belongs to a mermaid named Ophidia who wants to get back what is hers. In exchange for her comb, Ophidia offers to grant Kela one wish. Kela immediately knows what she wants to wish for, though Ophidia warns her that every grand wish comes at a price. Is Kela ready to accept the consequences of her wish in order to have her mother back? Stringfellow's middle-­grade debut is a wondrous and original story that incorporates Caribbean culture and folklore. Told in alternating points of view between Kela and Ophidia, the novel leads us through a story about family that spans hundreds of years and will captivate readers until the end.

After her mother dies in a tragic accident, twelve-year-old Kela Boxhill becomes a shell of her former self. She pushes away her father, her best friend, and her vibrant Caribbean community of St. Rita. She neglects her artistic ambitions because her creative activities remind her of the storyteller mother she's lost. One day, while searching for sea glass on the beach, Kela finds a magical comb belonging to the mermaid Ophidia. Desperate to retrieve the comb because its magical power keeps her young, Ophidia offers Kela a wish. But magic always comes at a price. Kela's wish to bring her mother back has unexpected consequences, and well-meaning adults prevent her from immediately returning the comb as promised, which incites the mermaid's wrath. As the island faces potential devastation from a hurricane caused by Ophidia's rage, Kela must figure out how to appease the vengeful mermaid while also protecting her loved ones, her community, and herself. The story is imbued with magic, but Stringfellow's powerful writing makes the fantastical feel like reality. Through narrative perspectives centering both Kela and Ophidia, the author recalls the call-and-response structure prevalent in Black storytelling traditions. Fans of Baptiste's The Jumbies and Rhodes's Bayou Magic will enjoy spending time with Kela as she navigates a journey filled with grief, love, loss, and discovery.

A young girl discovers a mermaid's comb and is granted the chance of a lifetime.Kela Boxhill is a 12-year-old Black girl from the fictional Caribbean island of St. Rita who enjoys collecting sea glass that she turns into jewelry, something her mother taught her how to do. It's the only activity she has found any pleasure in since her mother's passing left her devastated and adrift. One day, while walking the beach, Kela feels called to explore a cave in a protected and off-limits area of the shore. She discovers an ancient-looking box and takes it home with her. She finds a decorated comb inside and, remembering the many stories her mother shared with her, suspects it contains magic. Unbeknown to Kela, it is the property of a mermaid named Ophidia, who is none too pleased to have had her precious property taken. According to the rules, the only way that Ophidia can get her comb back is to grant Kela a wish. Will Kela ask for what she most desires-to have her mother come back to life-despite Ophidia's warning of the risk this entails? Stringfellow weaves an enchanting tale of loss, longing, and discovery infused with Caribbean folklore. Readers will be captivated by Kela's story and become invested in her journey as she tries to deal with the grief of losing her mother as well as regret for her past actions.Will tug at readers' heartstrings. (author's note) (Fiction. 8-12)

In her debut, a folkloric fantasy set in Caribbean-inspired island St. Rita, Stringfellow manifests magic strong enough to grant the wish of a grieving heart. Twelve-year-old artisan Kela Boxhill, who is Black, copes with her grief about her mother-s death by turning sea glass into jewelry. When Kela hears a hum in the wind one day that leads to a sinkhole in a protected (and off-limits) nature park, she finds a battered box that -breathed a strangeness she couldn-t shake,- and, inside, a comb that she believes-based on her mother-s stories of the island-could be magical. Mermaid Ophidia, the box-s owner, becomes enraged when the box is taken, knowing that its absence could lead to her death. But lore requires that Ophidia grant Kela a wish in exchange for the comb, posing a moral quandary that-s further complicated when the comb breaks. Stringfellow brings a fantastical approach to one character-s processing of grief as, with the support of secondary characters, Kela begins to truly navigate her pain while unearthing the stories and lore that are her heritage. Ages 8-12. Agent: Lindsay David Auld, Writers House. (Feb.)

Gr 58 Readers will be invested in the twisted tale of Black middle schooler Kela and Ophidia, an aging, vindictive mermaid. Kela is still reeling from the abrupt loss of her mother in a car accident. Her father has been drowning in his grief, and she feels emotionally frozen in place. While visiting the local coral reef in St. Rita one day, Kela grudgingly lets Lissy tag along. The girls used to be inseparable, but Kela has refused to open up to her close friend after her mother's death. Kela feels drawn to an odd object on the coral reef and barely manages to grab the strange item to place in her bag before the tide washes everything away. Through alternating narrators, readers learn that the treasure Kela discovered is a magical comb belonging to Ophidia, who is enraged that someone has taken her comb but is bound under strict magical law to grant a wish to the person who returns the item to her. Of course, the devastated Kela desires nothing else in the world but having her mom back. Kela makes the wish for her mother's return, but would never have guessed the terrifying consequences. Kela's heartbreak rings true as she struggles to navigate healing over her mother's loss. Ophidia's backstory is equally intriguing. Characters are engaging, and the narrative will hook young bibliophiles to the end. VERDICT A unique blend of Caribbean folklore and realistic grief with a vindictive mermaid twist. Hand to fans of mermaid tales, general fantasy lovers, and readers seeking a rare gem in the genre. Julie Shatterly