When the Sea Turned to Silver (National Book Award Finalist) by Grace Lin

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On Sale: Sep 5, 2017
Page Count: 400 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
ISBN-13: 9780316125949

This breathtaking, full-color illustrated fantasy is inspired by Chinese folklore, and is a companion to the Newbery Honor winner Where the Mountain Meets the Moon and Starry River of the Sky.

Pinmei’s gentle, loving grandmother always has the most thrilling tales for her granddaughter and the other villagers. However, the peace is shattered one night when soldiers of the Emperor arrive and kidnap the storyteller.

Everyone knows that the Emperor wants something called the Luminous Stone That Lights the Night. Determined to have her grandmother returned, Pinmei embarks on a journey to find the Luminous Stone alongside her friend Yishan, a mysterious boy who seems to have his own secrets to hide. Together, the two must face obstacles usually found only in legends to find the Luminous Stone and save Pinmei’s grandmother–before it’s too late.

A fast-paced adventure that is extraordinarily written and beautifully illustrated, When the Sea Turned to Silver is a masterpiece companion novel to Where the Mountain Meets the Moon and Starry River of the Sky.

Don’t miss:
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon
Starry River of the Sky
The Year of the Dog
The Year of the Rat
Dumpling Days
Chinese Menu: The History, Myths, and Legends Behind Your Favorite Foods
and coming soon:
The Gate, the Girl, and the Dragon

Genre:

Praise for When the Sea Turned to Silver:
A New York Times BestsellerA New York Times Notable Children's Books of 2016A National Book Award FinalistAn IndieBound BestsellerNPR Best Book of the Year PickThe Horn Book Fanfare Best Books of 2016ALA Notable Book for ChildrenAn Amazon Best Books of 2016 PickA CCBC Children's Choices PickA School Library Journal Best of 2016: Middle Grace ChoiceA Booklist Editor's Choice 2016B&N Kids Blog 10 Notable Middle Grade Novels of 2016Bank Street College of Education 2017 Best Children's Book of the Year
"Grace Lin has written a middle-grade trilogy of surpassing wonder and emotional weight... Remarkable... A must-read... Full of charm and driving action... Lin has made herself immortal in this trilogy, no doubt."
The New York Times Book Review
*"On its own, this third volume contains a richly complex adventure story that revisits previous themes....The three books together, however, offer one grand epic that spans generations....Lin's stonecutter claims that storytellers 'can make time disappear...bring us to places we have never dreamed of...feel sorrow and joy and peace'; the description is a fitting one for author-illustrator Lin herself, who has proven herself a master."
The Horn Book, starred review
*"The meticulous craft delivers what Lin's fans have come to expect... This beautifully told companion to Where the Mountain Meets the Moon (2009) and Starry River of the Sky (2012) offers lyrical storytelling, bringing 'us to places we have never dreamed of.'"
Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
*"Lin's vibrant chapter decorations and full-color, full-page paintings add to the work's beauty....A stunning addition to a deservedly beloved set of novels; recommended for all middle grade collections."
School Library Journal (starred review)
*"Compelling....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."
Publishers Weekly (starred review)
*"Lin's evocative language sweeps readers away, and the stories within the story are juicy and delicious....[A] worthy companion to her Newbery Honor book Where the Mountain Meets the Moon (2009) and Starry River of the Sky (2012)."
Booklist (starred review)
"Pinmei's journey has a compelling urgency that quickens the pace and enlivens the adventure, while the short stories are smoothly integrated and provide sly, subtle connections to plot events, making satisfying the climactic scene in which the elements converge....Lin's characteristic elegant prose...keeps its enchanting, luminous quality."
BCCB
"In this captivating tale... readers will not only enjoy the 'frame' story revolving around Pinmei and Yishan, but will also like (and recognize) some of the other stories being told."
School Library Connection
* "The lively mixture of adventure, mystery, and fantasy, supported by compelling character development and spellbinding language, will captivate a wide swath of readers."
Publishers Weekly, starred review