The Ocean Within

Author's Bio:

V. M. Caldwell taught science for fifteen years. The mother of two boys, both adopted, she wrote The Ocean Within as an exercise in empathy while waiting for her second son to arrive from India. She lives in upstate New York. This is her first book.

Erica Magnus, the author of four picture books, also illustrated The Spider’s Web by Laura E. Williams (Milkweed Editions). She lives in her studio/home in Athens, Ohio, with her teenage daughter and her cat.

Quotes:

“An insightful story filled with all of the mundane details that make a novel rich and real. Elizabeth and the Sheridan children are on a holiday visit with “Grandma.' While the others are noisy, Elizabeth is silent. When the others trade stories of previous years, she has no such memories. As the novel progresses, readers learn that she is a foster child, that her parents died when she was five, and that she has endured six years in the foster-care system. The girl withdraws from each display of affection and refuses to join in family activities; she hides whenever she can, refusing to talk unless forced. But she watches carefully. Each event, each family crisis, is appraised by this bright and thoughtful child. It's Petey, the four-year-old, who calls her “Turtle' because she has a hard shell, who finally cracks that shell and touches the real Elizabeth. It will take a mature reader to understand Elizabeth's reticence in joining this happy family and to follow the almost stream-of-consciousness narration. The author's agenda shows occasionally, but the emotions and actions always ring true.”——School Library Journal

“A finely crafted first novel that looks at family and new opportunities from the perspectives of a foster child. . . . Absorbed young readers will find they are holding their breath at the end.”——Kirkus Reviews

“Caldwell's striking writing style emphasizes the emotions of young Elizabeth. . . . A moving story of change.” —Children's Bookwatch

“This book of hope and empathy —a book crying to be read —tells the story of eleven-year-old Elizabeth, who has been tossed from one foster home to another. . . . Well written with characters who are fully developed and believable, this book covers topics that will touch the hearts of many young readers —foster care, adoption, anger, and love. This moving work's message transcends the easy reading level and makes it good for younger students or reluctant readers.” —VOYA

“Caldwell is perceptive both about Elizabeth's guardedness and her genuine discomfort with her boisterous new family. . . . A story that is simultaneously high-minded and intensely emotional.” —Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

“V.M. Caldwell does an excellent job of sharing the inner thoughts, struggles, and triumphs of a child who has been orphaned and moved from home to home. . . . The Ocean Within is a book that will give the reader an understanding of family togetherness and acceptance of those who are different.”——Christian Library Services