Olive's Ocean, by Kevin Henkes

“The world was changing before Martha’s very eyes, and she hated it.”

Martha, the heroine in Kevin Henkes’ Newberry Honor Book, is in many ways a typical twelve-year-old girl. She complains of being the middle sibling and is embarrassed by her parents’ constant bickering. In the summer before seventh grade, however, she finds herself in a not-so-typical situation. Olive, a student who arrived in Martha’s class late in the previous school year, dies suddenly in a tragic traffic collision. Although Martha and Olive had barely spoken, Martha soon learns that she unknowingly shared a connection with her late classmate. During her family’s annual summer trip to visit Godbee (Grandma Boyle), Martha is able to unravel the meaning of this unexpected connection. Henkes subtly conveys the message that changes in life may occur suddenly and without one’s approval, but we must accept and grow from these transformations.

While some of the subject matter in Olive’s Ocean could be considered heavy for some readers, Henkes presents the tougher subjects side-by-side with Martha’s new aspiration of becoming a writer and her crush on her grandmother’s neighbor. This balancing of subject matter keeps the novel from becoming too grave, a possibility when dealing with the loss of young life. Martha is a multi-faceted character with which many tween girls can relate. They will also admire Martha for her courage and candor.

Henkes, K. (2003). Olive’s Ocean. New York, NY: Greenwillow Books. ISBN 0-06-053543-1 / 0-06-053544-X