Spencer Grant

Down by the Sea Spencer Grant

When Mele Kiaora, a young privateer, is stuck on extended shore leave with the rest of her crew, she must explore the island in search of knowledge, magic, and camaraderie. Along with her crewmates Roy Alfredsson and Sam Van Lucette, she goes on adventures, learns about herself, and makes friends along the way. Join Mele and her friends/frenemies as she searches for the "Saptitaka," a mystical collection of artifacts that, once combined, will grant her any wish she so desires. However, as the story evolves, Mele finds the issue to be more complex than that. She isn't the only one seeking the Saptitaka, she isn't even the only one on her crew that wants a piece of that sweet wishing action. She must compete with Roy, her prickly crewmate, in order to find the Saptitaka first and gain her wish. Along the way, she learns more about the island's complicated history and the tangled mess that the world surrounding her is devolving into. She also begins to wax introspective about the kind of person she is and whether she wants to be that kind of person. As more of the Saptitaka are found, and Mele meets more people along the way, these questions come to a head. Down by the Sea is a coming of age story about identity, culture, and desire. Wrapped in the format of a short series, it posits these questions in a way that anyone can understand and relate to, as we laugh and sympathise with the book's characters. Chock-full of personality, witty dialogue, and adorable anachronisms, Down by the Sea is a collection of short stories about a sailor crew that is taking shore leave on an island with a mysterious history. It is suitable for YA and Middle-Grade audiences.