Not as We Know It

Gr 4–6—Brothers Ned and Jamie are treasure hunters. Granted, all they find in their tiny fishing village off the coast of England are old fish hooks and forks. Nonetheless, they consider themselves adventurers like the characters on their favorite show, Star Trek. But the boys couldn't be any more different. Ned is the Captain Kirk of the duo, boldly going where no kid has gone before, while Jamie, the narrator, is hesitant and happy to let Ned lead the way. One day they find a mysterious creature suffering and caught in a net. Ned convinces Jamie to bring it home. Jamie is confounded by Ned's affection for this bizarre creature. But when their grandfather tells them mythic tales of mermaids with magical healing powers, Jamie clings to hope. Ned, it is revealed, has cystic fibrosis, which seems to be getting worse, and Jamie is convinced that this creature has come to save his brother. Avery captures Jamie's powerful denial of Ned's illness with heartbreaking precision and deliberate pacing. References made to the film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial are rather apt allusions to this story of a mute creature teaching powerful lessons of acceptance. The vivid island setting and the grandfather's evocative stories make this book a true original.