A sea ghost, a mortal boy, and a dangerous enchanted harpoon . . . A Newbery Medalist takes us far beneath the waves in this extraordinary foray into fantasy.
In the deepest recesses of the ocean, Graciela—once an ordinary girl—now makes sea glass and assists her friend, Amina, as she welcomes newly awakened sea ghosts from their death sleep. Though Graciela’s spirit is young, she has lived at the bottom of the ocean for more than a hundred years. Meanwhile, in the mortal world on land, twelve-year-old Jorge Leon works in his family’s forge. He’s heard of the supernatural spirits living beneath the ocean’s waves—tales that do nothing to quell his fear of the water. But when Jorge discovers a hand-wrought harpoon with the power to spear a sea ghost, he knows he must destroy it any way he can.
When the harpoon is accidentally reunited with its vengeful creator, unlikely allies Graciela and Jorge have no choice but to work together to keep evil spirits from wreaking havoc on both the living and the dead. If only the answer to saving what they care about didn’t lie within the depths of the abyss . . . Newbery Medal winner Meg Medina and illustrators Anna and Elena Balbusso have crafted a thoughtful tale infused with magic and high-stakes adventure that will leave readers wondering what power lies in the depths of the ocean—and inside each of us.
SELECTION
| 2025 Junior Library Guild Selection
With breathtaking underwater worldbuilding and eerie details, Medina’s latest immerses readers in Graciela’s ghostly realm, and they’ll root for the unlikely duo on their perilous quest. The Balbussos’ hauntingly beautiful illustrations enhance the story. The characters and setting evoke Spanish and Portuguese cultural influences. A thrilling, action-packed journey filled with heart, bravery, and ghostly exploits. —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Medina effortlessly builds a magical marine world that feels fished from folklore, and the manner in which each story in the narrative informs the others is beautifully crafted. Rich in compelling characters, complicated emotions, and originality, this epic writ small will dazzle its readers. —Booklist (starred review)
Medina delivers a beguiling aquatic adventure in her first fantasy offering, set in a fictional Spanishinspired landscape. . . . Intricately interwoven timelines and perspectives provide riveting background while maintaining suspense and forward momentum. Fusing elements of magical realism with introspective, high-stakes plotting, the Newbery Medalist tackles subjects such as parental neglect and abuse, jealousy, and greed in this richly imagined tale. —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
The awe-inspiring characters in this mesmerizing folkloric story exude a dazzling defiance against unjust power. . . . Meg Medina (Merci Suárez Changes Gears) uses hypnotic prose to conjure an oceanic realm teeming with wonders that speak to the interconnectedness of land and sea.Anna and Elena Balbusso . . . create enchanting mixed media art featuring diaphanous shapes and layers of texture. —Shelf Awareness
Medina crafts a uniquely magical world that is fleshed out with enough lore to be compelling but not overwritten to lose its appealing mystique. . . .Third-person narration carries a folkloric tone yet still brings an enormous amount of compassion to individual characters. . . . The ocean setting and gentle fantastical elements make this a solid readalike to Ryan’s El Nino. —Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
[An] adventure-filled fantasy. . . . The ocean’s beauty and risk are captured in terms of moonlit waters and murky creatures known as needlers. . . . Emotions ground the story. . . .Graciela in the Abyss is a glimmering fantasy novel about selflessness, duty, and friendship. —Foreword Reviews
Meg Medina is a former National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature and the author of the Newbery Medal–winning book Merci Suárez Changes Gears, which was also a Kirkus Prize finalist, and its sequels, Merci Suárez Can’t Dance and Merci Suárez Plays It Cool, as well as several award-winning young adult novels and picture books. About this novel she says, “To survive in the darkest depths of the sea, creatures must learn to make their own spectacular light. In so many ways, that ability mirrors what young people need on their journey of growing up.” The daughter of Cuban immigrants, Meg Medina lives in Richmond, Virginia.
Anna and Elena Balbusso, also known as the Balbusso Twins, are an award-winning Italian sister artist team living in Milan. Their illustrations have been published throughout the world in various media, including more than fifty books. Their artwork has received more than ninety international honors and awards, including the Stevan Dohanos Award from the Society of Illustrators. They live in Milan, Italy.
A sea ghost, a mortal boy, and a dangerous enchanted harpoon . . . A Newbery Medalist takes us far beneath the waves in this extraordinary foray into fantasy.
In the deepest recesses of the ocean, Graciela—once an ordinary girl—now makes sea glass and assists her friend, Amina, as she welcomes newly awakened sea ghosts from their death sleep. Though Graciela’s spirit is young, she has lived at the bottom of the ocean for more than a hundred years. Meanwhile, in the mortal world on land, twelve-year-old Jorge Leon works in his family’s forge. He’s heard of the supernatural spirits living beneath the ocean’s waves—tales that do nothing to quell his fear of the water. But when Jorge discovers a hand-wrought harpoon with the power to spear a sea ghost, he knows he must destroy it any way he can.
When the harpoon is accidentally reunited with its vengeful creator, unlikely allies Graciela and Jorge have no choice but to work together to keep evil spirits from wreaking havoc on both the living and the dead. If only the answer to saving what they care about didn’t lie within the depths of the abyss . . . Newbery Medal winner Meg Medina and illustrators Anna and Elena Balbusso have crafted a thoughtful tale infused with magic and high-stakes adventure that will leave readers wondering what power lies in the depths of the ocean—and inside each of us.
Awards
SELECTION
| 2025 Junior Library Guild Selection
Praise
With breathtaking underwater worldbuilding and eerie details, Medina’s latest immerses readers in Graciela’s ghostly realm, and they’ll root for the unlikely duo on their perilous quest. The Balbussos’ hauntingly beautiful illustrations enhance the story. The characters and setting evoke Spanish and Portuguese cultural influences. A thrilling, action-packed journey filled with heart, bravery, and ghostly exploits. —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Medina effortlessly builds a magical marine world that feels fished from folklore, and the manner in which each story in the narrative informs the others is beautifully crafted. Rich in compelling characters, complicated emotions, and originality, this epic writ small will dazzle its readers. —Booklist (starred review)
Medina delivers a beguiling aquatic adventure in her first fantasy offering, set in a fictional Spanishinspired landscape. . . . Intricately interwoven timelines and perspectives provide riveting background while maintaining suspense and forward momentum. Fusing elements of magical realism with introspective, high-stakes plotting, the Newbery Medalist tackles subjects such as parental neglect and abuse, jealousy, and greed in this richly imagined tale. —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
The awe-inspiring characters in this mesmerizing folkloric story exude a dazzling defiance against unjust power. . . . Meg Medina (Merci Suárez Changes Gears) uses hypnotic prose to conjure an oceanic realm teeming with wonders that speak to the interconnectedness of land and sea.Anna and Elena Balbusso . . . create enchanting mixed media art featuring diaphanous shapes and layers of texture. —Shelf Awareness
Medina crafts a uniquely magical world that is fleshed out with enough lore to be compelling but not overwritten to lose its appealing mystique. . . .Third-person narration carries a folkloric tone yet still brings an enormous amount of compassion to individual characters. . . . The ocean setting and gentle fantastical elements make this a solid readalike to Ryan’s El Nino. —Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
[An] adventure-filled fantasy. . . . The ocean’s beauty and risk are captured in terms of moonlit waters and murky creatures known as needlers. . . . Emotions ground the story. . . .Graciela in the Abyss is a glimmering fantasy novel about selflessness, duty, and friendship. —Foreword Reviews
Author
Meg Medina is a former National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature and the author of the Newbery Medal–winning book Merci Suárez Changes Gears, which was also a Kirkus Prize finalist, and its sequels, Merci Suárez Can’t Dance and Merci Suárez Plays It Cool, as well as several award-winning young adult novels and picture books. About this novel she says, “To survive in the darkest depths of the sea, creatures must learn to make their own spectacular light. In so many ways, that ability mirrors what young people need on their journey of growing up.” The daughter of Cuban immigrants, Meg Medina lives in Richmond, Virginia.
Anna and Elena Balbusso, also known as the Balbusso Twins, are an award-winning Italian sister artist team living in Milan. Their illustrations have been published throughout the world in various media, including more than fifty books. Their artwork has received more than ninety international honors and awards, including the Stevan Dohanos Award from the Society of Illustrators. They live in Milan, Italy.
