Alice, a nine year-old girl who goes on vacation to a cottage named Scallop, loves the sea. She knows all the shell names and recognizes them by her little guidebook that she usually takes on her walks with her. She (as always) will spend her birthday here but, this time, she will be turning ten! Double digits! She thinks that this will be the best birthday ever. It will be like one huge family dinner (except for the fact that she is an only child but that does not matter to her). Her biggest hope for her birthday is finding one of those rare junonia shells. Everthing will be perfect if it goes Alice’s way, but will it go Alice’s way?
This book is amazing at getting you in Alice’s place. You feel her emotions and understand the plot a little better. You will love this book if you like other novels by Kevin Henkes such as:
- Bird Lake Moon
- Olive’s Ocean
- The Birthday Room
- Sun and Spoon
- Protecting Marie
- Words of Stone
- The Zebra Wall
- Two Under Par
- Return to Sender
I love this book and I hope you will too.
-Maya
Grade 4
Mr. J’s class
The Sequoia Times 
I want to read that book now! Thanks for telling me about it.
I really liked this book review because the girl made me want to go to the place too. This book has a lot of interesting facts. When she goes to the ocean it reminded me of Steep Ravine.