A COMB OF WISHES
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Sure enough, the sea woman will come for what’s hers.
Ever since her mother’s death, Kela feels every bit as broken as the shards of glass, known as “mermaid’s tears,” that sparkle on the beaches of St. Rita. But when she discovers a different kind of treasure, she accidentally summons an actual mermaid—the wrathful Ophidia. Ophidia makes Kela a bargain: her ancient comb, in exchange for a wish. And though Kela knows that what she wants most is her mother back, a wish that big will exact a dangerous price… * * * * * Set against the backdrop of Caribbean culture and folklore, Lisa Stringfellow’s mesmerizing middle grade debut tells a story of impossible wishes and magic based in the deepest love.
Publisher: HarperCollins/Quill Tree Books
Publication Date: February 8, 2022 ISBN: 9780063043435 (Hardcover); 9780063043442 (Paperback) Available now:
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awards & recognition
2024 Rhode Island Children's Book Award nominee
2022 Bram Stoker Award nominee
2022 New England Book Award finalist
2022 Nerdy Book Club Award winner
2022 Horn Book Summer Reading Recommended Title
Read With Jenna Jr. Summer Reading Title
Indies Introduce - Winter/Spring 2022 Title
Indies Next Kids - March/April 2022 Title
2022 Bram Stoker Award nominee
2022 New England Book Award finalist
2022 Nerdy Book Club Award winner
2022 Horn Book Summer Reading Recommended Title
Read With Jenna Jr. Summer Reading Title
Indies Introduce - Winter/Spring 2022 Title
Indies Next Kids - March/April 2022 Title
praise
Stringfellow weaves an enchanting tale of loss, longing, and discovery infused with Caribbean folklore. Readers will be captivated by Kela’s story and become invested in her journey...Will tug at readers' heartstrings.
-Kirkus Reviews
Imbued with a magic that felt as real as the concrete and beloved world in which it is set, this story moves with a plot that is both surefooted and wild, both inexorable and surprising, both cerebral and emotional. I loved it so much.
-Kelly Barnhill, author of the Newbery Award-winning novel The Girl Who Drank the Moon
Captivating and creative, magical and moving, this enchanting tale about grief and abiding love will hold you spellbound. What a joy and honor to welcome this brilliant new voice, as beautiful as the ocean and as bright as a mermaid’s tears.
-Padma Venkatraman, author of the Walter Award-winning novel The Bridge Home
A wonderfully told tale of family, friendship, grief, and longing. A Comb of Wishes explores what happens when legend and real life meet. When a powerful mermaid is determined to reclaim what is rightfully hers, Kela begins her journey to discover what really happens when you get the one thing you most want in the world.
-Susan Williams, M. Judson Booksellers, Greenville, SC
Kela’s primary narration allows for a harmonious blend of contemporary island life and Afro-Caribbean lore, while chapters focusing on Ophidia draw on elements of Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid.” The third-person narration of the interspersed sections echoes a rhythmic traditional call-and-response that links the teller and the listener.
-Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
book news
- New England Book Award Middle Grade Category Finalist | NEIBA, September 20, 2022.
- The Horn Book 2022 Summer Reading Recommendations - Intermediate | The Horn Book, April 19, 2022.
- Review of A Comb of Wishes | The Horn Book, March 15, 2022.
- Q&A With Lisa Stringfellow, A Comb of Wishes | We Need Diverse Books, February 10, 2022.
- KidLit Chapter Chat - Five Facts About A Comb of Wishes | KidLit Chapter Chat, February 9, 2022.
- Grieving Girls and Vengeful Mermaids: A Comb of Wishes Interview | A Fuse 8 Production, February 8, 2022.
- A Comb of Wishes with Lisa Stringfellow | Between the Reads Podcast, February 8, 2022.
- Interview with Lisa Stringfellow, author of A Comb of Wishes | Color the Shelves, February 8, 2022.
- Book Nook: A Comb of Wishes | Motherhood Moment, February 8, 2022.
- The Happy Writer's Podcast: Guest Lisa Stringfellow | The Happy Writer with Marissa Meyer, February 7, 2022.
- Interview with Lisa Stringfellow about A COMB OF WISHES | MG Book Village, February 7, 2022.
- Debut Author Interview: Lisa Stringfellow and A Comb of Wishes Giveaway | Literary Rambles, February 7, 2022.
- 28 Days Later - Lisa Stringfellow | The Brown Bookshelf, February 5, 2022.
launch event!
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My launch event at Brookline Booksmith was fabulous! The energy was amazing and the crowd was filled with over 100 readers and friends.
Thank you to Tui T. Sutherland for being an amazing conversation partner. She made me laugh and feel at ease. Thank you also to our host, bookseller Rachel Jaffe, for moderating the chat and sharing the questions from the audience. You can watch the recording of the event on Brookline Booksmith's YouTube channel. |