In my latest haul from my library was Molly Ostertag’s graphic novel, The Girl In The Sea. This graphic novel proved to be very queer and gelled together a narrative of first loves, friendship, and secrets around the shape-shifting selkie piece of folklore. Morgan Kwon is a teenager with a big secret that she feels will make her an outsider. She's also dealing with a family situation that has left her family feeling less whole. The narrative here in this book leans toward sbeing a teenager and feeling lost in the world with a twist.That twist is Morgan being saved by a selkie who rescues her one stormy night and whose kiss allowed her to transform and walk on land.

I loved Ostertag’s visual interpretation of the selkie skin used as clothing between the girls. I loved the complicated messiness of Morgan's teenage angst on page and Keltie, the selkie's adorable fascination with everything human. The Girl in The Sea is a beautiful story about a gay teen failing and trying to be her most authentic self while feeling like a shapeshifter against a backdrop of the ocean, magic, and the obligations we have to each other.  

Morgan isn't a perfect protagonist, a perfect friend, or daughter--yet I still was emotionally invested in seeing her be loved and supported and figuring out that not all secrets should be kept. I came for a cute graphic novel centering on girls and I stayed for the marvelous tale of how the connections we make in the world don't always fit into the plans we make but turn out to be ones we cherish, always.