Call the Wild Sea

First paragraph of Call the Wild Sea by Wendy Adams. Published 2023. Illustrated by Laila Savolainen.

Fin paddles out, feeling the strength in her arms and the pull of the ocean on her skin. She focuses on the horizon as she ploughs through the glitter-ball sea. The sun is brand new, painting the washed-out sky delicate shades of pink and orange. Fin sighs and the sudden sense of lightness makes her smile. Out here, she’s a creature of the ocean, as surely as if she’s a dolphin, stingray or seal. The sea is calm, with gentle swells flowing around her. Even on these days, there is no place she would rather be.