A traditional fairytale. Beautiful whimsical and lovely with a touch of darkness. A very comforting read to anyone who adores middle grade or child's fiction. Adorable friendships and great family relationships. 10/10

Every evening Lampie, the lighthouse keeper's daughter, must light a lantern to warn ships away from the rocks, but one stormy night disaster strikes. The lantern is not lit, a ship is wrecked, and someone must pay.

This was a cute little tale about how no body is limited by how other people see them. Lampie was told all of her life that she was slow but she never believed and when after a storm she meets the monster in the old house, she realizes that what some people call a monster is just someone else who was never given a chance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Charlesbridge Publishing for the free Avanced Reader's Copy.

This is a story of Lampie. She is the daughter of the lighthouse keeper. Her father is a drunk and it is her responsibility to keep the light lite. Through a series of heart breaking circumstances, Lampie is removed from her home and sent to live in a horrible old house in the village. There she meets Martha, the housekeeper, and her simpleton son, Lenny. Nobody wants to come near the house because there is a monster that lives in the house. There are pirates, mermaids, a circus side show, lots of horrible adults in authority. The friendship between Lampie and Fish, the "monster" under the bed is the best part.


I find it difficult to write this review because I enjoyed the writing and the story, but there are some dark, dark parts about it. I am not sure I would actually give it to a middle grader. Definitely it would be appropriate for a reader who likes fantasy and is not upset by real life situations like abuse, drunkenness, and prejudice.

From the first page, I was drawn to Lampie and her life, the feeling that she was something other than human, being present early on.
This Middle Grade work is wonderful, original, whimsical, magical and also on the scary side!

Such a lovely, lovely story, full of struggle and discovery, with a fulfilling ending. Left its imprint on my heart for sure.

I truly wish I could say more but to tell of Lampie's strength or Fish's determination may spoil it.

Thank you to @NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read Of Salt and Shore. To Vharlesbrudge for publishing and to Annet Schaap for writing.

Happy publication day!

Annet Shaap's novel is published in the english language, translated from the dutch, today and I could not possibly not recommend this book! It is quite obvious why this debut novel has already won 4 awards including the best Dutch children's book of the year for 2018.

I loved the premise of it, mermaids, pirates, lighthouses, monsters.. which is why I requested it from #Netgalley in the first place. And it did not dissappoint. In fact, it suprised me on how well the author weaved in some very important topics all the while keeping it middle grade friendly in without simplifying them. Trigger warnings to be inserted here are child abuse and neglect.

Very atmospheric setting, quite a darker and sadder story than I expected but beautiful nonetheless, clever character development and just stunning illustrations! Annet Shaap is known in the Netherlands especially due to her illustrations skills and one can clearly see why! I thought the translation was beautifully executed but I would gladly re-read this in Dutch as I always love reading books in their original language if possible. So a Middle Grade book like this sounds like it fits like a glove for that as my Dutch is quite dusty!

Loved the main character called Lampie and I felt like I wanted to hug her so many times throughout the story which examines the sometimes darker side of human nature that is weary about the 'different' and 'unknown'. Very important to have these books nowadays when these matters have become all the more relevant and prominent and I hope it continues that way in all possible genres and target groups.

Thank you Netgalley and Charlesbridge Publications for sending me the eArc in an exchange for an honest review.

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A sweet, unexpected story that deeps in the complexity of family, friendship, diversity, acceptance and hope.

Developed in a Victorian like setting, in an unknown costal town, the story follows Lampie (Emilia) a sweet little girl that has been burden with the fate of her father, a disable drunken lighthouse keeper, after the sudden death of her mother. A responsibility that will be turn upside down by a terrible storm.

In her new situation, a varied group of characters from a gossipy school teacher, to the Admiral's house staff, and even a carnival freak show (mermaids and mermen included!), will accompany her path, helping and being helped, understanding the value of acceptance and empowerment.

With beautiful illustration and an enthralling writing style that even got me angry and frustrated with some situations and characters (related more with the period of time, the practices and prejudices for woman, disable and poor people), but also made me root for the weak to overcome the narrow windows towards success.

A pretty story that provides a simple reference to the challenges of disabilities, both physical (Lampie's father or Edwards) and mental (Lenny), as well as the negative effects of self loathing, and enslavement, and also the capacity that we all have to move on and have a better life.

An ARC of this book was kindly provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to everyone (Netgalley, Annet Schaap & Charlesbridge) for an advanced copy of "Of Salt and Shore" in exchange for an honest review.

As I started reading, I was not too sure about this book. The idea of a modern-day dark fairy tale was intriguing, but, didn't love it as much as I thought I would.

The story is interesting and the characters were developed well, but the pull of a book that usually sucks me in was missing.

If you're into darker fairy tales, this is the book for you!

Of Salt and Shore is different than I expected when I requested it. It's a lot darker, more serious, and a little more terrifying that I assumed based on any of the covers and the synopsis. At times, it reminded me of The Secret Garden since it's about a girl being send to an old house that holds secrets and an angry boy. Other times, it glittered with the magic of Peter Pan, including mermaids and pirates and, yes, angry boys.

The ending makes up for the uncertainty I felt at the beginning of the story. I like how the different aspects came together in the end. Also, any story where something sinister might be lurking in the attic calls for an interesting read.

But the writing style isn't the best. I'm not sure if that's due to the translation or if the original focuses more on telling what's happening instead of showing. It also jumps "heads" (point of view) frequently, sometimes in the middle of a scene. I'm not sure if my confusion due to the point of view switching was because that's how it's written or if the formatting of the digital arc threw me off. But it's jarring to jump from head to head without warning.

This is one of those stories that is targeted for kids because of the age of the protagonists or the topic (mermaids, pirates, etc.), but reads more like what an adult THINKS a children's book should be. I'm not sure how many children would be interested in reading this, but as an adult, I found it interesting enough to finish.

Reading this book was a breath of fresh air! Adventure, fantasy, pirates, mermaids and monsters - there's plenty within these pages to intrigue readers of all ages.

Young Lampie, the lighthouse keeper's daughter, tries her best to take care of her depressed and disabled father since the death of her mother. She walks the stairs each night to light the lamp and knows how important a job it is. But she's still a child and she gets caught up in her thoughts sometimes. When evening is falling and a bad storm is starting, she realizes that she forgot to buy more matches to light the lamp. She goes out in what soon becomes a fierce storm to get some from the shop in town, but before she can get back to the lighthouse, the wind has blown her basket with the matches away. In the darkness, a ship crashes upon the rocks.

Lampie and her father are told they must repay the cost of the ruined ship. Lampie is taken from her home and placed in the Black Manor, the Admiral's house, to help Martha, the housekeeper. No one from town wants anything to do with the house, or the people in it. Everyone knows a monster lives there, and it's dangerous! Best to stay away altogether. The day Lampie arrives happens to be the day that Joseph, who takes care of the monster, dies. No one else will even consider going upstairs to where the monster lives, so Lampie becomes its new caretaker.

What follows is a charming tale of optimism, bravery, discovering what's important and what's not. Old ideas are challenged, friendships are made, differences are exposed, acknowledged and respected. It isn't only Lampie that grows into her own as events unfold.

As is true with all fairy tales, there is a dark side to the book. Child abuse, neglect, discrimination, and lechery are at play as well. But goodness wins out because light overtakes the dark and because acts of kindness matter. In fact they matter so much that little acts of kindness can change people and situations; they are so powerful, they can change the world.

My thanks to NetGalley and Charlesbridge for granting me access to an ARC of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. All opinions stated here are my own. My thanks, also, to the author, for reminding me that I'm never too old to read fairy tales!! This book earns 5 stars from me!

3.75⭐️s

Thank you to Netgalley, Annet Schaap and Charlesbridge for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!!

I was not too sure about this book when I first started it, but holy dark modern day fairytale!!!! Once I got going I rapidly worked my way through it and was really invested in the characters and what they were going through! I enjoyed that we get to see different events from different characters point of view, although Lampie is definitely the main narrator.

I can only imagine how neat the finished physical copy is going to look with illustrations of the characters and some of the amusing and dark scenarios they live through!

I think this is great for fans of dark fairytales (Grimm) and dark but not super scary children’s books. Better for older children (12 and up, I would say) and a great display of friendship and overcoming differences. Acceptance is also a great theme in this book!

Thanks for letting me read this book. I really enjoyed the story line and the nostalgic take on old fairy tales. I just could not get past the label of "freaks" which spoiled the narrative for me. I will not be reviewing this on my blog since I don't do negative reviews.

A dark but excellent story! Emilia (nicknamed Lampie) is a 12-year-old lighthouse keeper’s daughter. Her mother unfortunately died and she now lives with just her father – Augustus. He has a wooden leg, is in debt and is always drunk. He fully relies on Lampie to climb the many steps and light the lamp every night.
Every night the light must be lit to warn ships of the dangerous rocks. However, one night after discovering that no matches are left, Lampie tries to get to the village to buy some more. With a terrible storm increasing in ferocity, Lampie gets back too late – a ship has hit the rocks.
Lampie is taken away and her father is locked in the lighthouse for 7 years until the debt to the ship’s owner is paid. The Black House is where Lampie is taken. It is the admiral’s home where rumours of a monster living there is rife amongst the villagers.
Upon meeting Fish (real name Edward), Lampie sees past the monster with strange, black absent eyes, and a ‘tail’. She is patient and tries to befriend him.
The book is full of dark elements and imperfect characters. It is set in a different time, where deformities were hidden or paraded for profit in circuses. It has some uncomfortable issues such as parental abuse.
Before reading, I wasn’t aware that the story had been translated from Dutch by Laura Watkinson, and also it had links to ‘The Little Mermaid’ which made sense as I read it. Definitely a 5 star read! A good place for children to discus how disabilities were perceived in history.

This book was fantastic! It was slow going for me but boy am I glad that I stuck with it! Lampie was a realistic child with adult responsibilities. Annet Schaap is a brilliant author and although it was difficult to see the direction of the story she was able to weave the details together into what became a wonderful story. Grateful for the opportunity to read it.

Of Salt and Shore really is a delightful retelling of The Secret Garden with a dash of Jane Eyre and Splash mixed with wonderful character development, beautiful coastal setting descriptions, and a story of mermaids I have not quite heard told in this way before. I thoroughly enjoyed this book; I hoped it would be included in a MG crate, but alas, it does not seem as though it will.

Lampie lives in a coastal town with her father, the lighthouse keeper. She also keeps the lighthouse for him, as he spends his days incapacitated and reeling over the death of his wife, Lampie’s mother. Naturally, putting such a burden on a child leads to disaster, and it shows up in the form of a storm during which the lighthouse remains unlit due to a lack of matches to light it.

Because of this incident, Lampie’s father is imprisoned in the lighthouse, and Lampie is sentenced to serve the household of the captain whose ship sank during the storm. It is during this stint that Lampie comes to meet a monster, who turns out to be a boy shut up in his room, imprisoned as much as Lampie is, and the two form an unexpected bond that ends in freedom for both of them.

The character interactions in this book really made it a joy to read; I loved them and felt attached to them just as Lampie is. Schaap’s pacing matches the plot; it slows in the middle after Lampie arrives at her place of servitude and plunges the reader into her world only to pull readers quickly out of it as abruptly as she is at the end. Younger readers should not have a problem keeping interest.

My thanks to Edelweiss and NetGalley for the ARC, for which I give my own opinion.

ittle Lampie, the lighthouse keeper’s young daughter has forgotten to purchase matches to light the lighthouse lamp and rushes out in the terrible storm to get some. By the time she makes it back, it’s too late. A ship has struck the rocks and is wrecked. When the sheriff and other townspeople show up, they discover that Lampie had been the one lighting the lamp, her alcoholic one-legged father merely residing in the lighthouse. Lampie is taken away immediately to work off the debt her family now owes for the cost of the ship and its contents, while her father is walled into the lighthouse.
Working her debt off as a servant at the Admirals house, she soon settles into life there, but when she discovers the deformed son of the admiral locked up in a tower, she takes the time to make friends with him, shocking the others that live there. When Edward, the admiral’s son, and Lampie head out on an adventure, the fun and excitement begin.
This is an absolutely charming children’s tale, but it’s not your usual rainbows and unicorns. This story is dark and gritty, set in a time when young children were forced to work Our poor motherless protagonist had to deal with an alcoholic father, forcing her to actually have to make sure that the lamp in the lighthouse was lit each night and extinguished the next morning. After she is taken away following the shipwreck, she is placed into a position in the house as a helper to work off the cost of that wreck. It’s only when she meets Edward that the adventure actually begins. Mermaids, a town fair with a sideshow full of strange characters, and pirates await the pair.
The story for me does drag in some areas, making it hard to get through those parts, but it’s well worth it. The adventure, the sea, the pirates and mermaids await you.
**I received an ARC of this story from the publisher and NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

Annet Schaap is a powerful writer. We are tossed and swirled and thoroughly drenched in the opening part of the book. Lampie has to get herself across the causeway and back, all to get a box of matches to light the lighthouse lamp in the coming storm. The storm is also a symbol of the high emotions running inside the lighthouse, between the disabled keeper and his motherless daughter.

Lampie is consigned in the most abrupt fashion to a house on the hill where a monster is rumoured to live. In the normal manner of middle grade books, Lampie finds the secreted boy in the tower, and teaches him to show himself in public. Lampie is a bit too good to be true, as the other characters themselves are melted by her good-heartedness, but somehow this failed to twang my insincerity strings, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Until we got to the fair.  I am allergic to fairs in books. Nothing good ever comes of them, and the plot seemed pretty much laid bare.

And actually, once I'd gathered the courage to go back to the book, it was both as predictable as I'd feared, and unpredictable. I enjoyed it, without it becoming all squishy.  And everything happened more or less as you'd expect it to turn out, with the most marvellous writing and a delightful twist.

A really heartwarming, rewarding read, even for old cynics like me!

I wasn’t sure I would like this book. The style felt stilted to me, but the more I read the more I’d get on me and the more I enjoyed it. It was a story about mermaids and pirates and adventure and mystery. It was very enjoyable.

Salt and Sea shore was a cute book I enjoyed it most of the times though it did feel it dragged at some parts. However,

The book felt like a cross between series of unfortunate events and the little mermaid. I'll say it was a very intresting idea for a novel something I haven't really read before.

I enjoyed the writing style . I would really love to hear a audio book of this .

Lastly I give this 3/5 stars a good read but not my absolute favorite. Though I thank the publishers for sending me a E-Arc on Netgalley.