This book was, for me, a Kate Dicamillo, Secret Garden, and Alice Hoffman's Museum of Extraordinary Things mash-up. I liked it, but the end was a bit of a let down. Also, the Jules/Julie character was unnecessary.

This was billed as an old-fashioned fairy tale, and I think it did quite well at living up to that label.

Lampie is a lighthouse keeper's daughter when disaster strikes and she's sent away to work in an admiral's big old haunted house. The situation between her and Edward, the admiral's son, reminds me almost of The Secret Garden, if Colin's lameness had been caused by being a half-merman. Overall, pretty cute and very enjoyable.

This was an enjoyable book! Its characters felt very real and the plot was really interesting! Overall it was a very good experience and I liked it a lot!

This dark, middle-grade story told in a classical fairytale style was an enjoyable, nostalgic read. With just the right blend of gothic horror, fantasy and suspense, this story had me hooked until the end. When Lampie, a poor lighthouse man's daughter is sent to work in the dark house on the hill, she must confront her fears that arise from rumours of the monster that lives there. A dark mystery, mermaids, pirates, a haunted house, a bunch of diverse characters, and an unlikely heroine makes this story a fabulous addition to any collection for middle-graders.

I would have rated this book five stars but for the numerous formatting issues with the Kindle copy I received from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. Hopefully these issues may be rectified for future release of this beautifully crafted story.
4.5 stars

This was a fun, pretty fast read that I actually enjoyed. I liked the characters, found the world interesting, and I liked the ending. Definitely recommend!

It took too long to get to the meat of this story, which meant by the time the plot properly developed I was already heavily disconnected from plot. There's a strong correlation to The Secret Garden here, but somehow darker and just....sad.

The premise sounded so awesome, but the writing doesn't work for me (stylistically — I'm sure some readers will find it lyrical and flowing) and the characters we've met seem pretty archetypal. Except maybe Lampie, who mostly just reacts to her changing circumstances and thus is not the most engaging protagonist.

I'm so glad I picked up this book! It spoke more than any moral lesson could.

Originally written in Dutch called Lampje, Of Salt and Shore is a beautiful children literature that inspires friendship and love for our family. It also addresses discrimination and rights for an education in a subtle way. With that, I think this book should be read by people of all age groups.

I loved how this book was simply written as a fantasy adventure based on The Little Mermaid where it takes off from when the mermaid leaves her baby behind with the human and returns to the sea. However, the main character is a girl named Lampie who was brought to this child's house to work after she messes up her father's job by forgetting to light up the lighthouse causing a ship to crash. She then meets this child, a boy who she calls Fish, and they form a bond.

I also enjoyed all the characters and the relationship among them, the plot which was very exciting especially towards the end (there was an added hint of mystery), and the setting of a small village. Besides, who doesn't love a retelling? I'm a total sucker for these stories.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Charlesbridge through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

A lovely story built around friendship, love, and magic. Though this version is a translation from the original publication in Dutch, the story is not lost and the characters are lovable. Of Salt and Shore is sure to capture the hearts of middle grades readers.

This book had an original approach to the Little Mermaid story.
The little mermaid is one of my favorite stories of all time so seeing it retold and reinterpreted brings me joy.
That being said, I didn't really enjoy this. I found the writing a bit sloppy and unrefined. I don't know actually if the issue was of the translation or the writing.
I would have liked a lot more detail and time spent with the freak people and more backstories because all characters had really interesting personalities and histories.
Overall, i didn't really click with it but it seems to get good reviews from other people and so don't really mind my review :)

Of Salt and Shore by Annet Schaap
My Rating: ##/2
Goodreads Rating: 4.54
Published September 15th, 2020


Middle-grade, dark fairytale, mermaids, pirates, friendship – what is not to love?
What promised to be a dark, twisty and fun read, fell completely flat. There is an element of magic missing from this story. Even though Lampie, Martha, and Lenny are likable characters, they are completely boring. The rest of the cast is mean, vindictive and utterly unlikable.

The book starts slow, picks up pace slightly, becomes a bit weird and scary and tappers off into boring and confusing again.
The writing is inconsistent, jumping from middle-grade narration to adult narration.

I don’t believe this book is written for middle-grade pupils. This book might be more suitable as a middle-grade read for adult readers.
#OfSaltandShore #NetGalley

This was beautifully written, and it reminded me a bit of The Secret Garden. It’s really a lovely story, and I’ll definitely alert my library staff of this book.

This might easily be your favorite book of late summer. A quick read, but still substantial and left my heart full of ALL THE FEELS. Definitely put this on your list for upper elementary, middle grades, but there's something here for older readers, too.

Friendships can be forged from the strangest circumstances, such as between a lighthouse keeper's daughter and a supposed monster forced together in Annet Schaap's Of Salt & Shore. 

Emilia, better known as Lampie, is the lighthouse keeper's daughter, who because of her father's missing leg is responsible for climbing the tower and lighting the lantern every night to warn off ships from the nearby rocks. One night, a strong storm rolls in and Lampie realizes that they're out of matches. As she scrambles to get some from the nearby shop, a ship runs aground of the rocks, causing immense damage. To help her father work off the debt of the wreak, Lampie goes to serve at the admiral's house, where it's rumored that there's a monster. But the monster is a stranger reality than she could have imagined - it's the deformed son of the admiral. Forging a bond between them after she saves his life from an illness, Lampie and Fish, as she likes to call him, they venture out to the fair, where they think they might find where he truly fits within the world of mermaids, pirates, and other assorted societal misfits. 

In this loose take on The Little Mermaid tale, what happens after the mermaid walks on land for her love is explored through the actions of the next generation. Though it could be considered just juvenile fantasy, I thought that the magical elements of the story were a good introduction to the concept of magical realism for younger readers as the characters simply accepted mermaids as part of their natural world. Lampie's tenacious and determined nature contrasts well with Edward/Fish's gloomier and lonesome nature, with each of them drawing the other out of themselves to be come deeper, better rounded characters. By the time the story is reaching its end, the more interesting elements are finally surfacing, catching my attention and making me wish that this was what the story was like the entire time; the pacing of the narrative alternates between quickly-moving and a slog to get through, making it easier to put down for lengths of time. 

Overall, I'd give it a 3 out of 5 stars.

Lampie is a loyal daughter to a lighthouse keeper who perseveres through a variety of tough situations and unusual circumstances. Due to her father’s mistake, Lampie must help work off her father’s debt at a rundown house rumored to be holding a monster. What Lampie finds there is a unique set of friends, a magical new world, and an adventure she never expected.

For a middle grade read, this story got into some deep-thinking concepts of acceptance, abuse, and family. I think middle school students would relate and appreciate many of the aspects found within the story. Children will get swept up along with Lampie as she problem solves tough situations and shows grit by never giving up. With mermaids, pirates, storms, a mysterious house, and family secrets, imaginations will definitely be drawn into the story.

What I loved about this story is the line between reality and fantasy. The author does a great job creating a story with elements of magical realism, which had me debating back and forth the character of Fish. The writing style almost has a lyrical quality that flows as smooth as the tides do in the novel. It was a hauntingly beautiful book with elements kids and adults could appreciate and learn from.

While I did enjoy this read, I would only give it four stars due to the quickness/acceptance at the ending and because of its slow start.

I received an advance copy of this book from Charlesbridge and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

<I> Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. It is currently set to be published in September 2020. </I>

<U>Of Salt and Shore</u> is a delightful seaside middle grade novel. I believe that this is just an English translation of the original Dutch story which was published half a decade ago. The protagonist, Lampie, is a brave young girl who works the town's lighthouse with her one-legged ex-pirate father. When the light goes out one night and a ship crashes into the coastline the town blames her tiny family and she is sent to work at the Admiral's house as penance. She then discovers a "monster" in the room at the top of the tower, which is where the real adventure begins.

To my understanding this is an imaginative retelling of "The Little Mermaid", but the beginning reminded me more of a juvenile "Beauty and the Beast" and/or Burnette's <u> The Secret Garden</u>. Overall I liked the storyline and the colourful characters, but I found the pacing alternated between a quick page-turner and a bit of a boring slog. It could be quite dark at times, but it dealt with the more serious topics in an easy to digest way fit for youthful consumption. This would be the perfect novel to read a chapter or two with your child before bed as it is full of moral lessons and thought-provoking. Plus the few illustrations scattered throughout are absolutely adorable. I would consider reading this to my niece when she is older.

Thank you netgalley for an ARC of this marvelous middle grade book.

What a wonderfully whimsical book. It was like The Secret Garden meets The Little Mermaid and I loved every page. I loved the setting and all the amazing characters.
I wish I could give this more than 5 stars

DNF
Thank you to the publisher for an arc.

The Kindle ebook was formatted terribly. Illustrations would be in line with text, random paragraphs would be broken up and some sentences would start with lower case letters. I gave up after a few chapters this is impossible to read.

Unfortunately this one was not my favorite. It was a very fast and quick read but I didnt care much for the story or the characters

Of Salt and Shore by Annet Schaap was a dark, nautical story that featured a brave girl named Lampie. It initially reminded me a bit of the classic The Secret Garden. The way the two main kids’ families are set up, their backgrounds, their handicaps, kids sneaking out together, etc. I enjoyed the darker mermaid tale. So many modern mermaid tales are light and happy, but the original mermaid stories were not. I feel Of Salt and Shore really revives original folklore and Schaap’s adds her own twist to it. It is different from its contemporary counterparts.

I think the scare factour of this story is perfect for Middle Grade. I am a big scaredy cat and at no point was I scared. So, I think as long as kids do not mind darker themed books, being a little creeped, and the subject matter they should be fine. The only part I was extremely creeped out by was when a carnie asked for a kiss from Lampie. A grown adult asking a kid for a kiss is super creepy.

The plot drove Of Salt and Shore. I did have a few issues at the beginning of the plot, such as why is a child getting left when the owner of the house is not there, and the maid does not want her there. Why is the town leaving Lampie at this house for seven years and not checking on her? Is the dad telling Lampie to lie to protect her or to protect himself? These are questions that do get answered, but initially, I felt them to be farfetched. I am okay with plots being stretched, especially in a fantasy driven book. However, I do not know if a younger reader would think about these points as much or if they would just go with the flow.

Fish is our other main character. He is a merman. There was an underlying message that just because people are different does not make them weird or scary. They are humans like everyone else. Don’t fear them. Embrace them. I fully embraced that message.

Lastly, I was surprised by all the turns this book took. I could not figure out how the story was going to end. It kept me engaged and reading.

This book does deal with some domestic abuse, “foster care” if you can really call it that, by the end of the book, and alcoholism.

There are illustrations throughout the story, and they bring a great aesthetic to the book.

I did receive an Advanced Read Copy from Charlesbridge through Net Galley, at my request. The opinions are 100% my own. Thank you so much for allowing me to read this story!