Review by Booklist Review
Hector resides in a tiny Italian coastal town, though not all is well in this seemingly sunny world. For generations, his family ran the Marina, a renowned aquatic center dedicated to leading tourist expeditions and underwater explorations, until an unscrupulous competitor, Amedeo Limonata, opened a nearby cut-rate diving center of his own and ran Hector's family out of business. Still, Hector dreams of becoming a deep-sea diver like his father, and on his eighth birthday, he finally gets to walk the sea floor, where he happens upon the magical Pearl, a priceless object that is the stuff of legend--and the object of Amedeo's desire. This chapter book, an elegant Italian import, is a treat. Hector is an appealing and adorable protagonist, and the glowing descriptions bring the bustling seaside town fully to life. Bruno's accompanying illustrations are an absolute delight, inventing a carefully curated and colorful world with a touch of Wes Andersonian whimsy about the proceedings. There are clever semaphore chapter headings and delicately labeled diagrams, and each new character is introduced with their own illuminated portrait tucked among the text. Vibrant underwater depictions teem with life and make it easy to share in the peace and magic that Hector finds in his enchanting aquatic world. An exceptional story that will have young readers longing for the sea.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Hector's father is a deep-sea diver who has lost his guide business to an oily, unscrupulous rival. Still, the child is determined to follow in his father's footsteps, and he longs to find the Pearl, the deep-sea wonder that's the talk of the village's old sailors. On his very first dive, Hector stumbles across the Pearl--and that's when his problems begin. Colorful supporting characters such as Hector's friend Richard, who admires the evil businessman's daughter Carlotta and her "very low but sweet voice," and Anselmo, the stoic old salt who sits in front of Hector's father's failed marina, add flavor to this chapter book. So do affectionate descriptions of the seaside village, where umbrella pine trees are "filled with stars and owls." Sabatinelli, making her children's debut, narrates deliberately, swinging between reflection and adventure. Diving scenes and undersea sensations are vividly described ("You never age down there," Hector's grandfather tells him), all translated with skill and flair by Turner. Bruno (Mesmerized) drafts characters (who read as white) and scenery with polished elegance; hand-drawn chapter heading banners, labeled vignettes, and brilliant colors give the pages a luxe feel. Ages 6--10. (Oct.)
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Review by Horn Book Review
Hector hopes to be a deep-sea diver like his father and grandfather, but his plans are dashed when the deceitful Amedeo Limonta opens a competing business in their small Italian village. Limonta's scheme is to find and sell a legendary pearl, purported to be in the sea somewhere nearby. After receiving a diving suit for his birthday, Hector finds the mythical pearl. This initiates a series of events that ends, appropriately, with a face-off against Limonta, in a rowboat, in the midst of a massive storm. The heavily illustrated adventure story seems a successor to William Pene du Bois's offbeat, inventive tales, with Hector's first-person narration sounding as elaborate as the exploits. ("Angry with white foam, the sea looks like a white dog, frothing at the mouth. Lightning splits the sky like a zipper.") Bruno's detailed illustrations include a carefully labeled diagram of the components of an antique deep-sea diving suit, a colorful chart of nautical flags, and a stylized portrait of the scoundrel Limonta, leaning back and looking out at us over his handlebar moustache and portly belly. This is a handsome book, printed in gorgeous, rich-hued colors, with a thoughtful hero, a first-rate villain, magic, adventure, and a convincing happy ending. Maeve Visser Knoth January/February 2022 p.121(c) Copyright 2022. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Hector wants to be a deep-sea diver, just like his father and grandfather. He has internalized all his grandfather's tales, especially the story of the "rarest, whitest, and purist pearl in the world," said to live on the seabed offshore near the Marina, their family business. But the greedy Amedeo Limonta has set up a competitive business that's forced the Marina to close. When Hector turns 8, everything changes. On his very first dive, he discovers the magical Pearl and brings it home…and complications ensue. Hector heeds his memories and dreams of his grandfather and courageously makes it all right. Hector narrates his adventures in meticulously organized chapters, carefully introducing each character, providing detailed information about relationships and events, and sharing credit for his successes. At the conclusion Hector presents readers with vivid descriptions of his beloved village and its inhabitants. Sabatinelli provides Hector with a voice that soars with lilting, expressive language, losing nothing in Turner's translation from Italian. Bruno's intensely bright, sharply hued illustrations are a tour de force. A chart of semaphore flags and diagrams that detail the parts of a diving suit fill the opening pages, and those flags head each chapter. The sea is evoked with glorious dreamlike color and movement, and characters' features and expressions immediately announce their nature, emotions, and quirks. All present White. Hector is wise, kind, and readers will take him to their hearts. Beautiful, remarkable, amazing, and wonderful in every way. (Adventure. 6-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
