Elanora and the Salt Marsh Mystery / Kathleen Jae (ePub)

After a series of terrifying events, Elanora is transported to a strange neighborhood where the only way to get about is by water and the only food to eat is the grasses of the marsh. Her newfound guardians do their best to help her adapt, but the food is odd and unappetizing, and she feels like an outsider. The colony of muskrats who live in the marsh refuse to accept the young chipmunk and ignore her each time they gather to eat at night. In her former home, Elanora spent most days exploring, but her guardians insist she sleep like the rest of the colony. After she learns about an enormous gray creature that swims in the deeper part of the marsh, Elanora sets off one day to find him. When the sea cow tells her about the marsh's troubles, Elanora begins her investigation into the mysterious lowering of water levels and the suffering of the swimming creatures. Despite relentless attempts of intimidation from some younger members of the colony, Elanora, along with an elder, piece together clues that lead to a terrifying conclusion.

Elanora and the Salt Marsh Mystery is middle-grade fiction at its best. It shines a light on the importance of diversity, the impact of bullying, and the consequences of the destruction of habitats and ecosystems. At its core, Elanora and the Salt Mystery explores the problems of trying to fit in and features one youngster's fight to be heard.