MG Book Review: GRACIELA IN THE ABYSS by Meg Medina

Meg Medina’s GRACIELA IN THE ABYSS (Candlewick Press, 2025) is an absolutely delightful dual POV story that alternates between the perspectives of a spirit girl named Graciela and a young mortal boy named Jorge. The story opens with Graciela’s drowning at the age of 13, and then immediately plunges us into the deep sea over 100 years later, when Graciela has awakened as a sea spirit. Along with her fellow spirits, she works hard to make the sea a pleasant place for the living world. Graciela’s personal job is to make sea glass. 

Meanwhile, in the mortal world, Jorge is sad and lonely. He is the ridiculed blacksmith’s son in a village of fishermen, and even his busy parents are cold and abusive towards him. Jorge loves to make toys, but his parents do not see any value in play, and thus in toy creation.  

One day in his village, Jorge discovers a harpoon meant to capture sea spirits, created by his blacksmith ancestors. Fishermen of the past had been lost at sea while attempting to use this weapon, and Jorge quickly realizes its danger and attempts to both hide it and destroy it. When the harpoon falls into the wrong hands in the depths of the ocean, Jorge and Graciela need to team up to save the day (and it seems both the mortal and spirit worlds.)

The world created by Ms. Medina is magical, and the events of the story compelled me to continue turning the pages. However, what makes this book memorable is the friendship that eventually develops between Graciela and Jorge. Although this story appears to take place in the past, in a world very different from that of most modern readers, the loneliness and the yearning for connection that Graciela and Jorge both experience is universal, as is the happiness they both feel when they find that connection with one another. And I must give a shout out to the incredible cover illustrator, Elena Balbusso!

I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes stories with friendship, magic, or adventure! Or a combination of all three! 

Here is a snippet from Meg’s “About Me” page:

Meg Medina served as the 2023-2024 National Ambassador of Young People’s Literature. She is an award-winning and New York Times best-selling author who writes picture books, as well as middle grade and young adult fiction.