The Selkie’s Daughter

The Selkie’s Daughter, written by Linda Crotta Brennan, is not just a book. It is a journey. The main character, Brigit, discovers that she is the daughter of a selkie. Once her mother tells stories (each chapter even opens with a mystical poem), Brigit learns more about her family’s extraordinary history. Her mother warns about a “selkie bane” in Sule Skerrie, where humans are killing baby seals and probably selkies too, enraging the Great Selkie. As Brigit tells us, “Killing selkies is murder.”

She then journeys off to Sule Skerrie, to save her dying father and her people. One of the most fascinating things about this book (aside from the poems, which I especially enjoyed) is that sometimes when Brigit is under the sea talking to her mother, she uses “mind-speak”—talking to someone with your mind. Brennan uses mind-speak in italics which helps the reader to understand when this unique form of communication is being used in the story.

The imagery is so fascinating you can almost touch it. This book is an adventure of genocide prevention and self-discovery, of family and mystique. The Selkie’s Daughter kept me engaged in the incredible story from start to finish. I recommend this book with enthusiasm to young adult readers!