Hitting bookstores this spring, Candle Island delivers everything we crave from author and Centerville resident Lauren Wolk. Her emotional, lyrical prose brings to life a strong, determined narrator in a stunning setting. 

“For Candle Island, I was inspired by all my time visiting Maine’s tiny remote fishing islands to meet with readers and writers. Places where the only school has 12 kids ranging in age from kindergarten to eighth grade,” says Wolk. 

The book’s main character, Lucretia Sanderson, travels to Candle Island with her mother to escape memories of a car accident that killed her father and journalists hounding her mother, a famous artist. The island has incredible beauty but also secrets, like a hidden room in Lucretia’s new house and a mysterious boy with a beautiful voice. Grief permeates the characters’ intersecting stories, but reluctant friendships spur healing and renewal.

“I love writing for the middle school group because, at heart, I’m a 12-year-old girl,” says Wolk with a laugh. “To be honest, you can’t just pretend that everything about growing up is joyful—kids face a variety of challenges. I get a lot of comments from readers that my stories resonate with them because they, like my protagonists, are on the cusp of adulthood and figuring things out.”

Ultimately, this book combines elements of mystery and adventure while tackling the serious business of growing up. Available from online retailers and local bookstores.