The Pull of the Ocean
by Jean-Claude Mourlevat

    THE PULL OF THE OCEAN by Jean-Claude Mourlevat
    Category:  Contemporary
    Age Recommendation:  Grades 6+
    Release Date:  11/14/06
    Publisher:  Delacorte
    Reviewed by:  Carrie Spellman
    Rating:  5 Stars


    Yann is the seventh son, and the only one born alone.  His six older brothers are three sets of twins.  Yann has
    never really grown and he doesn't speak.  Oddly, he communicates to his brothers much more accurately than they
    do to each other.  When he wakes them up one night, explaining wordlessly that their father plans to harm them,
    they follow him without question.

    Their journey is to the ocean, a place where they all anticipate feeling safe.  With nothing but the clothes on their
    backs, Yann leads them from their home and into the unknown.  Yann alone knows which path they are on, and
    that is enough for the others.

    Each section is told by a different voice, the mom, the dad, each brother, people who help them, people who
    don't...  The only person who knows the true and complete story is Yann, and we don't hear from him until nearly
    the end.  Rest assured, there is a method to it all.

    This is one of those stories where you just have to follow where it takes you.  And the cool thing is, it doesn't feed
    you any judgments or ideas.  I think every person who reads this will take something slightly different from it, and I
    really like that.  I also really like the way it was written.   I could see this being one of those required books that you
    actually really enjoy.