A timid ten-year-old boy meets Johnny, a gruff islander who will change his life, in Johnny, the Sea, and Me, a heartwarming middle-grade novel by Melba Escobar about finding yourself and your place in the world—featuring illustrations by award-winning artist Elizabeth Builes.

Translated from Spanish by Sara Lissa Paulson

A 2025 Batchelder Honor Book!

Pedro has always dreamed of going to the sea. So when his mom takes him on a special trip to a small island in the Caribbean, he’s so happy that he grows an extra inch! But the troubles at home—bullying from classmates and an absent father—find a way to follow Pedro, even on vacation… Overwhelmed, the boy takes to the beach and runs away, hoping to leave his worries far behind.

That’s when he meets Johnny, an islander descended from pirates. At first, Pedro is frightened by Johnny’s imposing appearance and brusque manners. But Johnny, along with his chatty parrot Victoria, takes young Pedro under his wing and shares his island and his stories with him, thereby changing Pedro’s life. Because sometimes, like Pedro, you have to lose yourself to find yourself.