Quila MacFarlane is devastated by the death of her mother, especially now that it’s just her and her father on Devils Rock where her father is the lighthouse keeper. They can’t leave and almost no one ever comes to visit them. But the morning after a storm, something floats ashore that changes their lives forever: Two small mattresses strapped together, and inside, a baby! They name her Cecelia, which means “a gift from the sea,” and call her Celia. She makes them a family again–and helps heal the hurt left by Quila’s mother’s passing. Two years later, though, another stranger arrives, one who changes everything all over again: A woman named Margaret, come looking for the final resting place of her sister, whose ship had gone down in a storm two years before. Her sister’s baby had never been found, either, she explains, and now she has no family of her own. Could this be Celia’s aunt? Will Quila have to give up Celia so Margaret can have her own family back? This is a gripping tale full of love, loss, and healing. Natalie Kinsey-Warnock is the author of many wonderful books for young readers. Praise for Gifts from the Sea: “This is a compelling novel, with small suspenseful moments to draw readers in, and a brave and thoughtful heroine.”— School Library Journal “This tale with a strong girl protagonist and a happy ending will appeal to historical-fiction fans.”— Booklist Quila MacFarlane is devastated by the death of her mother, especially now that it's just her and her father on Devils Rock where her father is the lighthouse keeper. They can't leave and almost no one ever comes to visit them. But the morning after a storm, something floats ashore that changes their lives forever: Two small mattresses strapped together, and inside, a baby! They name her Cecelia, which means "a gift from the sea," and call her Celia. She makes them a family again–and helps heal the hurt left by Quila's mother's passing. Two years later, though, another stranger arrives, one who changes everything all over again: A woman named Margaret, come looking for the final resting place of her sister, whose ship had gone down in a storm two years before. Her sister's baby had never been found, either, she explains, and now she has no family of her own. Could this be Celia's aunt? Will Quila have to give up Celia so Margaret can have her own family back? This is a gripping tale full of love, loss, and healing. Natalie Kinsey-Warnock is the author of many wonderful books for young readers. From the Hardcover Library Binding edition. Quila MacFarlane is devastated by the death of her mother, especially now that it's just her and her father on Devils Rock where her father is the lighthouse keeper. They can't leave and almost no one ever comes to visit them. But the morning after a storm, something floats ashore that changes their lives forever: Two small mattresses strapped together, and inside, a baby! They name her Cecelia, which means "a gift from the sea," and call her Celia. She makes them a family again-and helps heal the hurt left by Quila's mother's passing. Two years later, though, another stranger arrives, one who changes everything all over again: A woman named Margaret, come looking for the final resting place of her sister, whose ship had gone down in a storm two years before. Her sister's baby had never been found, either, she explains, and now she has no family of her own. Could this be Celia's aunt? Will Quila have to give up Celia so Margaret can have her own family back? This is a gripping tale full of love, loss, and healing. Natalie Kinsey-Warnock is the author of many wonderful books for young readers. "From the Hardcover Library Binding edition. Natalie Kinsey-Warnock is the author of many wonderful books for young readers. A northeast wind was blowing the day we buried Mama on a hill overlooking the sea. I remember that particularly because I knew a storm was coming, had known it for days. Mama always said the sea was in my blood. Once, when I'd cut my finger, I'd tasted the blood and it was salty, so I guess she was right. With Mama gone, that just left Papa and me, Aquila Jane MacKinnon, here at Devils Rock Lighthouse. I'd been born here twelve years before, April 18, 1846, and had never been anywhere else. If Mama hadn't taught me differently, I might have thought Devils Rock was the sum total of the world. Devils Rock isn't an easy place to live. There's nothing here but birds and seals and the never-ending wind. Even though it's only five miles off the coast of Maine, fierce storms can cut us off from the mainland for weeks at a time. Sometimes we don't see another living soul for months on end, but at least when Mama was alive, she was always smiling and singing and it seemed we didn't need anyone else, we had each other. We share the island with ghosts, too. Mr. Sinclair, the last lighthouse keeper, drowned rowing between here and the mainland, and Mr. Blair's wife went mad from the loneliness and flung he