When you are twelve years old, one summer is an awfully long time; no wonder, then, that Elliott is less than thrilled when his parents send him to stay with relatives in a remote fishing village in Nova Scotia. In his first middle-grade novel, author/illustrator Frank Viva loses none of the innovative art and design that have made his picture books so notable. Typography and bold stylistic illustration work alongside the text in Sea Change (Toon, $18.95) as Elliott’s unique friendship with a local helps turn his maggot-filled, miserable summer into something special. This contemplative coming-of-age story has a nostalgic feel that is superbly echoed in Viva’s art. Ages 9-12.