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Turn the Tide

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Twelve-year-old Mimi Laskaris is inspired by the Wijsen sisters of Bali to turn her focus from classical piano to a new forming a grassroots, kid-led movement to ban plastic bags in her new island home in Florida. Written in accessible verse, this timely story of environmental activism has extensive back matter for aspiring activists. With a foreword by Melati Wijsen, cofounder of Bye, Bye Plastic Bags. Mimi has a plan for her seventh grade play piano in the Young Artists competition at Carnegie Hall with her best friend, Lee; enjoy a good old Massachusetts snow day or two; and work in her community garden plot with her dad. But all that changes when her family’s Greek restaurant falls on hard times. The Laskarises’ relocation to Wilford Island, Florida, is a big key change for Mimi. Where does she fit in in this shell-covered paradise without Lee? Mimi is taken by the beauty of the island and alarmed by the plastic pollution she sees on the beaches. Then her science teacher, Ms. Miller, shows her class a TED Talk by Melati and Isabel Wijsen. At ages twelve and ten, they lobbied to ban single-use plastic bags on their home island of Bali—and won. Their story strikes a chord for Mimi. She’s twelve. Could a kid like her make such a big change in a place that she’s not yet sure feels like home? Can she manage to keep up with piano, her schoolwork, and activism? And does confident and flawless Carmen Alvarez-Hill really want to help her with the movement? In this story of environmental activism, friendship, and self-discovery, Mimi figures out what’s truly important to her, and takes her place in the ranks of real-life youth activists like the Wijsen sisters, Greta Thunberg, and Isra Hirsi.

368 pages, Hardcover

First published March 8, 2022

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Elaine Dimopoulos

4 books61 followers

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
Profile Image for Tina Loves To Read.
2,856 reviews1 follower
April 15, 2022
This is a Middle Grade book written in verse. I have found that books written in verse is hit or miss for me. I did not love the writing style of this book, and I could not connect to the characters in this book. I did love the environmental message in this book. I love that a 7th grader cared so much about the environmental in this book. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Clarion Books) or author (Elaine Dimopoulos) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.
Profile Image for TL .
2,052 reviews126 followers
October 26, 2023
*FYI, the Timeline in the back of the book is small print for those like me who have trouble with it *
----

Didn't win the giveaway but saw this at Ollie's for 2.99 a few days ago :).

This was a fun read with a good message that isn't overpowering.
You root with Mimi and her friends as they campaign for what they believe in. There are setbacks and low moments along the way but Mimi somehow finds the energy/inspiration to get back on the horse.

I understand Mimi being awkward around others not sure about how to make friends and the bad self talk.. it is harder for some than others. I was glad to see her learning more about being a good friend and not being hard on herself.

I have a soft spot for novels-in- verse.. they have a certain elegance and rhythm/energy to them that is calming for me.
Profile Image for Law.
1,027 reviews18 followers
July 31, 2024
Representation: Implied Brown character
Trigger warnings: N/A
Score: Six out of ten.

Turn the Tide by Elaine Dimopoulos could've been much better. I wanted to read this one, but it was hard to get it as no library had it physically, so I resorted to getting an eBook edition instead. I glanced at the intriguing blurb, and the high ratings yet mixed reviews painted a picture of uncertain expectations, and when I closed the final page, it was okay.

It starts with Demetra 'Mimi' Laskaris, a Greek American, having to move from Massachusetts to Wilford Island in Florida since her parents thought that might improve their business, but that's beside the point. The central point is Mimi sees plastic pollution, and inspired by people like Greta Thunberg, decides to do something about it. Her idea is to get a law passed in Wilford Island to ban plastic and promote better options like using paper bags by getting people to sign a petition, if only she can get past a preemption law, meaning bans are banned (fortunately, she does.)

I liked the theme of climate change and the message advocating for more community action, but if there's one aspect that irritates me the most, it's the sledgehammers, and unfortunately, Dimopoulos used a sledgehammer to shove her ideas into my head, and even though banning plastic is a start, the unsubtlety and preachy tone frustrated me when I read Turn the Tide. I get it. Plastic harms the environment. Why would you repeat that, though? I'm not done yet though, as there are other problems that need addressing, first, the writing style, writing Turn the Tide all in verse is an uncommon choice, and it takes authors who write genuine poetry and not spaced out prose for this to work, but Dimopoulos fell into the trap of the second category. There are few poetic devices. I liked the characters, but Mimi has no other traits other than being an activist, even if it takes over her studies. Writing Mimi so her schoolwork and protesting share equal importance would've been a better decision. The pacing is slow too, with a length of over 300 pages, but at least the climax was engaging, with a protest against plastic and other scenes with Mimi being a step closer to achieving her goal.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Genielysse Reyes.
Author 1 book4 followers
April 1, 2022
A wonderful poetic blend of music, friendship, and activism. I’m constantly rooting for Mimi and the cause she fights for, on and off the page. All of this book will be staying with me.
Profile Image for Vicki.
362 reviews4 followers
August 25, 2022
Written in free verse about a middle school student, Mimi, who has recently moved from the east coast to Florida. Her parents are planning to open a restaurant. Mimi has plans to compete in classical piano competitions, but her newly found passion of environmental activism sidelines her practicing. She is influenced and encouraged by her teachers, owners of local bookstore and her piano teacher. Mimi wants to eliminate plastic bags from her community. Realistic and engaging.
Profile Image for Charlotte Lusk.
11 reviews
January 18, 2024
It was moving and a good mix of fighting for change and real-life challenges. I didn't notice that it was written in poetry most of the time since it's more like a free verse novel.
Profile Image for Sarah Threlkeld.
4,649 reviews19 followers
December 14, 2021
An inspiring book in verse about a 7th grader who becomes an environmental activist when she moves to a small island in Florida. Middle grade readers will relate to Mimi’s drive to make the world a better place and hopefully be inspired to affect change themselves. The book includes extensive back matter about single-use plastics.
Profile Image for Patricia Dean.
182 reviews1 follower
March 30, 2023
Verse novel.. Young, serious pianist.. Sets out to stop stores from using plastic shopping bags. A winning combination!
It’s a contender for the 2023 Green Earth Book Award .. a finalist for sure!
51 reviews
May 1, 2023
I found this book quite preachy in its approach. I liked that it showed the process of how children went from an idea to a campaign. I expect lots of readers will find this inspirational and motivational. I didn’t like that the main character became obsessed with the campaign to an unhealthy degree that it overtook her life. I think this should have been addressed more rather than other characters normalising it. I also didn’t like how Mr Alvarez was essentially bullied into stopping plastic bags at his shop. What did that prove? No one changed his way of thinking about saving the planet. They just embarrassed him into compliance.

Overall, an okay story but not very engaging characters or subplots to drive it.
Profile Image for Jody Kyburz.
1,193 reviews12 followers
October 17, 2022
The idea is great and I'm all for reducing microplastics, but I think it would have been better as an informational text rather than a novel. There is enough excitement and accomplishment that you should have kept it all informational. The storyline was a bit contrived.
Profile Image for Ms. Yingling.
2,859 reviews533 followers
October 27, 2022
E ARC provided by Netgalley

Mimi (Demetra) and her family move from Massachusetts to a small coastal island because it's less expensive to run their Trident restaurant and they have family on Wilford Island, Florida. She is sad that she has to leave her best friend and fellow piano enthusiast, Lee, behind, but the two are able to talk frequently. The school is small, but Mimi makes a friend in super popular Carman. When their enthusiastic science teacher, Ms. Miller, teaches them about Melati and Isabel Wijsen and their Bye Bye Plastic Bags movement,, Mimi is enthralled and wants to start banning plastic bags from their island right away. She has a somewhat unlikely ally in Carman, whose father owns the local grocery store, and Anne and Henry Lowell, who run the local bookstore, Dusty Pages. Getting signatures on the petition, being interviewed by classmate Ethan for his Scaled Fish podcast, and worrying about her parents' restaurant opening makes it hard for Mimi to concentrate on her piano lessons with her new teacher Kyle and cut into her practice time. Carman seems super supportive when they are handing out free reusable bags at her father's store, or brainstorming flyers at home, but seems aloof at school. When Mimi doesn't invite her to the Trident's grand opening, Carman is hurt. Mimi worries that she won't be able to make much headway without her, and the Lowells have a health scare. Not only that, but Lee visits, and her piano playing has improved much more than Mimi's has. How will Mimi learn to balance her activism, piano, family and friends in her new community?
Strengths: This was a great depiction of a small island community, and I loved that Mimi's family was Greek and had a restaurant! It made me immediately hungry for a good, authentic horiatiki! There is a great balance between parental involvement and Mimi's own activities, and it's good to see that the parents have their own interests (but balance things a bit better than the parents in Pizza My Heart!). There are not a lot of books involving young people who play piano, so Mimi's interest in a future of competing is interesting. Of course, the best part is Mimi's determination to ban plastic bags from the island. Dimopoulos' has done a lot of research to outline what local governments can and can't do about this scourge, and gives great examples of places where bans have been effective. This is a topic dear to my heart, and with as many young environmental activists as there are in the world, you'd think we would hvae more middle grade books about topics of conservation. Anne and Henry are good examples of older people who have been and continue to be positively involved in their community, and the fact that the beach clean up crew is predominately older citizens is so true to life. All of the elements in this story were well balanced and entertaining to read. The notes and lists of resources at the end of the book will help readers who want to get involved. This is an essential purchase for middle school libraries, and I've already requested that my public library buy it!
Weaknesses: There are certainly some poetic lines, and Mimi's love of music and books gives a decent excuse for this format. Like most novels in verse, there isn't much in the way of meter, and it reads more like prose.
What I really think: I would LOVE to see a whole sub genre of realistic fiction books where middle school students take up worthy environmental causes and set about trying to change the world. I'm always a fan of Kids Doing Things, and when the book also includes some very realistic and constructive friend drama like Mimi has with Carman, this makes for a compelling story I can't wait to get into readers' hands.
March 9, 2022
This novel-in-verse follows Mimi Laskaris as she goes through a number of challenges following her family's move to a small Florida island: adjusting to her new home, figuring out how to make new friends, and juggling multiple commitments (piano, activism, gardening, schoolwork). I was swept along by the energetic flow of Dimopoulos' text, which fully captures Mimi's passionate nature, whether she is currently fixated on piano, activism, or gardening (or torn between the three). Mimi's difficulties in making friends steered away from the cliche, which I appreciated, and required Mimi herself to learn hard lessons. Dimopoulos does an excellent job weaving the work of real-life youth activists throughout her text and provides extensive backmatter to help readers join the fight to reduce plastic waste. However, this book is not purely didactic (thank goodness), providing a strong emotional heart through Mimi's friendship struggles and her identity crisis (of sorts) as her passion for activism begins to eclipse her preexisting passion for piano. The book's discussion of how different passions may come to the forefront at different times in our lives is particularly well-done—and, I think, an important subject for preteens who will likely start experimenting with new interests as they continue to grow towards adulthood.

I would highly recommend Turn the Tide for those who are fans of novel-in-verse and looking for an inspirational story about environmental action and finding a new home, complete with new friends and new passions.
Profile Image for Diana Renn.
Author 12 books123 followers
April 24, 2022
I loved this powerful, beautifully written eco novel-in-verse for so many reasons. 12-year-old Mimi Laskaris is an engaging character, a budding activist you will root for. Her quest to combat the plastic pollution problem on the beautiful beaches of her Florida town is presented in such a relatable way. The problem seems daunting until she finds examples in real-life Melati and Isabel Wijsen, who successfully lobbied to ban single-use plastic bags on Bali when they were only ten and twelve years old. Mimi also finds activist mentors in a couple who own a local bookstore, and allies in like-minded peers (including a wonderful character who runs his own podcast). She also confronts very realistic obstacles like balancing her schoolwork and her passion for piano with her increasingly time-consuming activism, dealing with Internet trolls, trying to convince reluctant business owners to make a change, and navigating friendships as she bravely takes a stand on an issue. A wealth of inspiring back matter provides additional resources for reading, research, and actionable steps. Seldom have I been so galvanized to take action immediately after reading a book, and I can only hope that countless young readers will feel similarly and work for change. A riveting read that expresses the urgency of the plastics problem while offering realistic paths to action and a good amount of hope!
17 reviews
August 26, 2022
Full disclosure, I was once a student of Elaine Dimopoulos. A lot is changing in Mimi’s life. Her family moves from Massachusetts to Florida, she’s leaving behind her best friend, starting at a new school, and training to compete as a pianist. When she finds the plastic pollution sullying the beaches, she finds activism to ground herself in her new home. This story serves as a great introduction to environmental activism for younger readers, especially with the helpful resources and back matter in the back of the novel. The author did a great job capturing the difficulties of middle school life and moving to a new place, such as worrying about making friends and maintaining those new friendships. While I don’t often read books in verse, this is also a good introduction to the form for middle grade readers. It might not be for everyone though (part of me did wish this was in prose rather than verse so we could spend more time in the scenes with the characters). That said, the verse style does make this book a speedy read, perfect for those who don’t have much time on their hands to read. With the planet in its current state, this book creates a nice balance between the realities of being a child activist while providing hope for the future. Read this if you’re curious about books in verse or want a novel that tackles environmental issues.
Profile Image for Nicole.
1,231 reviews29 followers
May 24, 2022
Plastic consumption is a hot topic. Novels in verse are cool... to librarians. Middle grade books are like real books just watered down for kids. These statements are true(ish), but not even close to the whole story. And sometimes a book comes along that is simply so well done that it forces you to reevaluate such partial truths.

Turn the Tide is such a book. It's brilliantly written; a reminder that novels in verse can appeal to a much wider audience than your local librarian. The storytelling is tight, the characters are genuine, and the plot weaves up and down believably. This is not a watered-down anything.

There are so many entry points into the story- friendship troubles, being the new kid, feeling out of place, struggling to find your own identity, a passion for the environment- it appeals to a wide range of middle grade readers. Plus there's a healthy dose of music, Greek mythology, and social-economic realities.

I could hand sell this one all day.
April 5, 2024
I read this book as it was on display at my library as a good one for earth month. I’m a sucker for a good novel in verse. This one does an ok job, although it wasn’t my favorite writing style. I had a harder time connecting to all the themes throughout- for example, a move, a movement, piano lessons, and navigating friendships. I almost wished we didn’t have the piano bits in there to focus a little more on her motivation behind why she wanted to pursue banning plastic bags- this motivation wasn’t explored much. So while I cheered for the movement, I wasn’t super engaged or forgiving when our MC made some mistakes in navigating friendships. Good introduction to the topic and short so not as intimidating for reluctant readers.
Profile Image for Brandi Rae Fong.
1,182 reviews23 followers
Read
June 27, 2022
Timely and relevant (especially where I live, in a seaside town where plastic bag bans are slowly being implemented in local towns).

I wish I got to know the characters a little better, I really liked the bits about Mimi struggling to fit in, make friends, and balance her passions of the environment and piano playing. Kids who are passionate about climate change and environmental issues might like this novel in verse. Bonus points for fantastic added content of plastic bag ban timelines/history, short who-is bios of young people involved in the climate change movement, and resources to help kids learn more and get involved.
Profile Image for Eileen Winfrey.
973 reviews7 followers
October 26, 2022
Mimi moves from Massachusetts to Florida and in discovering the beauty of her new island home becomes dismayed at the trash she finds on her beach. This leads to research and further dismay upon learning the sheer volume of plastic waste in the ocean. Mimi takes action, makes new friends young and old, and decides what is most important to her in terms of purpose and practice. I wasn't expecting to enjoy this book, (I thought it might be one more time around the block) but Mimi is such an interesting character (along with a supporting cast) I couldn't help myself. I also liked the novel-in-verse format.
47 reviews5 followers
April 11, 2023
Turn the Tide follows 7th grader Mimi as she moves to an island on the Florida coast, where she is discouraged to see lots of plastic bags polluting the beautiful beaches. Inspired by other young eco-activists, she decides to take a stand against single-use plastic bags.
Mimi also has to learn how to balance her new activism projects with her lifelong loves, playing piano and gardening.
With tons of beachy fun and a valuable message of letting go of perfectionism, I couldn't this book down. Turn the Tide will fill you with hope.
Profile Image for Anna.
1,763 reviews8 followers
June 13, 2024
Turn the Tide: three stars. I liked the environmental focus, piano subplot, learning-disability rep, and island setting, but found myself distracted by how Mimi's thought and speech patterns sounded more like an adult's than like an actual kid's. And there could have been a bit more nuance in the discussion of single-use plastic, perhaps a mention of the disability or medical implications? Also, not sure what I think about all the discussion of the Wijsen sisters in this otherwise fictional narrative--homage to their work, or co-opting it?
Profile Image for Laura Gardner.
1,765 reviews122 followers
October 10, 2022
Another great book about a teen who takes action in her community. The verse aspect wasn’t as strong as I would have liked, but the plot and characters were compelling.

The issue is near to my heart since I am a climate activist and participate in multiple beach cleanups in my community every year where we find tons of single use plastic. I especially appreciate all the resources, sources, and extra information at the end.

We must #breakfreefromplastic !!
Profile Image for The Teaching Distillery .
124 reviews2 followers
April 6, 2023
A compelling story in verse that weaves in multiple layers of realistic challenges middle school students face - fitting in, dealing with friend drama, finding yourself, wanting to make a difference. It also brings awareness to climate change and how we can all make a difference. At the end of the book, the author provides detailed information specifically about plastic as well as multiple sources of where to get more information.
Profile Image for Brittany.
2,415 reviews4 followers
November 20, 2023
I read this book for the Charlie May Simon Award Committee. I enjoyed this book about cutting down on the use of plastic bags. Plastic bags are convenient for a quick use, but I feel like they do more harm than good to our planet. I will say that this book reminded me of "Haven Jacobs Saves the Planet" by Dee and "Consider the Octopus" by Baskin. This book was written in verse, which may turn off some middle-grade readers that do not enjoy reading this form of poetry.
Profile Image for Melissa (ladybug).
288 reviews4 followers
January 1, 2024
Didn't like how the MC let her activism take over her life. She is in 7th grade and plays classical piano. She lets her hopes of making friends through activism cause her to not study for school and piano. Activism is good and doing things you care about but this was taken to an unhealthy point. The adults didn't notice and didn't help her to make use of her time to include all the things she was passionate about.
9 reviews
January 10, 2023
This book was a fabulous combination of a coming of age story, environmental activism, and unlikely friendships. Dimopoulos beautifully includes REAL activists and their struggles in this fictional piece dealing with the very real problems created by single use plastics. It was a quick read, perfect for middle grades. Quite enjoyable.
Profile Image for Amy.
591 reviews55 followers
July 14, 2023
A win from FirstReads on Goodreads. This book is written in verse and is about a girl fighting to remove single-use plastic bags from her new island home. I think that the verse format will make it less intimidating to reluctant readers. It's easy to read and talks about how children can make a positive change in the world.
Profile Image for Caroline.
1,443 reviews3 followers
September 16, 2024
I really enjoyed this story about a girl who wants to make change in her community. I think kids could relate to Mimi's desire to want to make change while feeling overwhelmed by how to do it and balance all of the other aspects of youth. I was worried for a short time that Mimi might not be the most likeable character but she definitely redeems herself.
Profile Image for Hoover Public Library Kids and Teens.
2,931 reviews65 followers
July 6, 2022
After learning about Melati and Isabel Wijsen, sisters who started a movement to ban single-use plastic bags in their home of Bali, Mimi decides to try to do the same in her new community. This novel-in-verse is perfect for young climate activists . . . like you!
Profile Image for Caitlin.
511 reviews
December 30, 2022
Novel in verse about student activists trying to ban single-use plastics. I love the combination of verse and scientific research regarding climate issues. The characters find their voice in their local community and it is inspiring.
521 reviews3 followers
March 24, 2023
This environmentally driven novel in verse is inspiring and thoughtful. Mimi's determination to save the planet one plastic bag at a time is encouraging to all people young and old. A wonderful middle grade book that is truly a perfect read for all ages.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews

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