The Juniper Sawfeather Trilogy
by D. G. Driver
Mermaids are real.
In the aftermath of an oil spill in the Pacific Northwest, teenager Juniper Sawfeather discovers a new species—mermaids!
In the days that follow she must defy all odds to protect these beautiful creatures from the oil company and the media.
But mermaids are only the beginning for June as she realizes she has a talent for finding mythological creatures. Or maybe the creatures are finding her...and the oil company fight over the fate of the mermaids.
Cry of the Sea
Whisper of the Woods
Echo of the Cliffs
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What Reviewers are Writing About
Cry of the Sea by D. G. Driver
"What an amazing story! Juniper (June) is a young woman of substance and holds firm to who she is despite heavy pressure from her parents and peers at school. She's the kind of role model for girls that I love to see in YA books… If you're looking for a book with a strong heroine and something fresh and unique to offer, this is for you."
— Cullen House Book Reviews
"There is something about this book that is so absorbing, that you do not want to put it down. Juniper is the sort of fictional character I want to invite around for tea and have a chat with. The story is good and very interesting. It is a brilliant concept. For me this is a must read book."
— Reading Ledge
"This story has so much depth, it's really quite a fantastic experience to be diving into it. I loved the complex, mature and meaningful plotline, with all the difficult and relevant subjects it explored. It was an eye-opening read, at times really shocking and heart-breaking, and definitely one I won't soon forget. This is a great, mold-breaking YA for those who want more from their books than just silly romance stories and sparkling mythical creatures. It's a story of bravery, dedication, protecting all those things that are unable to protect themselves, and making a difference. An inspiring, insightful, powerful tale with great characters and interesting plot developments. I really enjoyed reading Cry of the Sea and would not hesitate to recommend it to teenagers and adults alike."
— Bookish
"Cry of the Sea takes a look at mermaids from a brand new perspective, retelling the classic fairy tale with a fresh new twist. A great story for readers of all ages, I think this one will resonate especially strongly with its intended young adult audience."
— Wordweaver
"Cry of the Sea was unlike any mermaid story I've ever read. It was full of intrigue, passion, activism with a great message and it had a satisfying end."
— Tome Tender
"Cry of the Sea by D. G. Driver was a very interesting book about the mystery behind mermaids. It was structured differently than any other mermaid book I have read for the young adult audience… I would recommend it to people if they wanted to read about a mermaid story that was more realistic."
— Wanderlust for Books
Excerpt
I slipped my arms under the cold, slimy body of the first mermaid. He didn’t lean over and grab the tail. Instead, he was rummaging through his pack. “Dad,” I said impatiently, “help me carry them.”
“Wait,” my dad said. “One second.” He pulled out the video camera he’d stashed in there when he ran over to join me and aimed the lens at the three mermaids. “Hold that one up a little bit more, June,” he ordered. “Let me get a good shot of her.”
“Dad, we don’t have time for this,” I said. He didn’t listen. He gestured for me to hold the mermaid up even a little straighter. “This might be hurting her.” He put a ‘stop’ hand up. I guess I had her where he wanted. “Dad, am I in this shot?” I asked. “Please say no.”
With the mermaid dying in my arms, I knew it was awful to think about how ugly I was at the moment. I mean, my hair wasn’t brushed, and I didn’t have a stitch of make-up on. A part of me realized that I shouldn’t care about such things. I should only care about doing what was right—saving the mermaids and recording their plight for the world to discover. This was an unbelievable find that I could barely wrap my head around, and yet I knew it was more important than my stupid vanity. That was the thinking of the responsible person my parents raised, who understood the enormity of what was happening, what I was holding in my arms. The rest of me, however, was still a teenage girl with a few basic needs. One necessity was being given some kind of warning that I was going to be filmed, so I would not be completely hideous looking. Who knew where my dad might choose to send this footage? I didn’t even have a free hand at the moment to tuck my stray hairs back up under my cap.
Dad put up a ‘shush’ finger in front of his mouth and then started narrating into the microphone: “We’ve found an amazing discovery at Grayland Beach in Washington today. What you are seeing are three sea creatures that appear to have human features such as arms, a torso, and a head. Based on these features being matched with fish tails, one might stipulate that these are the mermaids of legend. They have found their way to this beach because of leaking oil from an Affron Oil vessel. The mermaids have mere moments to live unless we can get them to a tank of water and get the oil cleared away from their gills.” He leaned close to me to get a good shot of the gills on the mermaids’ necks.
“Dad,” I said urgently. “Stop taping. We don’t have time. They’re dying.”
As he focused tightly on the face and neck of the mermaid in my arms, guess who else got a close-up on camera?
“Dad!” I shouted for two reasons. Do-gooder and teenage girl unite in protest!
My dad snapped up. “You’re right,” he said, backing up and turning off the camera. “I got carried away.” He tucked the camera inside the bag on his shoulder and helped me lift the first mermaid.