Becca’s made many visits to her grandmother’s rustic cabin in the Gulf Islands, but this February, it’s different. With her mother expecting a baby, Becca is making the trip to Gran’s all by herself. Suddenly, the place, and even her grandmother, feels foreign. Summer’s carefree, fun-filled island is now cold and unfamiliar, full of mystery and challenges, kind of like Becca herself — the visit has brought out all her insecurities. But when she finds an oyster full of pearls, it sets off a series of small but significant adventures that leave her seeing the island, her family, and herself through new eyes. As her mother’s pregnancy progresses, Becca returns to the island again and again. And with each new adventure — from watching the annual herring run in a sinking dinghy to skinny-dipping to learning to deal with bossy cousins — Becca gains a little more self-assurance. Funny, endearing, and completely true-to-life, Becca’s journey is one all young readers can identify with.