Ellie Has a Secret

The indoor sandbox in Ellie’s classroom holds an item that calls to her: a smooth seashell, dappled and glossy, “with a ridge along the opening that she ran her thumb across,” writes Bothe in this artful picture book debut. In an impulsive moment, the pale-skinned child drops it into her pocket. At lunch, a creature emerges from the shell, hissing “in a voice that sounded like dripping water, ‘I am your Secret.’ ” Green and unsettlingly sinuous, the Secret looks like an ancient sea monster. And it keeps growing: digital illustrations, which have the burnished colors and atmospheric lighting of classical art, show Ellie dragging the now-enormous being home through the rain, then getting edged out of bed. Summoning her courage, Ellie finally tells her mother the truth, resolves to return the shell, and watches as the Secret shrinks away. The story unfolds as a striking metaphor for how secrets can become overwhelming burdens, while promising that coming clean may represent not just relief but also a personal and empowering choice. Background characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 4–8. (Aug.)