FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Minneapolis, February 15, 1999) Namako: Sea Cucumber, a novel by Linda Watanabe McFerrin, has been selected for inclusion in the New York Public Library's 1998 Books For The Teen Age List.

The Teenage List is comprised of the best of the previous year's literature for teenagers. A committee of young adult librarians has read each of the chosen titles, reviewed, and recommended them for distinction in this exclusive publication.

This story of trans-cultural adolescence is narrated by nine year-old Ellen, the oldest child in a family that represents a mixture of Asian, European, and American descent. When her family, due to marital problems, leaves America to settle in Japan under the guise of visiting her sick grandmother, she is thrust into the difficult position of establishing an identity when her age, family, and culture remain largely unformed. The novel thrives on the symbolism of the namako-a curious sea creature, part vegetable and part animal-and the literal translation of the Japanese word, "raw child." While Ellen struggles in this confusing and unfinished state, her grandmother, the character she can least identify with at the beginning of the novel, becomes an important friend and a veritable bridge to self-discovery. An elegant account of a young girl learning to integrate her family history and her own future, Namako: Sea Cucumber captures with startling accuracy both the confusion and wisdom that come of growing up in two vastly different cultures.

Linda Wantanabe McFerrin’s work can be found in anthologies such as Wild Places, American Fiction, and Travelers' Tales. In 1997 she received the Katherine Anne Porter Prize for Fiction. Namako: Sea Cucumber is her first novel. She lives in Oakland, California and is available for readings and interviews.

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