59 pages • 1-hour read
The Girl from the Sea: A Graphic Novel
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Pages 96-143Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of anti-gay bias.
Pages 96-109 Summary
The next morning, Jules messages the group chat asking Morgan what “stupid thing” she did. Lizzie distracts everyone with photos of a seagull, suggesting it become their group mascot. In the background, Morgan and Keltie ride bikes, smiling at each other. The girls go to the movies while Morgan ignores the group chat. The images show her briefly checking her phone, then putting it away and holding Keltie’s hand in the theater.
The following day, Serena proposes that everyone see Between Worlds in theaters. As the group discusses plans, Morgan stares out her window before preparing food. Aiden watches her, suspicious. Morgan meets Keltie outside, smiling shyly. Serena texts again, asking if she is coming, and Morgan replies hours later that she has already seen the film. When Serena asks if she went alone, Morgan does not respond. That night, as Serena and the others chat about the movie, Morgan and Keltie share a picnic at sunset and kiss.
On Monday, Jules sends selfies in different swimsuits, asking which the group prefers. Morgan never answers. Mom texts to ask if she will be home for dinner, but Morgan ignores it. The images show Mom waiting anxiously while Morgan shops with Keltie. Morgan buys Keltie a bathing suit and blushes when Keltie models it. They visit the shore, where Keltie catches a fish with her bare hands as Morgan laughs from the rocks. Meanwhile, Mom checks Morgan’s empty room, looking worried.
By Wednesday, the group chat shifts to party plans. Lizzie asks if Serena invited Josh; Serena confirms, and Lizzie panics. Serena explains that her parents made her invite “everyone,” but promises it will still be fun. She also plans a Friday shopping trip to Halifax.
Later, Serena messages Morgan privately, saying her phone must be broken since she never replies. She invites her to Halifax, but Morgan claims she has “family stuff.” Serena is disappointed. That evening, Aiden and Mom eat dinner in silence, Morgan’s empty chair between them. At the same time, Morgan and Keltie sit beside a campfire on the beach, leaning against each other as Morgan glances at her phone and puts it away.
On Friday, Serena, Jules, and Lizzie send Morgan a selfie from Halifax, saying they miss her. Morgan replies with a photo of herself on a dock, smiling, and tells them she loves them.
Pages 110-121 Summary
Morgan spends the weekend at the beach. She feels light and content with Keltie. Lizzie, working as a lifeguard, calls to her. Morgan joins her, saying she did not know Lizzie was working that day. She waves to her mother and Aiden, who are sitting under an umbrella nearby. Mom reads a book while Aiden, still wearing his green hoodie, scrolls on his phone. Morgan jokes that her mom pushed for a beach day but may as well have stayed home.
Lizzie looks uncomfortable as she tells Morgan that Serena invited “stupid gorgeous Josh” to her birthday party. Morgan suggests Lizzie ask him out, but Lizzie teases that Morgan is hardly a romance expert. Morgan blushes and agrees. Lizzie then tells Morgan that the girls missed her in Halifax. Morgan claims she had a family thing. Lizzie studies her quietly before asking if she is mad at Serena. Morgan says no, and Lizzie explains that Serena has been worried. Before Morgan can respond, Lizzie spots someone in the water and tells Morgan to hide. The “dolphin girl” is there.
Morgan turns, shocked to see Keltie waving from the waves. Aiden notices, too. Morgan waves back, then runs to meet Keltie, leaving Lizzie behind. As Morgan reaches her, she says there are too many people around, but she is happy to see her. A wave knocks them over, and Morgan jokes that she thought selkies were better swimmers. Keltie complains that her human body is useless in the sea. She asks for a kiss hello, but Morgan looks around nervously and refuses. Instead, she takes Keltie behind a rock, where they kiss out of sight.
From the cliff above, Aiden watches them. His eyes widen in shock before he quietly leaves.
Pages 122-130 Summary
On Sunday, the group chat opens with Serena complaining that her mom is rage-washing dishes after her dad parked on Min’s flowers. Morgan comments that Aiden does the same thing, and Lizzie calls him cute.
Later, Lizzie messages only Serena and Jules, saying she is worried that the “dolphin girl” who showed up at the beach might be stalking Morgan. She explains that Morgan ran off the moment she appeared. The others agree that Morgan has been acting strange, though Jules assumes it is because of her dad.
That evening, the neighbors, Earl and Val, visit for dinner. Earl wears thick glasses, and Val uses a wheelchair. They bring key lime pie, and Min jokes that they are lucky because both her teenagers seem to be in a good mood. When Morgan greets the neighbors, Aiden comments snidely that “of course” his sister is in a good mood. Morgan looks at him curiously, but he avoids eye contact.
As they eat, Val complains about the Boisseaus’ tour boat. Min says she cannot understand why anyone would bring harbor tours to such a small town. She asks Morgan what Serena thinks of the newspaper article claiming her parents are bringing Lunenburg to the future. Morgan quickly changes the subject, mentioning Serena’s upcoming birthday party on the boat. Min sighs that the Boisseaus let Serena do anything.
Min tells Morgan that she likes her new friend, Keltie. Earl adds that Keltie is not new; she has always lived nearby. Surprised, Morgan asks how he knows her. Earl smiles and says Keltie sometimes stops by their dock and is a “sweet lass.” Min says she is glad Morgan has a new friend. Aiden cuts in, saying Keltie is more than a friend. The image goes black as Morgan stares at him, stunned.
The next frame shows dinner again. Aiden, looking smug, announces to everyone that Morgan has a girlfriend. Morgan jumps up, shouting at him and asking why he ruins everything before running out of the house, ignoring Min’s calls to come back.
Pages 131-143 Summary
Morgan runs barefoot down the road until she is exhausted. Under a tree, she checks her phone and finds a message from Serena apologizing for being distant but asking what is going on. Serena accuses Morgan of ignoring her friends and says she could have talked to her about her parents’ divorce. Morgan replies that Serena would not understand and that she does not want to talk about it. The chat shows Serena starting to respond, then stopping. Morgan closes her eyes as tears fall.
Meanwhile, Keltie sits on a rock talking to some seals. She tells them they are right and that she must tell Morgan something at the party. Morgan appears from the trees, crying, and hugs her. She tells Keltie that Aiden found out about them and told her mom and the neighbors. Keltie drapes her dolphin shirt over Morgan’s shoulders.
Keltie asks if Morgan’s family is angry, and Morgan says she does not know. She just wanted their relationship to stay secret. Keltie frowns and steps back, saying Morgan wants to keep her a secret. Morgan argues that she only wants to keep things in separate boxes. Keltie says she cannot be kept in a box and reveals that she needs Morgan’s help. She explains that a selkie’s duty is to protect the seals, and the Boisseaus’ tour boat will pass too close to the seals’ rookery. The noise, pollution, and fuel will drive away the fish, leaving the seals without food or shelter. She says they must stop the boat before it destroys their home.
Morgan, hurt, asks if Keltie only came because she needed help. Keltie admits that selkies need a kiss to walk on land and says she wanted it to be from Morgan. She tells Morgan she must go to Serena’s party to stop the boat.
Morgan calls her a liar, saying she made up the story about loving her from afar and that Morgan fell for it. Keltie insists she never lied, but Morgan refuses to listen. She says she cannot take Keltie to the party. Keltie, crying, grabs her hand and asks if it is because helping her is not part of Morgan’s plan. Morgan nods, saying she should have stuck to her plan better. She says goodbye and walks away without looking back, Keltie’s dolphin shirt still over her shoulders.
Keltie watches her go, then sits on the rocks, crying as the waves crash behind her.
Pages 96-143 Analysis
In this section, emotional tension rises as both Keltie and Morgan must confront their secrets. For both girls, the exposure of their secrets does not immediately bring freedom or clarity. Instead, it deepens their isolation and fractures the trust they have built. The theme of The Burdens and Consequences of Secrets comes to the forefront as Morgan’s tightly compartmentalized world begins to collapse. Morgan’s entire life revolves around the illusion of control. She believes she can keep her emotions, relationships, and identity neatly separated into “boxes.” However, her secrecy begins to cost her connection and authenticity. She distances herself from her friends, ignoring their messages and offering only shallow responses. Her refusal to share anything meaningful leads to growing frustration, especially from Serena, who senses something is wrong but cannot reach her. Serena and the others assume Morgan’s behavior stems from her parents’ divorce, unaware that she is also dealing with the secret of her sexuality and her relationship with a shapeshifting visitor from the sea. While Lizzie and Jules maintain a cautious distance, Serena’s worry turns to irritation when Morgan shuts her out completely. By the time Serena finally reaches out, Morgan is already emotionally raw from her brother’s betrayal, and the conversation only reinforces her sense of being misunderstood and alone.
In this section, Morgan is more distanced from Family and Friends as Sources of Support than ever. Well-intentioned attempts at connection go wrong because they lack empathy or timing. Aiden’s decision to reveal Morgan’s sexuality at the dinner table is a devastating breach of trust. However, Aiden’s betrayal of his sister stems not from cruelty but from his own loneliness and confusion amid a changing family. Aiden, already struggling with his father’s absence and Morgan’s emotional withdrawal, reaches for humor to reconnect. His teasing comment, “Morgan has a girlfriend,” is meant to provoke a reaction, not to wound (129). When Morgan runs from the table in tears, his stunned expression reveals that he never expected to hurt her so deeply. In this scene, each sibling fails to understand the other’s pain. Their miscommunication illustrates the struggles in dealing with family, where poorly expressed love can lead to harm.
This theme extends beyond family to Morgan’s friendships. Serena’s frustration and Aiden’s impulsiveness stem from genuine care, but their inability to communicate with sensitivity further isolates Morgan. In both her family and her friend group, affection and strain coexist. The people who love Morgan most also contribute inadvertently to her growing sense of suffocation: Without sufficient empathy, their support can feel like pressure.
Keltie’s arc mirrors and intensifies Morgan’s. Her lie of omission—failing to tell Morgan about her mission to help the seals—shatters Morgan’s fragile trust. For Morgan, this hidden ulterior motive indicates that their love is a lie. In reality, both things are true: Keltie needed Morgan’s kiss in order to remain on land and help the seals, and she wants to be with Morgan. However, her secrecy makes it difficult for Morgan to trust her. The revelation exposes the limits of their relationship, and the damage secrecy causes even when motivated by love. Hurt and defensive, Morgan insists that she should have followed her “plan” (to stay invisible until she leaves the island and can live openly somewhere else). Keltie challenges this, telling her, “I love you dearly, Morgan, but I cannot be kept in a box” (137). Her words cut to the core of Morgan’s struggle with Change as a Catalyst for Personal Growth. For Keltie, transformation is natural and freeing; for Morgan, it is terrifying. Keltie’s openness contrasts sharply with Morgan’s self-concealment. Where Keltie embraces change and responsibility, Morgan equates openness with loss of control.
Keltie’s revelation also reinterprets the selkie myth through a queer lens. In traditional stories, selkies are bound to land by the control of others. In The Girl from the Sea, both girls participate in the binding through secrecy and fear. When Morgan takes Keltie’s seal-skin earlier in the novel, it symbolizes her desire to hold on to love without risk. Now, the truth forces her to see that control and love cannot coexist. Keltie’s demand for honesty parallels Morgan’s need to accept herself. Their separation at the end of this section, Morgan walking away as Keltie cries on the rocks, marks not the end of their relationship, but the painful beginning of transformation for them both.
Through these intertwined storylines, Ostertag shows that secrecy, while often intended to protect, ultimately becomes a form of confinement. Morgan hides her identity to stay safe, but secrecy denies her the very connection she longs for. Keltie hides her true purpose to preserve love, but her silence turns intimacy into misunderstanding. Both girls must learn that honesty carries risk but also creates space for genuine transformation.
This section of The Girl from the Sea captures the cost of fear and the slow, uncertain process of embracing an authentic identity. The exposure of secrets here does not resolve tension; it magnifies it. However, within that pain lies the possibility of change. Morgan’s world, once divided into boxes, begins to break open. Though she cannot yet embrace freedom, the cracks in her secrecy mark the first step toward growth.
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