Selkies & Skeptics 
Elias Cold 
Page Street YA, an imprint of Macmillan Publishers 
Ages 13+ 
Available November 17, 2026 

Sixteen-year-old Luella didn’t mean to send a letter she wrote about selkies to the “Society for the Protection of Faeries,” but her greedy and cruel father had other ideas. Luckily, once the Society arrives at their lighthouse, she does manage to fabricate evidence. In return, the Society, along with the kind delivery ferryman Murphy, help the adventurous Luella escape her father’s clutches. As she takes in the outside world, Luella loves her newfound freedom and friends, especially Enoch, a transgender boy and the Society’s founder. However, this new life comes with a price. Winifred, who’s fiercely protective of the Society, knows Luella fabricated her evidence, and she’s suspicious of Luella’s intentions. When her lies catch up to her, Luella leaves her friends to confront her isolating past. In her journey, she builds enough courage to rejoin the Society and hopes to fix what’s been broken. Cold presents an intriguing parallel with Luella and Winifred. They both are escaping abusive situations, but while Luella is optimistic and kind, Winifred is more distrusting and cynical. Their interactions cause suspense and excitement in the story. Cold’s vastly different characterizations of the male characters create dramatic tension in the plot as well. Luella’s father only sees value in her when she dives in and steals from the shipwrecks. His physical threats and guilt tripping will have readers understand Luella’s motivation to leave and her need to keep her past secret. Murphy and Enoch provide a stark contrast to the father’s violent nature by valuing her autonomy. Their respect for Luella’s decisions make them more admirable characters. Cold also portrays emotionally realistic consequences when friendships are built on false pretenses. When Luella reveals her con, the group feels betrayed, and Enoch feels especially devastated. The melodrama is so ferocious that readers will feel heartbroken when the guilt-ridden Luella felt she had no other choice than to leave the Society to confront her father alone. However, there is reconciliation, a touching reunion, and a promising budding romance that gives the reader optimism for everyone else’s futures. The story features neurodivergent, gay, and transgender characters. Selkies & Skeptics is a genuine, thrilling romantic fantasy that will spark readers’ fascination for magical creatures.