Olive’s Ocean by Kevin Henkes (2003) Greenwillow Books

Olive died, but she left a note for Martha, whom she saw as the only person who was nice to her, she wished she’d seen an actual ocean.  Twelve-year-old Martha is about to visit her grandmother, Godbe, at the ocean.  Martha has some growing up to do and wants to be a writer, but her father is already trying to be a writer and not doing very well.  A local boy takes advantage of Marth’s naivete while filming things and films himself kissing her, then reveals it was a bet.  Marth feels terrible and wants nothing to do with the older boy after that.  She collects a bottle of water to take to Olive’s mother as Olive’s Ocean.  The boy’s brother, who is Martha’s age steals the film and gives it to her at the end of the vacation.  When Martha gets home, she goes to Olive’s house to give her mother the bottle of ocean, but she has already moved too far away.  So, Martha paints Olive’s name with the ocean water and watches it evaporate in the heat.