Fiction

 

Hurricane Child by Kacen Callender. New York: Scholastic, 2018.

Summary: Caroline Murphy is a twelve-year-old girl living on Water Island, an oft forgotten part of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Her mother is missing, she is haunted by ghostly figures, and the other girls at school make fun of her. She feels utterly alone until a new girl arrives and she discovers that the two of them share a secret, perhaps more than one.

Awards: Stonewall Book Award, Lambda Literary Award

Target Audience: Ages 8-12

Strengths: Poetic prose and compelling plot with a Black LGBT protagonist, captures the culture and spirit of the Virgin Islands, offers social commentary on economic inequality, gender, and sexuality in a context appropriate for young ages

Weaknesses: Some of the chapters run long which might discourage young readers, the conflict between the protagonist and her parents lacks closure, some of the supernatural elements are not fully explained, and there are lots of places where children disobey or transgress that might require guidance in interpreting

Meaningful/Creative Uses: Given that the supernatural elements and the conflict with her parents remain somewhat unclear at the end of the book, a discussion around these issues would be fruitful and would encourage readers to come up with their own interpretations. The book also presents an opportunity to discuss bullying at school, particularly around the issues of gender and sexual orientation.

Read-alikes

Behind the Mountains by Edwidge Danticat. New York: Scholastic, 2002.

Though this book is intended for a slightly older audience, it appears in Hurricane Child as Caroline's favorite novel and would be an interesting follow-up for a reader wanting to understand Callender's influences. It is a book about a young girl and her family who escape a politically unstable and impoverished Haiti and their immigrant experience in New York. For ages 12-14.

The Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste. Chapel Hill, NC: Algonquin Young Readers, 2015.

A story inspired by Caribbean folklore, this book features a Black girl protagonist who must save her community from “jumbies,” scary spirits who haunt the forest. It will appeal to readers who enjoyed the supernatural elements of the Hurricane Girl. For ages 9-12.

Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World by Ashley Herring Blake. New York: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2018.

Though a bit of a departure from Hurricane Child, this book is another Stonewall award winner featuring an LGBT protagonist. The plot is also driven partly by a natural disaster. It follows the story of twelve-year-old Ivy Aberdeen as she struggles to come to terms with her sexuality in the wake of a tornado. For ages 8-12.