The Hurricane Girls
$16.99 USD
hardcover
A coming-of-age middle grade novel about three best friends born in the wake of Hurricane Katrina who must confront storms of their own 12 years later, from a National Book Award winning author.
Born in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Greer, Joya Mia, and Kiki are seventh graders and the best of friends. After an accident leaves Greer's little sister paralyzed, Greer is forever changed by the experience and blames herself. Kiki and Joya Mia will do anything to help Greer let go of this emotional burden, and a plan is hatched to compete in a triathlon. Each girl will participate: Kiki will swim, Joya Mia will cycle, and Greer, if they can persuade her, will run—something she once loved to do.
Set on the Westbank of New Orleans, this contemporary coming-of-age novel is a journey of growth, healing, and difficult transitions as the girls navigate their many life challenges: family trauma, body insecurity, and the conflict between ambitions and responsibilities. It's a powerful and enlightening exploration of how to surmount personal tragedy through friendship and forgiveness.
Kimberly Willis Holt is the award-winning author of more than twenty books for a wide range of ages, including When Zachary Beaver Came to Town, recipient of the National Book Award for Young People's Literature. She writes and gardens in Texas.
* "The girls’ slowly deepening understanding of themselves gives this book its heart. Like their rebuilt city, this friendship cannot reconstitute as an exact replica of what they had before…. Holt takes time developing these characters, allowing readers to see both their individual and collective growth in this appealing and sensitive novel."—The Horn Book, starred review
"Interpersonal conflicts threaten the friendship of three New Orleans seventh graders in this slice-of-life novel by Holt (The Ambassador of Nowhere Texas).... Nuanced relationship dynamics paired with complex characterizations drive this grounded look at the ways in which the aftermath of tragedy can reverberate long after the event and how community and connection can pave a path toward healing."
—Publishers Weekly
"Holt’s involving third-person narrative shifts focus, chapter by chapter, from one girl to the next and portrays their family relationships as well as the intricately interwoven thoughts, emotions, and memories that bind them together. While some readers may be drawn to one girl in particular, most will find themselves rooting for all three main characters in this engaging novel."—Booklist
"A tender and triumphant story about friendship and family, in a proud and resilient city."—Deborah Wiles, author of the National Book Award finalists Each Little Bird That Sings and Revolution
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