An uplifting novel in verse about an immigrant girl adjusting to life in the US through her love of nature, music, and poetry, by the award-winning author of The Bridge Home
When Geetha and her mom move from India to Rhode Island after her parentsโ divorce, they leave everything Geetha loves behindโher family, her friends, her dog, and all thatโs familiar. As if thatโs not hard enough, Geetha is bullied at her new school for her clothes, her food, and her English (who knew so many English words could be spelled or pronounced differently in the USโor just be altogether different!). She finds some solace in playing her flute and writing poetry, and even more when she meets Miguel, a kid with whom she has a lot in common, and the two of them help rescue an injured harp seal stranded on the beach. But Geetha can feel her anger building over lots of thingsโcareless people who pollute the sea and hurt animals, and her mom for making her move. Sheโs never been so sad and angry. She can see a lot of her fears mirrored in the injured seal when she visits it at the Marine Mammal Rehabilitation Center, and this broadens her understanding of survival skills. And when she and Miguel start a beach-clean-up venture, sheโs surprised to find how many kind kids are out there. Geetha is torn as the time comes to let the seal go, knowing sheโll miss him, but wanting the best for him. Sheโs learning to live with mixed feelings and accept that while there will always be rough waters, there are plenty of safe harbors too.
9-12 แฌแแแก แแแแจแแแแแกแแแแก