Synopses & Reviews
Historical fiction with a hint of the supernatural.
It is 1969, and Ruba has just moved to Mississippi from Haiti to live with her Grandmother Jones. This world is very different from her old life, where she spent days beachcombing with Ba, her maternal grandmother, and learning the lore of magic and history that Ruba holds close. But magic isn't welcome in this grandmother's house. Ruba struggles to understand her new surroundings and the hate that comes at her from some of the white people in town. It isn't long before Ruba finds herself threatened by the KKK and drawn into the fight for civil rights. But a hurricane barreling toward the coast changes everything, bringing Ruba and her family a measure of justice and a new acceptance.
Review
"Gritty details of the civil-rights movement and Dahomey (and world-wide) history of slavery form a powerful story that's archetypal, magical, and realistic all at once." Kirkus Reviews
Review
"Some readers may be confused by Vaught's wild blend of history and magic...but teens will easily relate to Ruba's desire for empowerment, her rage, and the provocative questions about justice, race, and the role of violence in creating change." Booklist
Review
"Tension builds steadily through Susan Vaught's gripping novel....A difficult book to put down, this might be a good choice for teachers who want to address themes of civil rights or cultural differences in the classroom." Children's Literature
Synopsis
It is 1969, and Ruba has just moved to Mississippi from Haiti to live with her grandmother. It isn't long before Ruba finds herself threatened by the KKK and drawn into the fight for civil rights. But a hurricane barreling toward the coast changes everything. Young Adult.
Synopsis
It is 1969, and Ruba has just moved to Mississippi from Haiti to live with her Grandmother Jones. This world is very different from her old life, where she spent days beachcombing with Ba, her maternal grandmother, and learning the lore of magic and history that she holds close. But magic isn't welcome in her new grandmother's house. Ruba struggles to understand her strange surroundings and the hate that comes at her from some of the white people in town. It isn't long before Ruba finds herself threatened by the KKK and drawn into the fight for civil rights. But a hurricane barreling toward the coast changes everything, bringing Ruba and her family a measure of justice and a new acceptance.
About the Author
Susan Vaught works with young people as a clinical psychologist. She has also been writing all her life. She and her large family live on a rugged, 45-acre mountainous farm in the Smoky Mountain foothills in Tennessee. This is her second book for young adults.